His career beset by injuries, Greek-American slalom skier AJ Ginnis jumped at the chance to ski for Greece, finishing 11th in a race in Flachau, Austria – the country where his dad moved from their homeland.

He was the first Greek skier to score World Cup points, the second time he has finished high enough in a race to earn them.

A former U.S. Ski Team athlete and NorAm champion, he has battled five knee surgeries and a torn groin, said the site Ski Racer in a feature on how he has bounced back and moved between countries.

Born in Athens, Ginnis grew up skiing at Parnassos Mountain starting at the age of two. His father was running the ski school when he met his future American wife, who was enrolled in ski lessons at the time.

He got notice in Greece when the United States dropped its slalom program in 2018.

“If I’m going to pay for ski racing, I might as well have a federation that will allow me to race all the World Cups and have the freedom to do what I want,” said Ginnis.