The next great Olympic skier?

Published 9:00 pm Monday, February 9, 2004

In a society obsessed with next-big-thing sports stars like Lebron James, Michelle Wie and Freddy Adu, the name Colby Granstrom has managed to slip under the radar.

But that could all change soon.

The 13-year-old Lake Stevens resident is one of the best skiers his age — not just in this country but perhaps in the world.

Any doubts about Granstrom’s ability were answered in the past few months, when he won a pair of events that qualified him for the FIS International Children’s Competition. He is one of just three American boys who were invited to the event, which begins Friday in Pinzolo, Italy.

"This has been a goal of his for a long time," said Kris Granstrom, Colby’s father. "It’s pretty exciting, and it’s an excuse for us to see Italy."

Still seven months away from his 14th birthday, Colby Granstrom already carries a measure of celebrity in his sport. After winning the Super G and alpine events at a recent international competition in Whistler, B.C., Granstrom has become a household name in skiing circles.

In fact, he’s already received autograph requests.

"Just a couple," Granstrom said of the younger fans. "It’s cool because they get a big grin on their face."

Granstrom might already be considered an icon at Stevens Pass, where he trains four to five days a week, but he’s continually proving himself at the national and international levels. This weekend’s event will include athletes from 40 different nations in the 13-14 age group. Many winners of this event have propelled onto stardom, most notably Alberto Tomba, Ingemar Stenmark and Picabo Street.

"I’m really excited," Granstrom said.

Getting to this point hasn’t been easy, even though it might seem that way to those who have followed Granstrom’s career. He started skiing at the age of 2, was tackling black-diamond runs at 3, and was advanced to the double-black diamonds when he turned 4. He started competition at 6 years old, when his speed was already being clocked at 30 miles per hour, and won a regional 12-and-under competition at the age of 8.

"It’s been at an intense level for a long time," Kris Granstrom said.

Colby Granstrom’s success isn’t just about natural talent. His father points toward the coaching of Stevens Pass Alpine Club instructor Louis Otto as a reason why Colby has ascended to national and international levels. Otto has been working with the younger Granstrom for six years now and will serve as one of the U.S. coaches at this weekend’s event.

"He’s got all the tools to be a great skier," Otto said of Granstrom. "He has natural ability and a great work ethic. His goal is to make the Olympics, and I think he can do it."

Granstrom’s most immediate goal is winning this weekend’s race, but he’s also got an eye on the junior Olympic team and the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver. That journey could conceivably begin as soon as late next year, which is when Granstrom would be eligible to train with the U.S. ski team because he’ll be 15 years old.

"This is his first year as a competitor in mainstream competition," Otto said, "so I don’t know what people expect from him yet. We’ll see at the end of the year. He definitely has potential."

While many kids his age are still trying to figure out how to negotiate a snowboard, Granstrom keeps putting in the kind of time required to compete with the world’s best skiers. The seventh-grader is home-schooled so that he can spend his afternoons training, and most of Granstrom’s summers are invested in practicing at places like Mount Hood or on dirt tracks.

"It’s fun when the work is in something you love to do," Granstrom said.

Although Granstrom still has a long way to go before he’s considered a national superstar, the hard work has paid off so far.