Wayne Wong Wishes Jean-Claude Killy Happy Birthday With Vintage Clip
Legends recognize legends: pioneering freestyle skier Wayne Wong wished Jean-Claude Killy a happy birthday yesterday, August 31st, with a classic vintage clip from Assignment K2.
See the video and post below.
From the caption:
"Happy Birthday Jean Claude Killy. It was an honor to ski with you during the filming of Assignment K2. You were also a judge at the first Freestyle Competition at Waterville Valley in 1971. You are one of my favorite IDOLS growing up in skiing We all wanted to be like you JET TURNS forever. Thank you."
If you're reading this thinking, "Who the heck are these guys?" here's a refresher.
Wong was and is a legend in freestyle and hot dog skiing. Born in Vancouver, British Columbia, he quickly leaped from being a ski instructor to an ambassador for the burgeoning freestyle skiing scene.
He won competitions, repped iconic K2 skis, showed off with his signature "Wong Banger" move, and otherwise championed the evolution of skiing. The U.S. Ski And Snowboard Hall Of Fame -- in which Wong is an inductee -- wrote the following flowing passage about the Canadian freestyler:
"His signature tricks on the snow, great smile and personality made him a cultural icon of the early freestyle era. Both SKI and Powder magazines have named him among the most influential skiers of the 20th century."
To learn more about Wong, read this short article from Powder co-founder Jake Moe.
Killy, in contrast, represented skiing's old guard during the 1960s: alpine ski racing. Killy's dominance spanned the 1960s, culminating in several gold medal wins at the 1968 Olympics.
Killy and Wong stood for two different sides of the same coin -- they were both legendary skiers and masters at their distinct crafts.
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