On the eve of the 1981-82 World Cup ski series, this documentary chronicled Steve Podborski's near-miss title run the previous season. Despite a serious knee injury that kept him off the practice slopes, Podborski mounted a dramatic campaign in World Cup competition, winning three straight races and needing one more victory to clinch the title. The hour culminated with that last crucial race in Aspen. Colo. Podborski made a fine run, but then had to wait 13 tense minutes for his only rival, Austrian Harti Weirather, to make his run- which cost Podborski the race and the title by a quarter of a second. The thrill and speed of the sport was best illustrated by the visual highlight of the show- a brief segment put the viewer on skis for a 70-mph run down a championship course.

Aired on Dec 4, 1981