Paolo Francia

Paolo Francia was a soldier and excellent cross-country skier. At the end of 1923, the Italian Army took charge of selection for the military ski patrol competition at the first Winter Olympics in 1924. They organised two simultaneous races: one for officers and one for regular soldiers. Lieutenant Piero Dente won the former and was made leader of the four-man team that also contained Francia, Goffredo Lagger (winner of the second race), and Albino Bich. At Chamonix, the odds were against the Italian team. Firstly, the weather was not ideal, and the flat route did not suit the quartet. After a few kilometres Francia fell ill, and Dente waited for him while the other two members of the team continued. At the halfway point, the Italians were in fifth place and when Francia and Dente caught up, Bich broke a ski, and the heartbroken Italians were forced to pull out of the race despite ambitions of winning a possible bronze medal.

Francia continued his military career after The Games and found occasional success in minor skiing events.