The world's best slalom skier in the early 1980's, Erika Hess was only 20 when she became a true hero in 1982 after winning three gold medals at the FIS World Championships in Schladming, Austria and the Overall World Cup. A daughter of a farmer from central Switzerland, she was soon considered as the new "Heidi" by the crowd who liked her modesty and friendly attitude. Hess was only 14 in 1977 when she first mounted the podium -- 2nd at the Swiss Championships which moved her onto the National Team. 9th in GS at the FIS World Championships a year later, she won the bronze in slalom at the 1980 Olympics in Lake Placid. Ironically, it will be her only top-3 finish in Winter Games. A six-time gold medal winner at FIS World Championships from 1982 to 1987, Erika was unlucky at the 1984 Olympics in Sarajevo where she finished well out of the medals. Yet she won her second Overall World Cup that year. Hess won six World Cup titles in the technical disciplines from 1981 to 1986 and a total of 21 slaloms. During her two best seasons, from 1981 to 1982, this exceptional talent won 14 out of 19 slaloms, celebrating six consecutive wins in 1981. She skied with incredible precision and aggressiveness. Her teammate and friend Vreni Schneider has broken her record for victories. Married with her former coach Jacques Reymond, Erika is a proud mother of three kids.