Downhill Racer

David Chappellet (American downhill skier) arrives in Wengen, Switzerland to join the U.S. ski team, alongside newcomer D. K. Bryan, summoned by coach Eugene Claire to replace injured top skier Tommy Herb. Hailing from Idaho Springs, Colorado, Chappellet is a solitary figure fixated on becoming a skiing champion, showing little interest in being a team player. Following his refusal to race at the Lauberhorn due to an unfavorable starting position, he makes his European debut at the Arlberg-Kandahar in Austria, where he finishes an impressive fourth place. However, his season takes a turn for the worse when he crashes during the final race of the season at the Hahnenkamm-Rennen in Kitzbühel, Austria.

As the summer rolls around, Chappellet joins his teammates in Oregon for offseason training, where he reconnects with his father at their home in Idaho Springs. Their conversation is stilted, a reflection of their strained relationship. Later that day, Chappellet visits an old flame, but after a passionate encounter in the back seat of his father's old Chevrolet, he shows little interest in her emotional needs. When his father asks him about wasting his life on skiing, Chappellet reveals his true motivations: to become an Olympic champion. His father's response is telling - "The world's full of 'em."

Back in France that winter, Chappellet wins the Grand Prix de Megève, attracting the attention of Machet, a ski manufacturer keen to capitalize on his amateur status for advertising purposes. However, Chappellet's interest lies elsewhere - with Carole Stahl, Machet's alluring assistant. After a chance encounter at a bakery, they begin to spend more time together, eventually giving in to their desires. Their romance blossoms again in Wengen, where they ski the slopes and share tender moments.

At Kitzbühel, Chappellet's victory at the Hahnenkamm only serves to further alienate his teammates and coach, who feel he is singularly focused on his own success. Johnny Creech, the team's top racer, confides in assistant coach Mayo that Chappellet has never been, nor ever will be, a team player. Mayo's response - "Well, it's not exactly a team sport, is it?" - underscores the tension between Chappellet's individual pursuits and his role on the team. Despite this, Chappellet finishes the season with several impressive victories, securing his place on next season's Olympic team.

As the winter chill sets in, Chappellet's romance with Carole (Carole) remains a warm ember, but it gradually fizzles out as he becomes increasingly disenchanted. The invitation to spend Christmas together is met with radio silence, and after an agonizing wait, he embarks on a journey to Zurich to uncover the truth only to discover that she has chosen her family's company over his. A chance encounter in Wengen reveals the finality of their relationship - Carole has moved on, leaving Chappellet heartbroken.

Just two weeks before the Olympics, a brewing storm is about to engulf Chappellet's world. After a grueling training session at Wengen, he issues a challenge to his teammate Creech, and the two hurtle down the slopes with reckless abandon. As they speed towards the bottom, Chappellet takes matters into his own hands, forcing Creech into the stone wall of a narrow-arched bridge (Jungfrau railway overpass Wasserstation), leaving Creech's safety hanging precariously in balance. The next day, during the Lauberhorn race, Creech pays the price for their reckless behavior, suffering a serious injury that leaves Chappellet as the last hope for his team's Olympic aspirations.

The Winter Olympics unfold like a dramatic symphony, with Austrian champion Max Meier (Max Meier) holding court at the top of the leader board. However, Chappellet seizes the moment, delivering a phenomenal run that eclipses Meier's time and secures his place on the top podium. But just as he is basking in the glory of his triumph, an unheralded German skier (unnamed) begins to defy expectations with blistering split times, sending the crowd into stunned silence. As the German approaches the final stretch, disaster strikes - he crashes and burns - allowing Chappellet to revel in his hard-won Olympic gold medal. In a poignant moment of mutual respect, Chappellet locks eyes with the defeated German before being carried off to celebrate his victory.