BIOGRAPHY:
Skiing always comes first for the 2006 Olympic gold medalist and three-time World Cup giant slalom champion Ted Ligety. Whether it's dropping cliffs in his speed suit on a cancellation day, taking snowmobiles into the Utah backcountry, or laying down some of the most incredible angles in all of ski racing, "Shred" is constantly pushing and evolving the sport.

Ligety left little doubt that 2011 was the year of Shred. After the opening giant slalom of the season was canceled due to fog, Ligety obliterated the World Cup field in the next three races, winning the first two—in Beaver Creek, CO and Val d'Isere, France—by nearly a second each time.

Victory No. 3 was almost the sweetest of the season because it came on the legendary Alta Badia, Italy race hill. And the win put him in a new league, as he matched former alpine greats Hermann Maier, Alberto Tomba, Phi Mahre, Michael von Gruenigen and Pirmin Zurbriggen with three straight giant slalom wins.

But "Shred" quickly one-upped himself when he iced World Championship gold in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany with one of the most tactically sound second runs on record. He celebrated by attending a toast at the Audi tent in Garmisch and was invited to pull a prize out of the fish bowl. Wouldn't you know it, he won a new Audi A3—it was a good day.

Another podium in Kranjska Gora, Slovenia sealed the deal on his third giant slalom title when the final event of the season was canceled due to adverse weather in Lenzerheide, Switzerland.

TED SAYS:
"Winning three World Cup races in a row was a dream come true. It’s the best GS hill on the streak at home in Beaver Creek and then Alta Badia is the best GS hill on the World Cup circuit."

"It’s tough to say what the secret is. I think a big part is that my physical conditioning was a lot better this year and the Head skis are working awesome."

"Winning the gold medal when you're the favorite is a pretty difficult thing to wrap your mind around and get pumped up for, so I'm happy I didn't choke. I skied this year in the fashion that I wanted to—three wins and the gold medal in Garmisch—it's safe to say it was a really good year for me."

FIRST TRACKS:
Ligety was on skis at two and began racing at 11, working his way from the Park City farm team on up to the Park City Ski Team. Although he played other sports as he went into high school, he says, “Skiing really was my only passion.” U.S. coaches watched and waited as he worked up through the junior ranks, and when he collected slalom silver at the 2004 Junior World Championships and then a 23rd in a World Cup slalom, he clinched a place on the ’05 Ski Team.

OFF THE SNOW:
Ligety is the mastermind behind Shred, a company he started with friend Carlo Salmini following the 2006 Olympics. Originally starting with goggles, Shred now makes helmets, sunglasses and outerwear, but more importantly pushes the style envelop with ski racing. Aside from the biz, Ligety digs tennis, formula one racing, water skiing and ripping around the Utah backcountry. After locking his third GS title this season in Switzerland, journalists quickly asked if Ligety was headed to the beach to celebrate. "Nope, I'm looking forward to going home and doing some powder skiing in Utah, " he said.