Our Blog


Steamboat has produced more Winter Olympians than any town in North America. That might be why so many of them stayed or returned here, to make a life and raise a family of their own. If they weren’t born in Steamboat, they were promising young athletes who came here for the sole purpose of training with SSWSC, many of whom have stayed here to help carry on the tradition.

We caught up with four of Steamboat’s esteemed Winter Olympians to talk about life as a world-class athlete, and what happens when—and if—they hang up their skis. This is Johnny Spillane’s story.

Johnny Spillane

When Johnny Spillane purchased Steamboat Flyfisher in 2014, he cemented his future in Steamboat as a local business owner and inched his name a few notches over from “local Olympian” and more into the fly fishing realm. Fly fishing is, after all, Spillane’s passion. But for the father of three, his legacy is and forever will be in Nordic Combined skiing.

Johnny Race

After all, the four-time Olympian sealed his fate—and the fate of the US Nordic Team—by becoming the first American to win gold in a Nordic Combined in a World Championship, and then becoming the first American in any Nordic sport to medal in the Olympics, competing in Nordic Combined (a combination of cross country skiing and ski jumping) at the Vancouver Games in 2010. He went on to win two more Olympic medals in Vancouver, returning home to Steamboat with 3 silver medals. “Our team had never had any real success on the international level,” Spillane says. “My silver medal win helped everyone’s confidence going forward, knowing that we could be successful on the big stage. We were able to break through and start winning Olympic medals.”

Spillane 3

That’s not to say it didn’t take a lot of grit and hard work. Spillane always knew he was a good cross-country skier. Born and raised in Steamboat, he’d started cross country skiing when he was eight years old. “I was always a hard worker, and cross country skiing seemed easy because there was a direct correlation between how hard you work and your results. But ski jumping was so random.”

He made the development team when he was only 15 and went on to compete in four Olympics Games before winning the silver medals in his final Olympics in Vancouver. “My goal was always to win an Olympic medal,” he says of his career stamina. “The Olympics were only every four years so you have limited opportunity. That was my motivation.”

Spillane 2

His passion, however, has always been fly fishing, a sport he’s enjoyed since he was a kid. “It was something I could do in my spare time that was an escape from training,” he says. He became a guide and when the opportunity to buy Steamboat Flyfisher came up, he jumped. “I was looking to retire from competitive skiing, and the opportunity to buy the store came up so I decided to go for it.”

Spillane 4

Spillane is also going to start coaching with SSWSC this winter and is looking forward to passing on his knowledge to future generations. Along with wife Hilary, the father of three (Hadley, 7, Genevieve, 5, and Waylon, 9 months) is grateful to be raising his kids in the same town that has afforded him so many amazing opportunities.

Spillane Spillane (2)

“It’s such a great community for kids, there’s always so much to do,” he says. Does that mean they’ll follow in their father’s footsteps and launch off the big ski jump in cross-country skis? “They like alpine skiing,” he says. “We go every weekend. They’re good skiers. I’m going to let them do whatever they want to do.”

VISIT STEAMBOAT FLYFISHER to book a guided trip, get today’s fishing report, and to find out more about Johnny and his shop.

 

Next_BobbyAldighieri


SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER