With being brought up close to Sant Joan de l’Erm, one of the main centres of Spanish cross-country skiing, it was almost inevitable that José Giro would become an exponent of the sport. However, he did not wear his first pair of skis until the age of 18, but it did not take long before he was given the opportunity to compete for Spain and he went on to represent his country for 13 seasons. Giro competed in three Winter Olympics, 1980, 1984 and 1988, and three World Championships, 1982, 1985 and 1987. He was the Spanish champion over various distances 15 times, and also won many more Catalunya titles. He also won the classic 42-km Marxa Beret run at Lérida in 1981 and 1984. Giro retired from competitive skiing after the 1988 Calgary Olympics, and was appointed coach of the Spanish national team. In later life he worked as a Nordic ski instructor in the Andorran leisure resort of Naturlàndia.
Spain