Bode Miller hints at ski future
Wednesday September 16, 2009 - Email this article to a friend

The maverick skier is renowned for doing things his own way and frequently hints at retiring or doing something completely different.

The 32-year old has had several bust-ups with the authorities as he ploughs his own furrow and many are wondering if he will compete in the World Cup this season and take part in the Winter Olympics in Vancouver next February.

He has been World Champion 4 times and, with 31 World Cup victories in alpine skiing, he is America's most successful ever ski racer.

He won 2 Olympic silver medals on home soil in Salt Lake City in 2002, but does not have an Olympic Gold to his name.

"I've been training some and feel pretty good right now. I am considering all my options for this coming season but I feel really rested and healthy and happy. Bringing along the next group of U.S. racers and working and hanging with the guys on the U.S. team is something I'm interested in, so we'll see what the next couple weeks hold," Bode says in his blog.

Scene of silver successHis overtures are reported to have been welcomed by the US Ski Team.

He has been spending some time recently working with the US Ski Team and so is now back in the fold after setting up on his own 2 seasons ago.

He also revealed that he's having surgery on his left eye.

Miller also wrote in his blog that he's converting part of his 630 acre farm in New Hampshire into a winery, and plans to grow grapes and sell his wine.

Bode Miller is famous for his reckless and aggressive style as he risks crashed to gain that extra split-second advantage.  In his autobiography, known for his reckless style, often risking crashes to increase his chances of winning a given race.

In his autobiography, Bode: Go Fast, Be Good, Have Fun, he maintains that his goal as a skier is not to win medals, but  to ski "as fast as the natural universe will allow."

Below is his full blog entry and here on PlanetSKI we'll be keeping an eye on his plans and will let you know.

"I've been traveling a lot since I last checked in. I was in San Diego, then went to New Hampshire for my Bode Bash fundraiser presented by Stonyfield Farm, then to Aspen to help out with the Challenge Aspen fundraiser, then to Austria for a Superfund event, then to L.A., then to San Diego and now I'm in New York.

I went to U.S. Open yesterday, played some tennis and had my eyes checked at the doctor. I'm having LASIK surgery on my left eye on Thursday. I had my right eye corrected for near sidedness and astigmatism in 2003. It was awesome. I had a great season in 2004 and won the overall World Cup title for the first time in 2005. Accurate vision is really important for skiing and it makes a big difference in how well you race. My left eye has gotten bad enough now that it makes sense to have it fixed. I'm super psyched about it.

After my surgery, I'm going up to New Hampshire to meet up with some guys from Trentino, Italy to talk about converting part of my farm into a winery. I have an organic produce operation up there now that I'd like to expand with the wine. I'm going to talk to the guys about developing a partnership so I can start growing my own grapes and eventually start selling wine in Europe. It will be nice to have the farm function without me having to put a lot of money into it each year.

I've been training some and feel pretty good right now. I am considering all my options for this coming season but I feel really rested and healthy and happy. Bringing along the next group of U.S. racers and working and hanging with the guys on the U.S. team is something I'm interested in, so we'll see what the next couple weeks hold in terms of some decisions for skiing this season."

Classic Bode Miller! We found this incredible balancing act on one ski... its almost ballet!

And Bode Miller snatching 2nd place on the Lauberhorn in Wengen January 2009. Didier Defago won the race.

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