Bojan Križaj

Bojan Križaj (born 3 January 1957) is a Slovenian former alpine skier. During his international career he competed for the then-existing Yugoslavia. He competed at three Winter Olympics.

Career

Križaj, born in Kranj, was a member of a well known Tržič ski family so he started skiing at the age of 3. In the season 1976/77 he received the first World Cup point, qualified among the 15 best slalom runners and later during that season in Madonna di Campiglio he hit his first top 3 podium. On 20 January 1980 he achieved the first Yugoslav World Cup victory in Wengen, Switzerland and later he won seven more times, thus still being Yugoslavia's and Slovenia's most successful male alpine skier to date.

At 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, New York, U.S., he reached the fourth place in giant slalom, missing the bronze medal by only two hundredths of a second. Four years later he took the athlete's oath at the opening ceremony for Sarajevo's 1984 Winter Olympics. He caused a stir when he spoke the oath not in Croatian or Serbian but in Slovene. Despite great expectations of the Yugoslav audience he finished ninth in giant slalom, much less than expected. Križaj should also have competed at 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, but he got injured a few days before the event.

His most successful World Championship was in 1982 in Schladming, Austria where he received the silver medal in slalom.

His most successful World Cup season was 1986/87 when he received the small crystal globe for the season's best slalom runner (that was the only men's crystal globe of that season not won by Pirmin Zurbriggen). Beside that he was the second in World Cup slalom standings in the 1979/80 and 1985/86 seasons and third in the 1980/81 season. His best position in overall World Cup standings was the 4th place in 1979/80.

He concluded his career in 1988 at the race in Saalbach, Austria where he stepped off the skis right at the end of the track and walked into the finish area. Since his skiing retirement he worked in many fields, including as importer of Austrian brand beer and adviser for ski products in Elan company. In March 2006 he became Head of Slovenian Ski Pool.

World Cup results Season titles Season Discipline1987 Slalom

Season standings Season Age Overall Slalom Giantslalom Super-G Downhill Combined 1977 19 43 15 22 — — — 1978 20 20 11 12 — — — 1979 21 8 12 3 — — — 1980 22 4 2 6 — — — 1981 23 6 3 15 — — 12 1982 24 9 6 8 — — — 1983 25 9 5 20 — — 15 1984 26 10 5 17 — — 31 1985 27 10 6 22 — — 20 1986 28 15 2 19 — — — 1987 29 9 1 — — — — 1988 30 51 16 — — — —

Race podiums 8 wins (8 SL) 33 podiums (26 SL, 7 GS) Season Date Location Discipline Position 1978 13 December 1977 Madonna di Campiglio, Italy Slalom 3rd 1979 22 December 1978 Kranjska Gora, Slovenia Giant slalom 3rd 7 January 1979 Courchevel, France Giant slalom 3rd 4 February 1979 Jasna, Czechoslovakia Giant slalom 2nd 13 March 1979 Heavenly Valley, United States Giant slalom 2nd 1980 8 December 1979 Val d'Isere, France Giant slalom 2nd 11 December 1979 Madonna di Campiglio, Italy Slalom 2nd 12 December 1979 Giant slalom 3rd 20 January 1980 Wengen, Switzerland Slalom 1st 27 January 1980 Chamonix, France Slalom 2nd 1981 9 December 1980 Madonna di Campiglio, Italy Slalom 3rd 6 January 1981 Morzine, France Giant slalom 3rd 25 January 1981 Wengen, Switzerland Slalom 1st 15 March 1981 Furano, Japan Slalom 2nd 1982 20 March 1982 Kranjska Gora, Yugoslavia Slalom 1st 1983 12 February 1983 Markstein, France Slalom 1st 23 February 1983 Tärnaby, Sweden Slalom 3rd 20 March 1983 Furano, Japan Slalom 3rd 1984 13 December 1983 Courmayeur, Italy Slalom 2nd 22 January 1984 Kitzbühel, Austria Slalom 3rd 1985 16 December 1984 Madonna di Campiglio, Italy Slalom 1st 13 January 1985 Kitzbühel, Austria Slalom 3rd 1986 1 December 1985 Sestriere, Italy Slalom 2nd 16 December 1985 Madonna di Campiglio, Italy Slalom 2nd 14 January 1986 Berchtesgaden, Germany Slalom 2nd 2 February 1986 Wengen, Switzerland Slalom 3rd 21 March 1986 Bromont, Canada Slalom 1st 1987 20 December 1986 Kranjska Gora, Yugoslavia Slalom 1st 21 December 1986 Hinterstoder, Austria Slalom 2nd 18 January 1987 Wengen, Switzerland Slalom 3rd 25 January 1987 Kitzbühel, Austria Slalom 1st 21 March 1987 Sarajevo, Yugoslavia Slalom 2nd 1988 16 December 1987 Madonna di Campiglio, Italy Slalom 3rd

Olympic Games results Season Age Slalom Giantslalom Super-G Downhill Combined 1976 18 DNF1 18 notrun — notrun 1980 22 DNF1 4 — 1984 26 7 9 — 1988 30 injured, did not compete

World Championships results Season Age Slalom Giantslalom Super-G Downhill Combined 1974 16 13 — notrun — — 1976 18 DNF1 18 — — 1978 20 DNF DNF — — 1980 22 DNF1 4 — — 1982 24 2 7 — DNF SL2 1985 27 5 8 — — 1987 29 6 — — — — From 1948 through 1980, the Winter Olympics were also the World Championships for alpine skiing.