BORMIO, Italy (AP) 鈥� Long before the free-spirited Bode Miller, there was David Chappellet, a driven, do-things-my-way downhill racer representing
Sure, Chappellet’s story was make-believe and straight out out Hollywood, a brash prospect played by the coming out of nowhere (Idaho Springs, Colorado) to fill in for an injured teammate and becoming an Olympic champion. But decades later, the character from the 1969 film 鈥淒ownhill Racer” still resonates.
To this day, Redford’s Chappellet serves as a badge of honor for American downhillers, the personification of their ethos and underdog status in a Europe-centric sport. The movie stands up, too, due to its gritty camerawork and picturesque scenery, which includes visits to venues on the World Cup circuit like Kitzb眉hel, Austria, and Wengen, Switzerland.
鈥淭he movie encapsulates the pursuit of excellence that we鈥檙e trying to accomplish and it exudes such an aura around what we do,鈥� explained U.S. racer River Radamus, who鈥檚 competing in his second Olympics at the 鈥淚 love that movie. That鈥檚 part of why I wanted to do what I do today.鈥�
Redford & Hackman
The film 鈥� directed by Michael Ritchie of 鈥淔letch鈥� and 鈥淭he Bad 草莓传媒 Bears鈥� notoriety 鈥� was based on a book by Oakley Hall. It featured the relationship between two characters played by , a loner who plays by his rules to become a champion, and , his locked-in U.S. ski coach. It was a celebrated part for the actors, who both died in 2025.
Redford’s character may have been an amalgamation of several U.S. ski team personalities. Maybe a little Billy Kidd after he and teammate Jimmie Heuga became the first American men to capture Olympic medals in Alpine skiing in 1964. Maybe a dose of the charismatic Vladimir 鈥淪pider鈥� Sabich, who was shot and killed in 1976. Maybe even some Wallace 鈥淏uddy鈥� Werner, who died in an avalanche in 1964 at 28. This was long before the days of Miller, who burst on the scene with his own flair for doing things his way 鈥� much like Redford’s Chappellet.
Bill Marolt, a skier for Team USA in the 1960s, remembers the movie鈥檚 premiere and how his team was portrayed in a positive light along with a little Hollywood embellishment.
鈥淚t just brought back a lot of memories of what had gone on,鈥� recounted Marolt, who would go on to become the ski coach and athletic director at the University of Colorado along serving as president/CEO of the U.S. ski team. 鈥淢ovies always take some liberties, but the bottom line, the message was pretty accurate and pretty clear.鈥�
Redford’s stunt double
Early in the movie, a racer named Tommy Erb crashes and gets badly banged up. It opens the door for the arrival of Redford. Playing Erb was collegiate and U.S. skier , who also filled in as Redford鈥檚 stunt double for the challenging skiing scenes.
A recent graduate at the time from the University of Washington, Jalbert was slinging mud for a construction company when he received a call from Redford’s attorney. A simple question that altered his life: How would Jalbert like to be in a ski racing movie?
鈥淟iterally in less than two months I鈥檓 on a plane to Wengen, Switzerland,鈥� Jalbert recounted. “That鈥檚 where I first met Bob.鈥�
They became good friends, too, spending time on the slopes long after the film.
鈥淏ob was an advanced skier, absolutely,鈥� Jalbert recalled of Redford, the magnetic movie star who also was the founder of Sundance Mountain Resort in Utah and in Utah to support independent filmmakers.
Jalbert played a big role in making the ski racing scenes look more authentic by lugging a heavy camera down the slopes at high velocity. He also took some high-speed wipeouts as Redford’s stand-in.
鈥淥nce a downhill racer, always a downhill racer,鈥� laughed Jalbert, whose on-set experience launched a longtime filmmaking and cinematography career that’s seen him make and become a member of the .
USA downhillers
Two American men have won the Olympic downhill, and Tommy Moe in 1994. The only U.S. woman to capture the downhill at the Winter Games remains in 2010.
Ryan Cochran-Siegle, an Olympic silver medalist in the super-G at the 2022 Beijing Games, remembers being introduced to 鈥淒ownhill Racer鈥� as a teenager. It only cemented what he already knew: He wanted be a ski racer.
鈥淢ovies that make a lasting impression, they hold so much truth to the real world,鈥� said Cochran-Siegle, who’s among the favorites in the men’s downhill on Saturday. 鈥淎s an American speed racer, there鈥檚 so much of that underdog mentality in going over to Europe and being away from home, trying to still be the best in the world.鈥�
Retired U.S. downhiller Steven Nyman grew up in Sundance and near the home of Redford, even doing yardwork for the actor as a kid. The film made an impression on Nyman before earning a spot on the squad. But his true memory of 鈥淒ownhill Racer鈥� centers around how the team used watching it as an inspiration before racing in Wengen. It was an idea formed by teammate Daron Rahlves, who won at the famous venue in 2006.
鈥淩edford really tells a great story about the life of a ski racer,” said Nyman, who often ran into the actor at Sundance. 鈥淚t ended up being something similar to my life.鈥�
Rahlves has a Redford story, too, of sitting behind the actor on a plane ride to San Francisco.
鈥淚 introduced myself and we talked about 鈥楧ownhill Racer,鈥欌�� said Rahlves, who won nine World Cup downhill races, including the famed Hahnenkamm race in Kitzb眉hel in 2003. 鈥淗e remembered so many things about that experience. He was like, 鈥楬ave you ever raced the Hahnenkamm?鈥� I told him, 鈥漎eah, I actually won it.’
鈥淗e just gave me a high-five. That was a good moment.”
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