Toni Sailer
Encyclopedia
Anton Engelbert "Toni" Sailer (17 November 1935, Kitzbühel
- 24 August 2009) was an Austria
n alpine ski racer
, who is considered among the best the in the sport. He won three gold medals in alphine skiing at the 1956 Winter Olympics
, becoming the only triple gold medalist from that Games and thus the most successful athlete in 1956. Until 1956 the FIS Alpine World Ski Championships and the Winter Olympics were held together at the same time. Therefore during that era the Olympic Champion was also the World Champion; though there were no medals awarded for the "Alpine skiing combined" at the time.
. He was the first skier at the Winter Olympics to win all three alpine skiing events, taking gold in the downhill
, slalom
, and giant slalom
at the 1956 Winter Olympics
in Cortina d'Ampezzo
, Italy
. He was the fifth athlete to win three gold medals in the same Olympic games, and became the most successful athlete at the 1956 Winter Olympics.
Two years later, Sailer won three gold medals and one silver at the four-event 1958 World Championships
in Bad Gastein
, Austria
. He retired from competition in 1959; from 1957–71, he appeared in a handful of movies, most of them shallow comedies at least partly set in alpine regions, with Sailer showing off his talent. From 1972-76, he was chief trainer and technical director of the Austrian Skiing Association (ÖSV). Occasionally, as late as 2003 he was noted for appearing in a number of TV episodes or made for TV movies. He also sang professionally for a time, made 18 record albums.
For his contribution to the Olympic Movement, the International Olympic Committee
awarded him the Olympic Order
in 1985.
In January 2004 Sailer, although not associated with any political party, announced that he would run for Mayor of Kitzbühel. A few weeks later he withdrew his candidature, saying he had only now realized that being mayor was a full-time job. In 2006 he announced his retirement as chief of race of the Hahnenkamm
Race, a position which he had occupied for 20 years.
Toni Sailer was named Austrian Sportspersonality of the year
in 1956, 1957, and 1958., and "Austrian Sportspersonality of the century" in 1999. On 16 September 1958, he featured on the cover of Bravo magazine
.
, aged 73, in 2009.
Kitzbühel
-Demographic evolution:-Personalities:*Karl Wilhelm von Dalla Torre , entomologist and botanist*Alfons Walde , expressionist painter and architect*Peter Aufschnaiter , mountaineer and geographer...
- 24 August 2009) was an Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n alpine ski racer
Alpine skiing
Alpine skiing is the sport of sliding down snow-covered hills on skis with fixed-heel bindings. Alpine skiing can be contrasted with skiing using free-heel bindings: Ski mountaineering and nordic skiing – such as cross-country; ski jumping; and Telemark. In competitive alpine skiing races four...
, who is considered among the best the in the sport. He won three gold medals in alphine skiing at the 1956 Winter Olympics
1956 Winter Olympics
The 1956 Winter Olympics, officially known as the VII Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event celebrated in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy. This celebration of the Games was held from 26 January to 5 February 1956. Cortina, which had originally been awarded the 1944 Winter Olympics, beat out...
, becoming the only triple gold medalist from that Games and thus the most successful athlete in 1956. Until 1956 the FIS Alpine World Ski Championships and the Winter Olympics were held together at the same time. Therefore during that era the Olympic Champion was also the World Champion; though there were no medals awarded for the "Alpine skiing combined" at the time.
Career
Sailer, nicknamed "Blitz from Kitz" (Blitz = German word for "bolt of lightning" or "flash"), was born in KitzbühelKitzbühel
-Demographic evolution:-Personalities:*Karl Wilhelm von Dalla Torre , entomologist and botanist*Alfons Walde , expressionist painter and architect*Peter Aufschnaiter , mountaineer and geographer...
. He was the first skier at the Winter Olympics to win all three alpine skiing events, taking gold in the downhill
Downhill
Downhill is an alpine skiing discipline. The rules for the Downhill were originally developed by Sir Arnold Lunn for the 1921 British National Ski Championships....
, slalom
Slalom skiing
Slalom is an alpine skiing discipline, involving skiing between poles spaced much closer together than in Giant Slalom, Super-G or Downhill, thereby causing quicker and shorter turns.- Origins :...
, and giant slalom
Giant Slalom skiing
Giant slalom is an alpine skiing discipline. It involves skiing between sets of poles spaced at a greater distance to each other than in slalom but less than in super G....
at the 1956 Winter Olympics
Alpine skiing at the 1956 Winter Olympics
At the 1956 Winter Olympics in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, the six alpine skiing events were held from Friday, January 27 to Friday, February 3, 1956.Toni Sailer of Austria won all three men's events to become the first alpine ski racer to win three gold medals in a single Olympics...
in Cortina d'Ampezzo
Cortina d'Ampezzo
Cortina d'Ampezzo is a town and comune in the southern Alps located in Veneto, a region in Northern Italy. Located in the heart of the Dolomites in an alpine valley, it is a popular winter sport resort known for its ski-ranges, scenery, accommodations, shops and après-ski scene...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. He was the fifth athlete to win three gold medals in the same Olympic games, and became the most successful athlete at the 1956 Winter Olympics.
Two years later, Sailer won three gold medals and one silver at the four-event 1958 World Championships
FIS Alpine World Ski Championships 1958
The FIS Alpine World Ski Championships 1958 were held in Bad Gastein, Austria, between February 2–9, 1958.*Toni Sailer, 22, of Austria, won three gold medals and a silver.*Lucille Wheeler, 23, of Canada, won two gold medals and a silver.-External links:...
in Bad Gastein
Bad Gastein
Bad Gastein is a spa town in the Austrian state of Salzburg, situated at the northern rim of the Hohe Tauern national park. It has 5,838 inhabitants. The name "Bad" means "spa", reflecting the town's history as a health resort. It is located at the head of the Gastein valley, about 1,000 metres ...
, Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
. He retired from competition in 1959; from 1957–71, he appeared in a handful of movies, most of them shallow comedies at least partly set in alpine regions, with Sailer showing off his talent. From 1972-76, he was chief trainer and technical director of the Austrian Skiing Association (ÖSV). Occasionally, as late as 2003 he was noted for appearing in a number of TV episodes or made for TV movies. He also sang professionally for a time, made 18 record albums.
For his contribution to the Olympic Movement, the International Olympic Committee
International Olympic Committee
The International Olympic Committee is an international corporation based in Lausanne, Switzerland, created by Pierre de Coubertin on 23 June 1894 with Demetrios Vikelas as its first president...
awarded him the Olympic Order
Olympic Order
The Olympic Order is the highest award of the Olympic Movement, created by the International Olympic Committee in May 1975 as a successor to the Olympic Certificate previously awarded. The Olympic Order originally had three grades , although the bronze grade was retired in 1984...
in 1985.
In January 2004 Sailer, although not associated with any political party, announced that he would run for Mayor of Kitzbühel. A few weeks later he withdrew his candidature, saying he had only now realized that being mayor was a full-time job. In 2006 he announced his retirement as chief of race of the Hahnenkamm
Hahnenkamm, Kitzbühel
The Hahnenkamm is a mountain in Austria, directly south of Kitzbühel, in the Kitzbühel Alps. The elevation of its summit is above sea level.The Hahnenkamm is part of the ski resort of Kitzbühel, and hosts the annual World Cup alpine ski races, the Hahnenkammrennen...
Race, a position which he had occupied for 20 years.
Toni Sailer was named Austrian Sportspersonality of the year
Austrian Sportspersonality of the year
The Austrian Sports Personality of the Year is chosen annually since 1949. Recordholders are Annemarie Moser-Pröll and Hermann Maier . In 1978 and 1979 the Austrian national football team was named Austrian Sports Team of the Year...
in 1956, 1957, and 1958., and "Austrian Sportspersonality of the century" in 1999. On 16 September 1958, he featured on the cover of Bravo magazine
Bravo (magazine)
Bravo is the largest teen magazine within the German-language sphere. The first issue was published in 1956, subtitled as "the magazine for film and television" . Marilyn Monroe's portrait graced the first published issue, the never-published dummy issue cover displayed Elvis Presley.-History:The...
.
Personal life
Sailer married Gaby Rummeny in 1976 in Vancouver; she died of cancer in 2000. His second marriage, to Hedwig Fischer, lasted from 2006 until his death. His son Florian (by Rummeny) also survives him.Death
It was announced in January 2008 that Sailer had laryngeal cancer, for which he had been undergoing chemotheraphy in the preceding months. He died of cancer in InnsbruckInnsbruck
- Main sights :- Buildings :*Golden Roof*Kaiserliche Hofburg *Hofkirche with the cenotaph of Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor*Altes Landhaus...
, aged 73, in 2009.
External links
- Toni Sailer, skier, actor and singer (with images)
- Toni Sailer at the KitzbühelKitzbühel-Demographic evolution:-Personalities:*Karl Wilhelm von Dalla Torre , entomologist and botanist*Alfons Walde , expressionist painter and architect*Peter Aufschnaiter , mountaineer and geographer...
Ski Club