Tommy Moe on what it takes to be an Olympian
By Charlie Snyder // usolympicteam.com // November 12, 2001
At the 1994 Lillehammer Olympics, Tommy Moe won gold in the downhill and silver in the giant slalom, making him the first and only American to come home from a winter Olympics with two medals.
He followed this with a World Cup win in the GS and other top 10 competition places. Tommy has raced professionally in the Ford Downhill Series since 1998 and hosts Steep and Deep Camps at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, where he is a ski ambassador. An active outdoorsman, Tommy spends most of his time living in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, where his days are filled with skiing, kayaking, fishing and mountain biking. When not in Jackson Hole, Tommy still travels frequently with members of the US Ski Team to train with girlfriend and U.S. Olympic hopeful Megan Gerety.
Q1. Describe your Lillehammer experience and what it was like to make it to the Olympics.
Tommy Moe: Lillehammer was the ultimate life experience. The timing was perfect; my technique was solid, and my mental outlook was all or nothing! The downhill course was very technical and demanding. The last training run put me in the top five, which told me there was a medal waiting for me if I just skied my best.
Q2. How did it feel standing on the Olympic podium accepting two medals for the U.S.?
Tommy Moe: It's hard to fully describe the feeling I had standing on the top step of the Olympic podium. I dreamt about it for years, and for it to actually happen was, literally, a dream come true. The Olympic experience is one I would never trade, skiing at premier ski locations and representing your country in one of the oldest races known to man. When I won the Olympic downhill, it was a reward for all the days spent racing and training. Riding a sleigh to the awards ceremony, hearing the national anthem on the podium and receiving my medal from ski legend Stein Erickson was an experience I will never forget. Receiving a call from President Clinton topped it all off.
Q3. What does it take to be an Olympian?
Tommy Moe: I would say the top five qualities are: determination, perseverance, luck, a lot of skill and hard work.
Q4. What award means more to you - World Cup or Olympics?
Tommy Moe: My Olympic downhill win prevails over any World Cup win. It is the biggest race for American skiers, and downhill draws more attention throughout the world.
Q5. What fun U.S. Team memories do you have from Lillehammer?
Tommy Moe: The opening ceremony stands out to me. It was the night before the race, and it required some travel from where the downhill was held. My girlfriend, Megan Gerety, was able to be there with me, but most of my competition chose to skip the opening ceremony to rest. I remember looking around for other top-ranked skiers. I only saw a few and said to myself, "Those guys are wimps. They're already worried I'm going to beat them."
Q6. How do you rate the 2002 downhill course at Snowbasin? Would you want to race on it?
Tommy Moe: Snowbasin's course is very challenging, steep, fast and intimidating—all the elements for a great Olympic downhill race. I would definitely like to race on it.
Q7. What winning times do you predict for downhill?
Tommy Moe: I believe the best times will be between 1.45.00 to 1.50.00, which is very fast for a 3,000 vertical foot drop.
Q8. Who do you predict as 2002 ski event medal winners?
Tommy Moe: I would pick Daron Rahlves from the U.S., Hermann Maier, Sarah Schleper, Megan Gerety, Lasse Kjuus, Andre Aamodt, Stefan Eberhardter and a number of other European favorites. U.S. Team members are strong contenders. We always seem to shine for the big events.
Q9. What is life like after the Olympics?
Tommy Moe: My life has, actually, been a lot busier since the Olympics! I do a ton of promotional tours for Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, Spyder, Dynastar, Ford and Boeri Helmets. Making your living as a professional skier is very rewarding. Those who I work with in the ski industry are great and all are devoted 100 percent to skiing.
Q10. How do you help keep the dream alive for future Olympians?
Tommy Moe: Being a support/inspiration to kids is very important. I regularly visit schools in Jackson Hole, pumping winter sports and reminding them how lucky they are to have a great mountain right outside their backdoor. I personally ski with both kids and adults at my Steep at Deep Ski Camps at JHMR. In Alaska, I started a weekend ski race, Tommy Moe Invitational, which sees 140 to 150 kids each year. In addition to that, I tour with Charles Schwaab/Nastar to three US stops, promoting grassroots ski racing.
