For Battista “Tita Pito” Pordon, being named to the 1960 Italian Olympic Team was a dream come true.  As one of Europe’s top young ski racers, it was a golden opportunity to make his mark on the world’s grandest sporting stage. 

The allure of skiing on an unknown mountain, nearly 6,000 miles away in Northern California, added to the prestige of the challenge. “It was an adventure because it was in California; it was practically in another world,” said the 82-year-old Pordon, in an interview with Ski Racing Media at his home in San Vito di Cadore, Italy.