Jean-Claude Killy 1968 Grenoble

Le Mans, France – Jean-Claude Killy, accompanied by Rolex CEO Bruno Meier, will be on the footbridge of Race Control to wave the French flag beginning the 2010 24 Hours of Le Mans. Killy who rose to fame as a World Champion Alpine Skier, and Triple Gold Medalist at the 1968 Olympics at Grenoble, France, also competed in the 1969 running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Killy and Downhill skiing:

• Triple gold medalist in the Olympic Games (Downhill, Slalom, and Giant Slalom), Grenoble France 1968
• Four-time World Champion (Downhill, Giant Slalom, Slalom, and Combined) in 1968
• Double World Champion (Downhill and Combined, Portillo Chile  1966
• Winner of the Downhill World Cup in 1967 and 1968
• 18 Victories: 6 Downhill, 7 Giant Slalom and 5 Slalom
• 24 Podiums

Killy and Motor Racing

• 1967 Targa Floria. Killy teamed up with the late Bernard Cahier racing under the alias “Jean-Claude”. He finished seventh overall in a Porsche 911 S and won the GT Category.
• 1968 Monza 1000km. Killy finished second in GT with Jean Guichet in a Porsche 911T. Exerpt from an article that appeared in Sport Auto: “Jean-Claude Killy confirmed the promise seen in the Targa last year. He was surrounded by a host of reporters and photographers, and seemed a bit embarrased by it all aw he was afraid of annoying the die-hard racers and his rivals who had much better results to their name on four wheels than him.”
• 1968 Nurburgring 1000km. Third in GT with Jean Guichet in a Porsche 911 T. Killy and Guichet led the category at one moment but were delayed by a broken steering wheel spoke due to the fact that Guichet did not like being belted in and hung on to the steering wheel in the corners.
• 1969 Le Mans 24 Hours. Jean-Claude Killy shared the wheel of an Alpine A210 (under 1600cc SP Category) with the late Bob Wollek, Military and University skiing champion and member of the France Team from 1966 to 1968. The “ski team” was retired from the race in the 20th hour with a broken suspension component.

Le Mans, France — With rain falling most of the evening drenching Circuit de La Sarthe, Allan McNish and the Audi R-15 posted the top time during the morning test session. However, his lap times on a soggy track were around 30 seconds slower than the best qualifying times.

Indeed, there were a number of shunts and near misses during the morning session where drivers were getting acquainted with the newly washed track. No turn was safe from an off-asphalt excursion nor was any class.

Currently the Matmut Carrera Cup is on the track entertaining the fans who have arisen early enough to get their morning fix of racing.

Le Mans, France – For some the Parade Des Pilots, or drivers parade is the closest fans will get to their heros. For others it is an excuse to party. The City of Le Mans fills up the Friday before the running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, with 300,000 fans making the trek from the Circuit De LaSarthe. The Parade winds though the center of Le Mans, and finishes up at the Cathedral Saint-Julien du Mans. Drivers sign autographs and toss stickers and cards to anxious fans.