Markus Wasmeier (German pronunciation: [ˈmaʁ.kʊs ˈvaːsˌmaɪ̯ɐ] ; born 9 September 1963 is a former World Cup alpine ski racer from Germany. He was World champion and two times Olympic champion.[1]

Markus Wasmeier
Wasmeier in July 2011
Personal information
Born (1963-09-09) 9 September 1963 (age 61)
Schliersee, Bavaria,
West Germany
OccupationAlpine skier
Height181 cm (5 ft 11 in)
Skiing career
DisciplinesDownhill, super-G, giant slalom, combined
World Cup debut29 January 1984 (age 20)
RetiredMarch 1994 (age 30)
Websitewasmeier.de
Olympics
Teams3 - (1988, 1992, 1994)
Medals2 (2 gold)
World Championships
Teams5 - (19851993)
Medals2 (1 gold)
World Cup
Seasons11 - (198494)
Wins9 - (2 DH, 6 SG, 1 K)
Podiums31
Overall titles0 - (3rd in 1986, 1987)
Discipline titles1 - (1 SG, 1986)
Medal record
Representing  Germany
Men's Alpine skiing
International alpine ski competitions
Event 1st 2nd 3rd
Olympic Games 2 0 0
World Championships 1 0 1
Total 3 0 1
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place 1994 Lillehammer Giant slalom
Gold medal – first place 1994 Lillehammer Super-G
World Championships
Gold medal – first place 1985 Bormio Giant slalom
Bronze medal – third place 1987 Crans Montana Super-G

Career

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At the 1985 World Championships at Bormio, Italy, he won the giant slalom at age 21, before recording a World Cup victory.

Born in Schliersee, Bavaria, West Germany, Wasmeier's first World Cup Race was on 5 February 1983, when he finished 49th in the downhill Race at St. Anton am Arlberg. He gained his first World Cup points in January 1984 by capturing 10th place in the Alpine Combined at Garmisch-Partenkirchen, and that December, he achieved his first podium in (Giant slalom at Sestiere, Italy). In a downhill race in February 1987 at Furano, Japan, he broke two vertebrae and missed the rest of the season.

Wasmeier won a total of nine World Cup races, starting with two victories on 9 February 1986, in the Combined and Super-G events at Morzine, France.

The surprising result of double Olympic gold for Wasmeier at age thirty gained him the title of 1994 "Sportsman of the Year" in Germany,

World Cup results

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Season standings

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Season Age Overall Slalom Giant
Slalom
Super G Downhill Combined
1984 20 61 27 not
awarded
31
1985 21 10 9 19 5
1986 22 3 41 8 1 14 2
1987 23 3 44 6 3 14
1988 24 6 15 2 14 4
1989 25 5 21 6 9 2
1990 26 20 29 9 17 3
1991 27 40 6 11
1992 28 7 23 9 6 3
1993 29 14 44 35 13 17 13
1994 30 25 17 10 38 15

Season titles

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Season Discipline
1986 Super-G

Individual races

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9 wins (2 DH, 6 SG, 1 K)

Season Date Location Discipline
1986 9 February 1986 Morzine, France Combined
Super-G
16 March 1986 Whistler, Canada Super G
1987 6 December 1986 Val-d'Isère, France Super-G
11 January 1987 Garmisch, West Germany Super G
17 January 1987 Wengen, Switzerland Downhill
1988 10 January 1988 Val-d'Isère, France Super G
1991 17 March 1991 Lake Louise, Canada Super G
1992 11 January 1992 Garmisch, Germany Downhill

World championship results

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  Year    Age   Slalom   Giant 
 Slalom 
Super-G Downhill Combined
1985 21 1 not run 20 7
1987 23 13 3 9 5
1989 25 13 5 29 5
1991 27 13 24 DNF
1993 29 9 canceled 35 14

Olympic results

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  Year    Age   Slalom   Giant 
 Slalom 
Super-G Downhill Combined
1988 24 19 DNF 6 7
1992 28 DNF1 9 4 5
1994 30 1 1 36 DNS SL1

After racing

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After retiring from competitive skiing, Wasmeier founded the farm and winter sport museum Bauernhof- und Wintersportmuseum Schliersee on 1 May 2007, and he has remained its curator and patron ever since. The museum provides insight into traditional Bavarian peasant life and aims to preserve old traditions by communicating them to coming generations.[2]

In 2009, Wasmeier shared his passion for building restoration and preserving tradition with an international group of young people through his involvement with the D&F Academy (now The DO School). Wasmeier worked with an international group of young people to restore a 17th-century farmhouse in the German Alps utilizing original materials, traditional tools, wood-crafting and handicraft techniques.[3] He remains involved with the DO School as an advisor and supporter.[4]

From 1993 to 1994, he was a commentator for the German Television Broadcaster ARD until 2007 and from 2008 until 2014. He is a consultant in the German Skiing Federation since 2000. Married since 1991, his wife Brigitte is a South Tyrolian.

References

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  1. ^ "Markus Wasmeier GER". Retrieved 12 March 2014.
  2. ^ "Old Bavarian Village, Schliersee". Retrieved 19 February 2014.
  3. ^ Jahr, Jonica. "Ein Mann, der mit dem Herzen denkt!".
  4. ^ "The DO School Advisors". Archived from the original on 20 March 2014. Retrieved 19 February 2014.
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Awards
Preceded by German Sportsman of the Year
1994
Succeeded by