Guy Périllat Merceroz (born 24 February 1940) is a former World Cup alpine ski racer from the resort of La Clusaz, Haute-Savoie, one of the top ski racers of the 1960s.[1][2][3]

Guy Périllat
circa 1966
Personal information
Born24 February 1940 (1940-02-24) (age 84)
Annecy, Haute-Savoie, France
Height1.68 m (5 ft 6 in)
Weight68 kg (150 lb)
Sport
SportAlpine skiing
ClubClub Ski de La Clusaz
Medal record
Men's alpine skiing
Representing  France
Olympic Games
Silver medal – second place 1968 Grenoble Downhill
Bronze medal – third place 1960 Squaw Valley Downhill
World Championships
Gold medal – first place 1960 Squaw Valley Combined
Gold medal – first place 1966 Portillo Giant slalom
Silver medal – second place 1962 Chamonix Slalom
Silver medal – second place 1966 Portillo Slalom

Biography

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On his twentieth birthday at the 1960 Winter Olympics, Périllat won the gold medal in the combined, a non-Olympic event at the time, but a World Championship title. Two days earlier, he won a bronze medal in the downhill. The following year, Périllat won both the classic downhills of Wengen and Kitzbühel, at the time only the third racer to have accomplished the feat in the same season.[1]

The count now includes ten racers, with Austrians as the only multiple double-winners; Toni Sailer twice (1956–57), and Franz Klammer three consecutive (197577). The others are Christian Pravda of Austria (1954), Jean-Claude Killy of France (1967), Karl Schranz of Austria (1969), Roland Collombin of Switzerland (1974), Ken Read of Canada (1980), Franz Heinzer of Switzerland (1992), and Stephan Eberharter of Austria (2002).

At the 1962 World Championships in Chamonix, France, Périllat took second in the slalom. Four years later at Portillo, Chile in August 1966, he won the world championship in the giant slalom and again took the silver in the slalom.

While most of his success came before the World Cup era, Périllat won two slalom races in the first season of 1967.

Périllat took the silver medal in the downhill at the 1968 Winter Olympics, finishing behind countryman Jean-Claude Killy. Périllat retired from international competition following the 1969 season at age 29.[1]

World Cup results

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Season standings

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Season Age Overall Slalom Giant
Slalom
Super G Downhill Combined
1967 27 3 2 12 not
run
2 not
awarded
1968 28 5 25 6 4
1969 29 30 25 32 13

Race victories

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Season Date Location Race
1967 29 January 1967   Megève Slalom
5 February 1967   Madonna di Campiglio Slalom

World Championship results

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 Year   Age   Slalom  Giant
 Slalom 
Super-G Downhill Combined
1960 20 6 6 not run 3 1
1962 21 2 DSQ 6
1964 23 12 10 6 5
1966 26 2 1 63 11
1968 27 DSQ2 4 2

From 1948 through 1980, the Winter Olympics were also the World Championships for alpine skiing.
At the World Championships from 1954 through 1980, the combined was a "paper race" using the results of the three events (DH, GS, SL).

Olympic results

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 Year   Age   Slalom  Giant
 Slalom 
Super-G Downhill Combined
1960 20 6 6 not run 3 not run
1964 23 12 10 6
1968 27 DSQ2 4 2

References

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  1. ^ a b c Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Guy Périllat". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020.
  2. ^ Guy Perillat Draws No. 1 Archived 5 October 2012 at the Wayback Machine. Washington Post (17 February 1962). Retrieved on 2014-08-26.
  3. ^ A Ski Champion's Life Is Not All Downhill; Pressure in France Makes Comeback a Hard Task Perillat, Yesterday's Hero, Is Called a Failure Today An Extraordinary Feat A Hard Life. New York Times (4 February 1962). Retrieved on 2014-08-26.
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