{"id":1871749,"date":"2026-04-08T08:15:27","date_gmt":"2026-04-08T05:15:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1871749"},"modified":"2026-04-08T08:15:27","modified_gmt":"2026-04-08T05:15:27","slug":"spider-sabich-murder-cocaine-money-olympics-skiing-california-golden-boy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1871749","title":{"rendered":"Spider Sabich: Murder, Cocaine, Money, Olympics &amp; Skiing \u2014 California Golden Boy"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"entry-content\">\n<figure id=\"attachment_2357\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-2357\" style=\"width: 1000px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/scandal_I-1.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" class=\"wp-image-2357\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/scandal_I-1-620x325.jpg?resize=640%2C337\" alt=\"Aspen Times after the murder of Spider Sabich\" width=\"640\" height=\"337\"><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-2357\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Aspen Times after the murder of Spider Sabich.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<div class=\"ai-viewports ai-viewport-2 ai-viewport-3 ai-insert-2-24082981\" style=\"margin: 8px auto;text-align: center;clear: both\" data-insertion-position=\"prepend\" data-selector=\".ai-insert-2-24082981\" data-insertion-no-dbg data-code=\"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\" data-block=\"2\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"ai-viewports ai-viewport-1 ai-insert-1-97404455\" style=\"margin: 8px auto;text-align: center;clear: both\" data-insertion-position=\"prepend\" data-selector=\".ai-insert-1-97404455\" data-insertion-no-dbg data-code=\"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\" data-block=\"1\"><\/div>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/snowbrains.com\/aspen-co-introduces-spider-sabich-day1\/\">April 8<\/a> is Spider Sabich Day\u2014a local holiday celebrated every year in <a href=\"https:\/\/snowbrains.com\/?s=aspen%20snowmass\">Snowmass Village, Aspen, Colorado<\/a>, in honor of one of America\u2019s greatest ski racers.<\/strong> And yet, most people have never heard of him.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Spider Sabich was the most famous ski racer in America, an <a href=\"https:\/\/snowbrains.com\/tag\/winter-olympics\/\">Olympic<\/a> competitor, a pro tour champion, and the man Robert Redford\u2019s character in Downhill Racer was allegedly based upon.<\/strong> On March 21, 1976, he was shot dead in his Aspen bathroom by his girlfriend, French singer and actress Claudine Longet. She received a $250 fine. This remains the single biggest scandal in skiing history, and almost none of us have heard of it.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Related: <em><a href=\"https:\/\/snowbrains.com\/aspen-home-for-sale-spider-sabich\/\" rel=\"bookmark\">For Sale: $3.2-Million Aspen, CO Home Built by Spider Sabich and Where he Was Shot and Killed<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Who Was Spider Sabich?<\/h3>\n<p><strong>Spider grew up skiing at Edelweiss ski area in Kyburz, California, near modern-day <a href=\"https:\/\/snowbrains.com\/?s=sierra-at-tahoe\">Sierra-at-Tahoe<\/a> resort.<\/strong> He dominated <a href=\"https:\/\/snowbrains.com\/category\/competition\/\">ski racing competition<\/a> in high school and earned a scholarship to ski alongside Billy Kidd at the University of Colorado in Boulder.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Related: <em><a href=\"https:\/\/snowbrains.com\/aspen-co-introduces-spider-sabich-day1\/\" rel=\"bookmark\">Aspen, CO, Introduces \u201cSpider Sabich Day\u201d in Honor of One of America\u2019s Most Famous Ski Racers<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>In 1968, Spider made the Olympics and placed 5th in the slalom event.<\/strong> He was blue-eyed, blond-haired, charming, and skilled with the ladies\u2014the most famous skier in America at the time. He was on top of the world.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>\u201cHe was so charming and very sexy. It was the same type of charisma you see in movie stars.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u2013 Longtime friend Dede Brinkman, Sacramento Bee<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><strong>Spider moved to Aspen, joined the USA\u2019s Professional Ski Racing Tour in 1970, and promptly dominated it.<\/strong> His star only grew brighter.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>\u201cSpider was a babe magnet. Just catching his overflow was fine with me.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u2013 Spider\u2019s brother, Steve Sabich<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<figure id=\"attachment_2358\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-2358\" style=\"width: 1000px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/spider_sabich.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" class=\"wp-image-2358 size-full lazyload\" src=\"image\/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAoAAAAHJAQMAAAAvvBpZAAAABlBMVEUAAAD\/\/\/+l2Z\/dAAAAAXRSTlMAQObYZgAAAAlwSFlzAAAOxAAADsQBlSsOGwAAADtJREFUeNrtwTEBAAAAwqD1T20MH6AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAICbAZCZAAHqAIRiAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC\" alt=\"Spider Sabich ripping.\" width=\"640\" height=\"457\" data-src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/spider_sabich.jpg?resize=640%2C457&amp;ssl=1\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/spider_sabich.jpg?w=1000&amp;ssl=1 1000w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/spider_sabich.jpg?resize=300%2C214&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/spider_sabich.jpg?resize=620%2C442&amp;ssl=1 620w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/spider_sabich.jpg?resize=624%2C445&amp;ssl=1 624w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-eio-rwidth=\"640\" data-eio-rheight=\"457\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" class=\"wp-image-2358 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/spider_sabich.jpg?resize=640%2C457&amp;ssl=1\" alt=\"Spider Sabich ripping.\" width=\"640\" height=\"457\" data-eio=\"l\"><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-2358\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Spider Sabich ripping.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3>Spider and Claudine Longet: Aspen\u2019s Power Couple<\/h3>\n<p><strong>Spider began competing in celebrity ski racing events in the early 70s, designed to drum up fans and press coverage for the US Pro Tour.<\/strong> It was at one of these events, a celebrity race at <a href=\"https:\/\/snowbrains.com\/?s=bear%20valley\">Bear Valley<\/a>, California, in 1972, that he met Claudine Longet.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Longet was a well-known French actress and singer, best known for her marriage to and subsequent divorce from <a href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Andy_Williams\">Andy Williams<\/a>.<\/strong> Spider was 31, and she was 34. They felt an immediate, intense attraction and became an item almost instantly.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Spider was <a href=\"https:\/\/snowbrains.com\/?s=highest%20earn\">reportedly earning<\/a> around $200,000 a year from winnings and endorsements.<\/strong> Claudine was a fixture in Hollywood. Together, they became Aspen\u2019s celebrity couple of the decade.<\/p>\n<p><strong>In 1973, Spider invited Claudine and her three children to move into his Aspen home.<\/strong> It was a jarring transition. Spider had been living as an unruly, partying bachelor, and his new domesticated life was a major adjustment. Naturally, there were conflicts.<\/p>\n<p><strong>She once threw a glass of wine at Spider\u2019s head at an Aspen nightclub when he wasn\u2019t paying her enough attention.<\/strong> She forbade him from attending the notorious \u2018Best Breast\u2019 bash in town (the 70s were different). Alcohol, cocaine, and other drugs regularly flowed through both of their lives. The power couple was coming apart at the seams.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>\u201cSpider smoked, drank, and did whatever all of us did. Let\u2019s not forget, those were the \u201960s and \u201970s.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u2013 Brother Steve Sabich<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<figure id=\"attachment_2359\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-2359\" style=\"width: 616px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/13681642_132053352550.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" class=\"wp-image-2359 lazyload\" src=\"image\/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAmgAAAPoAQMAAABQ5pBmAAAABlBMVEUAAAD\/\/\/+l2Z\/dAAAAAXRSTlMAQObYZgAAAAlwSFlzAAAOxAAADsQBlSsOGwAAAGJJREFUeNrtwTEBAAAAwqD1T20JT6AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAADgbzC\/AAEDMfuXAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC\" alt=\"Spider and Claudine\" width=\"616\" height=\"1000\" data-src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/13681642_132053352550.jpg?resize=616%2C1000\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/13681642_132053352550.jpg?w=321&amp;ssl=1 321w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/13681642_132053352550.jpg?resize=184%2C300&amp;ssl=1 184w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-eio-rwidth=\"616\" data-eio-rheight=\"1000\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" class=\"wp-image-2359\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/13681642_132053352550.jpg?resize=616%2C1000\" alt=\"Spider and Claudine\" width=\"616\" height=\"1000\" data-eio=\"l\"><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-2359\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Spider and Claudine at Snowmass, CO.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<div class=\"ai-viewports ai-viewport-1 ai-insert-3-18846983\" style=\"margin: 8px auto;text-align: center;clear: both\" data-insertion-position=\"prepend\" data-selector=\".ai-insert-3-18846983\" data-insertion-no-dbg data-code=\"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\" data-block=\"3\"><\/div>\n<h3>The Night Spider Sabich Was Shot<\/h3>\n<p><strong>The drugs, the fame, and the tension between Spider and Claudine were reaching a breaking point by early 1976.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>On March 21, Spider came home from a day on the mountain at Aspen.<\/strong> He stripped down to his thermal underwear and headed into the bathroom for a shower. Claudine Longet walked in behind him, carrying an imitation WWII-model Luger pistol, and shot him in the stomach.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Sabich died slowly.<\/strong> His blood pooled on the bathroom floor. He died in the ambulance on the way to the hospital.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Longet claimed it was an accident, that she had been showing him the gun when it went off.<\/strong> She told detectives their relationship was under no duress.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_2360\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-2360\" style=\"width: 763px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/6a010536b86d36970c015392db0b08970b-800wi.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" class=\"wp-image-2360 lazyload\" src=\"image\/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAoAAAANHAQMAAACcmX7YAAAABlBMVEUAAAD\/\/\/+l2Z\/dAAAAAXRSTlMAQObYZgAAAAlwSFlzAAAOxAAADsQBlSsOGwAAAFlJREFUeNrtwTEBAAAAwqD1T20LL6AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAICTAQmGAAELFN7\/AAAAAElFTkSuQmCC\" alt=\"Claudine Longet on the cover of People Magazine\" width=\"640\" height=\"839\" data-src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/6a010536b86d36970c015392db0b08970b-800wi.jpg?resize=640%2C839\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/6a010536b86d36970c015392db0b08970b-800wi.jpg?w=305&amp;ssl=1 305w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/6a010536b86d36970c015392db0b08970b-800wi.jpg?resize=228%2C300&amp;ssl=1 228w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-eio-rwidth=\"640\" data-eio-rheight=\"839\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" class=\"wp-image-2360\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/6a010536b86d36970c015392db0b08970b-800wi.jpg?resize=640%2C839\" alt=\"Claudine Longet on the cover of People Magazine\" width=\"640\" height=\"839\" data-eio=\"l\"><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-2360\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Claudine Longet on the cover of People Magazine in 1977<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3>The Trial: How Claudine Longet Got Away With It<\/h3>\n<p><strong>The trial was front-page news.<\/strong> The town of Aspen was in upheaval.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Hunter S. Thompson, who lived in Aspen at the time, described the atmosphere as \u201clike fouling your own nest.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/snowbrains.com\/?s=cocaine\">Cocaine<\/a> was found in Longet\u2019s bloodstream.<\/strong> Spider\u2019s blood was on the bathroom floor. Four days of testimony followed. The jury deliberated for just four hours.<\/p>\n<p><strong>The sought-after charge of felony reckless manslaughter was reduced to a conviction of misdemeanor criminally negligent <a href=\"https:\/\/snowbrains.com\/?s=homicide\">homicide<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_2361\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-2361\" style=\"width: 773px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/spider.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" class=\"wp-image-2361 lazyload\" src=\"image\/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAoAAAAM8AQMAAAD9fIPaAAAABlBMVEUAAAD\/\/\/+l2Z\/dAAAAAXRSTlMAQObYZgAAAAlwSFlzAAAOxAAADsQBlSsOGwAAAFdJREFUeNrtwQEBAAAAgiD\/r25IQAEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAjwYGCwAB\/ZKeOgAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==\" alt=\"Spider Sabich\" width=\"640\" height=\"828\" data-src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/spider.jpg?resize=640%2C828\" data-eio-rwidth=\"640\" data-eio-rheight=\"828\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" class=\"wp-image-2361\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/spider.jpg?resize=640%2C828\" alt=\"Spider Sabich\" width=\"640\" height=\"828\" data-eio=\"l\"><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-2361\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Spider Sabich<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><strong>Claudine Longet was sentenced to a $250 fine and 30 days in county jail, to be served \u201cat a time of her choosing.\u201d<\/strong> She served her time over the course of years, mostly on weekends.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Few believed her story.<\/strong> The media went wild. Saturday Night Live ran a skit with Chevy Chase called the \u201cClaudine Longet Invitational Ski Shoot.\u201d The Rolling Stones were forced by lawyers to cut a song from their 1980 album Emotional Rescue before its release. The pulled track contained the following lyrics:<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>\u201cOh, Claudine \/ Now only Spider knows for sure \/ But he ain\u2019t talkin\u2019 about it any more \/ Is he, Claudine? \/ There\u2019s blood in the chalet \/ And blood in the snow \/ She washed her hands of the whole damn show \/ The best thing you could do, Claudine.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><strong>The scandal wasn\u2019t just <a href=\"https:\/\/snowbrains.com\/tag\/ski-industry-news\/\">ski-world news<\/a>; it was worldwide.<\/strong> People couldn\u2019t understand how Claudine Longet could have possibly gotten away with killing their California golden boy. The world mourned the loss of one of its last great international ski stars during skiing\u2019s unrivaled heyday.<\/p>\n<p><strong>And then, in what many considered the ultimate final insult to Spider Sabich, Claudine Longet married her defense attorney, Ron Austin, shortly after the trial.<\/strong> They remain married to this day.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_2365\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-2365\" style=\"width: 1000px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/22-cal-Luger200.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" class=\"wp-image-2365 lazyload\" src=\"image\/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAoAAAAGWAQMAAADSZKB7AAAABlBMVEUAAAD\/\/\/+l2Z\/dAAAAAXRSTlMAQObYZgAAAAlwSFlzAAAOxAAADsQBlSsOGwAAADdJREFUeNrtwTEBAAAAwqD1T20MH6AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAgI8BgHYAASTtGW8AAAAASUVORK5CYII=\" alt=\"The immitation luger that Spider was killed with\" width=\"640\" height=\"406\" data-src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/22-cal-Luger200.jpg?resize=640%2C406\" data-eio-rwidth=\"640\" data-eio-rheight=\"406\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" class=\"wp-image-2365\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/22-cal-Luger200.jpg?resize=640%2C406\" alt=\"The immitation luger that Spider was killed with\" width=\"640\" height=\"406\" data-eio=\"l\"><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-2365\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The imitation luger that Spider was killed with<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3>Why You\u2019ve Never Heard of Spider Sabich<\/h3>\n<p><strong>Given the scale of the scandal, it\u2019s striking how thoroughly the story faded.<\/strong> There are a few reasons for that.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Longet\u2019s legal team worked aggressively to limit media coverage and suppress details of the case throughout the trial.<\/strong> The ski industry, still in the business of selling an aspirational lifestyle, had every incentive to move on quickly. There was no <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/snowbrains\/\">social media<\/a>, no <a href=\"https:\/\/snowbrains.com\/category\/podcast\/\">podcasts<\/a>, no true crime ecosystem to keep the story alive in the decades that followed. The news cycle moved on, and Spider Sabich, one of the most famous athletes in America, quietly slipped from the public consciousness.<\/p>\n<p><strong>It shouldn\u2019t have happened that way.<\/strong> But here we are.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/6a010536b86d36970c015436ae69f9970c-800wi.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-2362 lazyload\" src=\"image\/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAoAAAAHfAQMAAAD6M\/vfAAAABlBMVEUAAAD\/\/\/+l2Z\/dAAAAAXRSTlMAQObYZgAAAAlwSFlzAAAOxAAADsQBlSsOGwAAADxJREFUeNrtwTEBAAAAwqD1T20KP6AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA4G6XjwABKUtdlAAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==\" alt=\"6a010536b86d36970c015436ae69f9970c-800wi\" width=\"640\" height=\"479\" data-src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/6a010536b86d36970c015436ae69f9970c-800wi.jpg?resize=640%2C479\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/6a010536b86d36970c015436ae69f9970c-800wi.jpg?w=326&amp;ssl=1 326w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/6a010536b86d36970c015436ae69f9970c-800wi.jpg?resize=300%2C224&amp;ssl=1 300w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-eio-rwidth=\"640\" data-eio-rheight=\"479\"><\/a><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-2362\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/6a010536b86d36970c015436ae69f9970c-800wi.jpg?resize=640%2C479\" alt=\"6a010536b86d36970c015436ae69f9970c-800wi\" width=\"640\" height=\"479\" data-eio=\"l\"><\/p>\n<h3>Timeline<\/h3>\n<p><strong>\u2013 1968<\/strong> \u2014 Spider Sabich competes at the Winter Olympics, placing 5th in slalom<br \/>\n<strong>\u2013 1970<\/strong> \u2014 Joins and dominates the US Professional Ski Racing Tour<br \/>\n<strong>\u2013 1972<\/strong> \u2014 Meets Claudine Longet at a celebrity ski race in Bear Valley, California<br \/>\n<strong>\u2013 1973<\/strong> \u2014 Claudine and her three children move into Spider\u2019s Aspen home<br \/>\n<strong>\u2013 March 21, 1976<\/strong> \u2014 Spider Sabich is shot and killed in his Aspen bathroom<br \/>\n<strong>\u2013 1977<\/strong> \u2014 Trial concludes; Longet convicted of misdemeanor and fined $250<br \/>\n<strong>\u2013 Shortly after<\/strong> \u2014 Longet marries her defense attorney, Ron Austin<br \/>\n<strong>\u2013 Every April 8<\/strong> \u2014 Spider Sabich Day is observed in Snowmass Village, Colorado<\/p>\n<h3>Spider Sabich Day: April 8 in Snowmass Village<\/h3>\n<p><strong>Not many people talk about Spider Sabich anymore.<\/strong> But in Snowmass Village, they haven\u2019t forgotten. Every April 8, the town where Spider lived and skied observes a local holiday in his honor.<\/p>\n<p><strong>It\u2019s a small gesture for a man who deserved far more.<\/strong> Spider Sabich was one of the great American ski racers; charismatic, fearless, and at the very top of his sport. His story is one of soaring success and horrific tragedy, and it\u2019s one the ski world should still be telling.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_2363\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-2363\" style=\"width: 667px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/spider_sabich-1.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" class=\"wp-image-2363 lazyload\" src=\"image\/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZ0AAAJsAQMAAAAcN+zAAAAABlBMVEUAAAD\/\/\/+l2Z\/dAAAAAXRSTlMAQObYZgAAAAlwSFlzAAAOxAAADsQBlSsOGwAAADdJREFUeNrtwTEBAAAAwqD1T20KP6AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAgKcBgFwAAdWVNboAAAAASUVORK5CYII=\" alt=\"Spider on the hill\" width=\"640\" height=\"960\" data-src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/spider_sabich-1-413x620.jpg?resize=640%2C960\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/spider_sabich-1.jpg?resize=413%2C620&amp;ssl=1 413w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/spider_sabich-1.jpg?resize=200%2C300&amp;ssl=1 200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/spider_sabich-1.jpg?resize=624%2C935&amp;ssl=1 624w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/spider_sabich-1.jpg?w=1067&amp;ssl=1 1067w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-eio-rwidth=\"413\" data-eio-rheight=\"620\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" class=\"wp-image-2363\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/spider_sabich-1-413x620.jpg?resize=640%2C960\" alt=\"Spider on the hill\" width=\"640\" height=\"960\" data-eio=\"l\"><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-2363\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Spider on the hill<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3>Frequently Asked Questions About Spider Sabich<\/h3>\n<h4>Who was Spider Sabich?<\/h4>\n<p><strong>Spider Sabich was one of America\u2019s most celebrated ski racers of the late 1960s and early 1970s.<\/strong> He competed in the 1968 Winter Olympics, dominated the US Professional Ski Racing Tour, and was widely considered the most famous skier in the country during skiing\u2019s golden era.<\/p>\n<h4>How did Spider Sabich die?<\/h4>\n<p><strong>Spider Sabich was shot in the stomach on March 21, 1976, in his Aspen home.<\/strong> He died in the ambulance on the way to the hospital. His girlfriend, French actress and singer Claudine Longet, was charged in connection with his death.<\/p>\n<h4>What happened to Claudine Longet after the trial?<\/h4>\n<p><strong>Claudine Longet was convicted of misdemeanor criminally negligent homicide and received a $250 fine and 30 days in jail, served mostly on weekends over several years.<\/strong> She subsequently married her defense attorney, Ron Austin, and largely retreated from public life.<\/p>\n<h4>What is Spider Sabich Day?<\/h4>\n<p><strong>Spider Sabich Day is a local holiday observed every April 8 in Snowmass Village, Aspen, in memory of the ski racing legend who lived and skied there before his death in 1976.<\/strong><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_2364\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-2364\" style=\"width: 454px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/claudine-longet.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" class=\"wp-image-2364 lazyload\" src=\"image\/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAcYAAAPoAQMAAAB+lcwFAAAABlBMVEUAAAD\/\/\/+l2Z\/dAAAAAXRSTlMAQObYZgAAAAlwSFlzAAAOxAAADsQBlSsOGwAAAE9JREFUeNrtwQENAAAAwqD3T20PBxQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAwJcB4pAAAabABIkAAAAASUVORK5CYII=\" alt=\"Claudine Longet was beautiful, no doubt\" width=\"454\" height=\"1000\" data-src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/claudine-longet.jpg?resize=454%2C1000\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/claudine-longet.jpg?w=181&amp;ssl=1 181w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/claudine-longet.jpg?resize=136%2C300&amp;ssl=1 136w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-eio-rwidth=\"454\" data-eio-rheight=\"1000\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" class=\"wp-image-2364\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/claudine-longet.jpg?resize=454%2C1000\" alt=\"Claudine Longet was beautiful, no doubt\" width=\"454\" height=\"1000\" data-eio=\"l\"><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-2364\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Claudine Longet was beautiful, no doubt.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><!-- CONTENT END 1 -->\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Aspen Times after the murder of Spider Sabich. April 8 is Spider Sabich Day\u2014a local holiday celebrated every year in Snowmass Village, Aspen, Colorado, in honor of one of America\u2019s greatest ski racers. And yet, most people have never heard of him. Spider Sabich was the most famous ski racer in America, an Olympic competitor, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[226,267],"class_list":["post-1871749","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-crawlmanager","tag-snowbrains-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1871749","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1871749"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1871749\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1871749"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1871749"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1871749"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}