Alpine Skiingthe anniversary
On September 27, 1960, one of the greatest talents in our skiing came to light, already able to beat Stenmark at the age of 18 before the accident and an endless drama. Riccardo Crovetti will remember him with a book.
Sunday 27 September 2020 4 minutes reading time
Sixty years of a blue angel, who left Gressoney-La-Trinité to conquer a world that had already understood how talented and determined that Aosta Valley kid was capable of frightening the great Stenmark.
Leonardo David would have turned 60 today and it is right to remember, as Riccardo Crovetti, a passionate historian already author of splendid volumes on the world of snow and its protagonists, will do so in a book, the short but intense adventure in the white circus of one of the greatest talents of our ski.
After having triumphed in the European Cup, at just 18 years old and in the debut season in the World Cup (1978/79), which will remain his only one in the top circuit, Leo immediately flew to the third step of the podium, in the inaugural giant of Schladming, and then soon also to win, on February 3, 1979 in the slalom of Oslo, beating an Ingemar Stenmark in the full expression of his domination. Cruel destiny was on the horizon, with a first downhill fall (David was already ready to fight for speed, not only in technical disciplines) at the Absolutes in Cortina on February 16, 1979. That underestimated blow to the head, the flight in the States to participate in the Lake Placid pre-olympics and, on March 3, 1979, the tragedy that took place during a trial, with a glean in the finish area.
Leo will get up again, but the blow to the head caused him to collapse after the finish in the arms of his teammates, before the race to the hospital and a recovery attempt never happened. After a suffering of almost 6 years in a vegetative state, despite the thousand attempts of the David family among the best specialists in the world, on February 26, 1985 the blue angel ascended to heaven. On March 10, at the age of 91, he will be joined by his father Davide, founder of the Gressoney Monte Rosa Ski Club and twice Italian downhill, shortly before Leo's birth. That September 27, 1960 will remain a date carved in the history of blue skiing.
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