The Mount Parnassus skier

Born to an American mother and a Greek father, Ginnis grew up in Greece and learned to ski on the slopes of Mount Parnassus, where the slopes are named after the twelve Greek gods.

The skier will return there for the national championships at the end of March.

"Mount Parnassus is quite high in altitude (2,460 m). Of course, it's not a traditional way to come to high-level skiing, but I didn't really have a choice of sport. My father had a store and he was also a ski instructor, that's how my parents met," Ginnis explained at a press conference on Sunday.

After a stint in Austria, a ski country, Ginnis followed his parents to the United States at the age of 15, quickly joining the American team with convincing results on the North American circuit, a sort of 2nd world division.

Left the team for lack of results, he has represented Greece since 2020.

Without much funding, he is coached by two friends, American Sandy Vietze and Frenchman Gabriel Coulet, who joined them in January.

The Greek AJ Ginnis in Courchevel on February 19, 2023 © Fabrice COFFRINI / AFP

"We've been the Three Musketeers ever since. They would do anything for me, they make a lot of sacrifices, they drive me everywhere, they sometimes sleep in the car to save the hotel."

Career cut short by injuries

The 28-year-old champion saw his career slowed down and cut short by six knee operations.

The last in August 2021, following a rupture of the cruciate ligaments of the right knee, had deprived him of the Olympic dream in Beijing.

"I thought I was finished for the top level. But I worked in Beijing for the NBC channel as a consultant at the Olympic Games. I was able to see my friends, my competitors skiing there. When I came back, the fire me had revived. I told my mother that I wanted to try my luck again. She encouraged me. She could have told me to find a job instead, thank you to her."

"I had good surgeons, good physios and my family and I were very patient. And I'm damn stubborn," added the one who skis with two knee pads, about his many returns.

Greek premieres

Ginnis multiplies the great firsts for Greece.

He had scored the first points in the history of his country in the World Cup in January 2021 in Flachau (Austria) with an 11th place.

The Greek AJ Ginnis in Courchevel on February 19, 2023 © Lionel BONAVENTURE / AFP

This winter, he had already shown himself at ease by obtaining a 20th place at the beginning of January in Adelboden (Switzerland) before exploding in Chamonix on February 4 with a second place.

It was his country's first podium on the world circuit.

From now on, he can dream of becoming the first Greek to win the World Cup, or the first Olympic medalist in alpine skiing in 2026 at the Italian Games in Milan / Cortina.

© 2023 AFP