Johnny Spillane
Nordic Combined
1998 Olympian
2002 Olympian
2006 Olympian
2010 Olympic hopeful
Personal Specs
Height: 6'0"
Short List Performance
- 1998 Olympic Winter Games - Did not compete
- 2002 Olympic Winter Games - fourth (Team), 32nd (Sprint, Individual)
- 2006 Olympic Winter Games - seventh (Team), 10th (Sprint), 30th (Individual)
- 2003 World champion - Sprint
Vancouver Watch
Spillane, the first American to win a World championship in Nordic Combined, adds great depth to the U.S. Ski Team behind fellow veterans and World champions Bill Demong and Todd Lodwick. He will surely occupy a spot on the four-man team event in Vancouver. The Americans were favorites to win the team competition at the 2009 World Championships but were disqualified when Bill Demong lost his bib before the ski jump portion of the event.
Personal
Spillane is the oldest of three siblings. Growing up in the same town as Lodwick, he started skiing at age 2 near Howelsen Hill and began jumping competitively at 11, albeit on alpine skis. After two years, he finally got jumping skis. After making the U.S. Olympic Team as an alternate in 1998, he helped the U.S. win the World junior championship in 1999.
He suffered a setback with a shoulder injury in 2007 but fully recovered by the 2008-09 season to start posting solid finishes again.
Did You Know...?
- Father, Jim, taught him how to fly-fish, and Spillane now collects fly rods
- Self-proclaimed best cook on the U.S. Nordic Combined Team
- Has two English Bulldogs, Maynard and Hayduke
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Addicted to "The Wheel of Time" book series