University of Vermont Athletic Hall of Fame
Dr. Robert B. Cochran 1976 - Skiing
The only son of the famous Cochran ski family of Richmond, Vt., Bob Cochran, a 1986 UVM Hall of Fame inductee, was an outstanding skier for the Catamounts and was the top U.S. male skier in the early 70's making his mark on the international level as well. Though a five-year member of the U.S. National team, Cochran found time at UVM to win the 1973 NCAA downhill title also earning All-America honors.
The year 1973 was one to remember for Bob Cochran, but 1972 was pretty remarkable as well. He finished eighth in the downhill at the Sapporo Olympics that year, the same Olympiad in which his sister, Barbara Ann '78, was taking the slalom to become the first American woman to win a gold medal in alpine skiing.
In 1973 he began to carve out an international reputation unmatched at the time by any male American skier. He became the first American male to win the World Cup giant slalom title, triumphing in Heavenly Valley, Calif. He also won the combined championship there and grabbed second place in the slalom. And he was the first U.S. male to win the Hahnenkamn combined championships - one of Europe's most competitive and prestigious race - in Kitzbuhil, Austria.
During his five years on the U.S. National Team, Cochran won national titles in all three alpine events; slalom, giant slalom, and downhill. He won each title twice and was the overall champion twice. He skied professionally for three years, finishing third on the men's tour in 1976. He won the slalom race at the 1975 Aspen Winterfest.
After retiring from professional racing, Bob Cochran attended UVM's College of Medicine and received his degree in 1981. Two of his children, Jimmy and Amy (also soccer), went on to ski for the Catamounts. Sports Illustrated selected Cochran as one of the Top 50 Vermont athletes of the 20th Century. The magazine's editors composed a list of the "Top 50 Athletes" in each state in its December 27, 1999 issue to commemorate the millennium. Cochran ranked 15th among the Top 50 Vermonters.
