The most successful American ski racer of all time Bode Miller is to sue his former sponsor Head Skis.
Miller, now 38, decided not to compete on the World Cup circuit last season and ended his sponsorship deal with Head, but signed an agreement in his termination contract that he would not race for a further two years.
However Miller has decided to return to World Cup racing thus coming winter for a (probably) final ski season, but with a new sponsor, so will be in breach of the agreement he made with Head Skis who are currently head quartered in The Netherlands and manufacture their world class racing skis in Austria.
In his court case Miller is arguing that the ban on him competing with another sponsor violates his rights under the Californian Business and Professions Code that stipulates such agreements cannot restrain anyone “from engaging in a lawful profession, trade, or business of any kind.”
Miller hopes to race next month, when he turns 39, in the opening World Cup races of the 16-17 season at Solden in Austria, which is also his and the US ski team’s European base, on October 23rd.
Miller’s many achievements include being the oldest man to win an Olympic medal in Alpine skiing events when he took bronze in the super-G at the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics. This is one of six Olympic medals including a gold in the super combined back at the Salt Lake games in 2002. He is also one of only five people to have won World Cup events in all five Alpine disciplines and one of only four to have won medals in four Olympic disciplines.
