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WALCHHOFER
Michael (AUT)
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28.Apr.1975.
Altenmarkt
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28.Apr.1975.
Altenmarkt
192cm / 95kg |
World
Cup Ranking
General
1999/81st, 2000/58th, 2001/41st, 2002/23rd, 2003/9th,
2004/7th,
Special
2000 SL/23rd, 2001 DH/42nd, SL/23rd, K/2, 2002 DH/9th,
K/5th.
2003 DH/3rd, SG/41st, GS/38th, SL/40th. 2004 DH/5th, SG/5th,
K/5th.
World Championships
1999 Vail K/6th.
2003 St.Moritz DH/1st
Olympic
Games
2002 Salt Lake City K/DNF(SL),
World Cup - 2.w (1 DH, 1 K) |
| 1. |
DH: |
Lake
Louise 04, |
| K: |
Kitzbuhel
03, |
| 2. |
DH: |
Val
Gardena 02-II, Beaver Creek 03, Val Gardena 03,
Bormio 03-II,
Wengen 03-II, Val Gardena 04, |
| SG: |
Lake
Louise 04, |
| K: |
Kitzbuhel
01, 02, |
| 3. |
DH: |
Val
d'Isere 02, St.Moritz 02, Chamonox 04, |
| SG: |
Kitzbuhel
04, |
| 4. |
DH: |
Beaver
Creek 04-I, |
| 5. |
DH: |
Kitzbuhel
04-II, Sestriere 04, |
| SG: |
Kvitfjell
04, |
| K: |
Kitzbuhel
04, |
| 6. |
DH: |
Lake
Louise 03, Beaver Creek 04-II, St.Anton 04, |
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Michael
Walchhofer
The 29-year-old athlete
from Zauchensee started in 33rd position in that competition
which allowed him to get the 50gr gold given to the
winner at the Prize Ceremony by Winterthur. He is the
fourth skier of the Austrian menıs team to get this
prize since the creation of this award last winter,
but his achievement is by far not a surprise.
Last season, the talented Austrian reached three times
the podium in downhill in Val d'Isere, Val Gardena and
St Moritz and he was supposed to start among the top
30 today. Unfortunately, he skied out of the course
in the first training run and slightly injured his arm
in hitting the protection nets. He came in 18th in the
second day, but only 42nd in the last practice run which
was decisive for the start-order.
³The course conditions were not the best for higher
numbers so I'm pleased by my result today² he said after
the competition. ³It was rough and you had to fight
hard to stay on the fastest line².
³Each downhill is a qualification race for the Austrian
skiers - we are such a strong team that you have to
get on the podium to have a fair chance to be selected
for the St Moritz World Championships. 6th is OK here
considering my problems but I have to improve my level
in the coming events to enter the leadersı group².
A former slalom specialist who scored some top-10 results
in past years, Michael ³discovered² World Class downhill
during the 1999 season when he was 6th in combined at
the Vail World Championships. Last December, the tall
(1,92 m) champion surprised himself and his trainers
in finishing 2nd in two consecutive week-ends in France
and Italy despite high startnumbers.
He failed to qualify afterwards in the Olympic downhill
team in Salt Lake City so he is eager to accumulate
a maximum of good results in the coming weeks to reinforce
his chances to compete on the demanding St Moritz course
where he was in 3rd last February.
A very quiet and sincere person, Michael is very popular
in his team and among the media who appreciate his modesty
and his relaxed manners.
When he is not racing or training, he helps his wife
Barbara to run the Hotel Zauchensee Zentral in Zauchensee
near Altenmarkt where the 2002 World Cup Finals took
place in March. He only reached a disappointing 12th
place in that race despite his knowledge of the terrain.
Patrick
Lang
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