The top American racer in men’s World Cup slalom races so far in 2013-14 has not been Ted Ligety or Bode Miller, but rather David Chodounsky, who spent part of the summer of 2013 coaching on Mount Hood and living in Government Camp.

This Universal Sports clip of Chodounsky ripping through the gates with power and style shows why he’s got a shot at a medal in Sochi.

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Chodounsky, 29, grew up in Minnesota and Crested Butte, raced for Dartmouth College and graduated in 2008 with a double major in engineering and geology.

He made the tough jump from NCAA competition to the U.S. Ski Team not long after graduating, and has been training hard to move up in the rankings. He finished seventh in the World Cup slalom at Val d’Isere last week, beating Ted Ligety, Bode Miller and Austrian superstar Marcel Hirscher. That result follows a double victory in slalom at the New Zealand Winter Games.

Chodounsky works as a guest coach at the Ligety Weibrecht Ski Camp on Mount Hood in the summertime.

Last modified: December 19, 2013