TJ Lanning obit

Former U.S. Ski Team Member TJ Lanning Dies at 41

 

He was not on the list.

Ski Racing Media has confirmed with people close to Lanning that TJ Lanning, a former U.S. Ski Team alpine racer remembered for his fearless approach to speed skiing, his resilience through repeated injuries and his later work as a coach, has died. He was 41.

Thomas “TJ” Lanning was born Aug. 27, 1984, in Helena, Montana, and became one of the most promising American speed skiers of his generation. He specialized in downhill, super-G and combined, bringing an aggressive, all-in style that made him one of the more compelling U.S. racers of his era.

Lanning learned to ski at a young age and emerged quickly as a standout junior racer. He competed at the 2001 and 2002 FIS Junior World Ski Championships and later represented the United States at the 2007 FIS Alpine World Ski Championships in Åre, Sweden.

At the World Cup level, Lanning scored points nine times for the United States and recorded three top-10 finishes. His best results were a ninth-place finish in downhill at Lake Louise, Canada, on Nov. 29, 2008, and a 10th-place finish in Val Gardena, Italy, on Dec. 20, 2008. He also finished 10th in the super combined at Beaver Creek in 2007.

Lanning’s career was defined not only by talent but also by toughness. He raced with a willingness to push the limit, and that approach made him exciting to watch. It also came with a heavy physical cost. His career included repeated injuries, including crashes that interrupted several seasons and kept him from realizing the full potential many saw in him.

In 2008, Lanning became the U.S. downhill champion. During the 2008-09 World Cup season, he qualified for the World Cup Finals in downhill, a true achievement in one of the sport’s most demanding disciplines. He finished that season 25th in the downhill standings and 33rd in super-G.

His final World Cup race came Nov. 28, 2009, in the downhill at Lake Louise. Lanning crashed in the high-speed section near the timing flats and suffered a dislocated left knee and a fractured C5 vertebra in his neck. The injury ended his World Cup racing career.

After retiring from competition, Lanning remained deeply connected to ski racing. He moved into coaching and worked with the U.S. Ski Team, bringing his experience, honesty and understanding of speed skiing to the next generation of athletes.

Many of Lanning’s friends from his time with the U.S. Ski Team and others throughout the sport have shared with Ski Racing Media the profound sadness they feel over his death and the deep affection they had for him.

Those who knew him remember not only the racer who attacked the hill with courage, but also the coach, teammate and friend who cared deeply about the people around him.

Lanning’s life in ski racing was marked by promise, pain, persistence and impact. He brought the sport moments of genuine excitement and, later, gave back through coaching. His death at such a young age is a profound loss for the American ski racing community.

Our thoughts are with the family he leaves behind and with the many people across the ski racing community who will miss his smile, his energy and all he brought to the sport.