Claudine Longet’s death at the age of 84 has once again brought attention to one of the biggest tragedies in Hollywood. It is about the fatal shooting of Olympic skier, Vladimir “Spider” Sabich. He was one of America’s biggest skiing stars in the late 1960s and early 1970s, admired for his impressive looks and fearless skiing style. But things changed when he was fatally shot at the Aspen home he shared with Claudine in 1976. In turn, it became one of the most talked-about celebrity scandals of the era.
Who was Vladimir “Spider” Sabich?
Vladimir Sabich was born in California. He grew up skiing in the icy Sierra Nevada Mountains, quickly emerging as one of the most talented alpine skiers in the United States. In fact, he got the nickname ‘Spider’ due to his athletic style and energetic personality. Sabich later attended the University of Colorado Boulder on a ski scholarship before pursuing the sport full-time. He represented the United States at the 1968 Winter Olympics in Grenoble, France, where he finished fifth.
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