Career
During his international career he competed for the then-existing Yugoslavia. In the season 1976/77 he received the first World Cup point, qualified among the 15 best slalom runners and later during that season in Madonna di Campiglio he hit his first top 3 podium. At 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, New York, United States., he reached the fourth place in giant slalom, missing the bronze medal by only two hundredths of second.
Four years later he took the athlete"s oath at the opening ceremony for Sarajevo"s 1984 Winter Olympics.
He caused a stir when he spoke the oath not in Croatian or Serbian but in Slovene. Despite great expectations of the Slovenian audience he finished ninth in giant slalom, much less than expected.
Križaj should also have competed at 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary, Canada, but he got injured a few days before the event. Beside that he was the second in World Cup slalom standings in the 1979/80 and 1985/86 seasons and third in the 1980/81 season.
His best position in overall World Cup standings was the 4th place in 1979/80.
He concluded his career in 1988 at the race in Saalbach, Austria where he stepped off the skis right at the end of the track and walked into the finish area. Since his skiing retirement he worked in many fields, including as importer of Austrian brand beer and adviser for ski products in Elan company. In March 2006 he became Head of Slovenian Ski Pool.
Overall victories.
