Mittermaier is married to fellow pro skier Christian Neureuther, and their son, Felix Neureuther, is also a pro skier. Hes quick to talk about stars of the sport like Alberto Tomba, Hermann Maier and Bode Miller. During the 1970s and early 1980s, Austrian downhill-skiing star Franz Klammer won 25 races on the World Cup circuit. The Austrian former champion alpine ski racer dominated the event for four consecutive World Cup seasons and was gold medallist in 1976. Klammer started racing at the relatively late age of 14, competing in the winter whilst working on the family farm during the summer after he dropped out of school. Franz Klammer (born 3 December 1953) is a former champion alpine ski racer from Austria. Five World Cup downhill crystal globes (most ever for men). The media were omnipresent. A huge crowd had amassed along the edge of the piste and at the finish line for the star event at the Innsbruck Games. I couldnt believe my luck.. One of his early moves was to position Fischer as an elite ski product, investing in racing and having the good fortune in 1964 of Austrian Egon Zimmermann winning downhill gold on Patscherkofel on Fischer skis, vaulting the small company into the spotlight. At the 1984 Olympics in Sarajevo, (then Yugoslavia, now Bosnia), Klammer finished a disappointing tenth on a less-than-challenging course on Bjelanica. So he reached out to fellow Austrian filmmaker Gerald Salmina, producer of the 2014 film Streif: One Hell of a Ride, to manage second unit shooting at Patscherkofel last February. As a consolation prize, Proell won the FIS gold medal for her success in the three-event combined, yet she apparently threw the medal away after receiving it. Frank Gifford who passed away yesterday at the age of 84 was known most as a Hall of Fame football player and the play-by-play man on Monday Night Football. For others, like Franz Klammer, its about climbing mountains for fun and sliding back down. The game was the final tuneup for Team USA before the Winter Olympics at Sarajevo, Yugoslavia, Feb. 7-19. We discuss out recent trip to Innsbruck, Austria along with Patricia Frommer (Frommers.com, Frommer Guides) who adds her perspective. Most recently this includes the downhill course at Jeongseon for the PyeongChang 2018 Games. 2 Years of Sipping Sports A Sip of Sports. Viewers will find a film filled with suspense and an endearing love story. I knew that Franz Klammer his victory and his legend basically would be enough to sell the movie on his name and this emotional story. But she still appeared confident heading into the Games. Franz Klammer is a former champion alpine ski racer from Austria..who overwhelmingly dominated the downhill event for four consecutive World Cup sea. He won 25 World Cup downhills, including four on the Hahnenkamm at Kitzbhel. So that was the important thing., They were married in 1979. The Klammer story was, well, pretty perfect. In the end Klammer decided to use his old skis. They start for the love of the sport. Im a passionate skier myself. In a statement released by NBC News on Sunday, his family said Gifford died suddenly at his Connecticut home of. The next day, Katarina showed up on time with her gear, which Albertos personal bodyguard carried up to the hill. Klammer finished fourth overall in 1976, third in 1977, and fifth in 1978.[3]. Bernhard Russi stared up at the massive 1976 Olympic downhill course at Innsbruck, Austria, clinging to the fastest time of the day and waiting for one final top racer: Austrian star Franz Klammer . Olymipc downhill champion 1976 (Innsbruck). He met fans who vividly re-lived their own experiences of Feb. 5, 1976. But Kresse, a notable figure in marketing, found it hard to bring his dream to closure. Annemarie Moser-Proell dominated her time as no other skier before and after her. At 1.35 is when he takes a line that no other skier dared to on the day and that is to cut harder left, slingshotting him forward faster. Schranz didnt want to leave Japan alone and he put pressure on the entire team to fly back home with him. Alberto Tomba won gold in slalom and GS at Calgary, then cheered from the side of the rink as Katarina Witt of East Germany claimed her second Olympic figure-skating title. At the last Olympics in Nagano, after a five-day delay, Trinkl was the only Austrian to win a medal in the downhill. If there . We became close friends and it was fun, said Klammer. "The most important victory for a downhiller is Kitzbuhel because in my opinion it's the most complete race," Austrian legend Franz Klammer, the 1976 Olympic downhill champion, told CNN Sport. Four years later, they met for dinner and a private ski lesson. I couldnt stop thinking about it. Hes one of the very few persons who seemed to do everything right. Here is a Pro-Quality transfer from my fathers original master tape and it turned out brilliant and clear. I said to myself, Franz, now you have to do something because youre going to lose, he said. Klammer dominated the downhill event for four consecutive World Cup seasons (197578). They will be captivated by the storyline and the tension leading up to the race. I knew that Daron understood how Klammer was skiing, said Salmina. Klammer had seen many film proposals over the years, but they all hit hurdles. It was the best babysitter because I was already out there on skis, skiing up and down to a little village up in the mountain. Franz Klammer (born 3 December 1953) is a former champion alpine ski racer from Austria. But the most important week in my life! The other challenge faced by Rahlves was the need to intentionally ski out of control. 3, he performed pretty well and crossed the finish line with a time of 1:46.06, giving him the lead. Their finish line embrace at Patscherkofel in 1976 was heartfelt and forged a bond between the two rivals each Olympic downhill champions. The Austrian set an impressive record of 62 victories and 115 podium finishes on the World Cup tour in only 175 competitions. He didnt and he won the gold medal. Babe Ruth Hits Home Run #500- This Day In 1929, THE TV DRAFT ROUND 2 PICK 6 THE HINOEUMA SELECTS FIREFLY 2002-2003, THE TV DRAFT ROUND 2 PICK 5 THE NOSTALGIC ITALIAN SELECTS MISSION IMPOSSIBLE, THE TV DRAFT ROUND 2 PICK 4 QUINN MADDUX SELECTS THE ROCKFORD FILES, THE TV DRAFT ROUND 2 PICK 3 MAX SELECTS FAWLTY TOWERS, THE TV DRAFT ROUND 2 PICK 2 JOHN SELECTS CARTOON TOWN. He was really experienced and I learned so much from Gerald in the sense that he told me whats going on in the minds of downhill skiers and how they how they how they operate.. They were at my grandparents (house) and they watched the race with the neighbors. Chasing the Line screenplay does a masterful job in capturing the pressure he felt that week. Franz Klammer records his fourth victory on the famed Hahnenkamm in Kitzbuhel, Austria. I think that gave him the extra kick, there was something in the air, he could not lose that race, no way. TRY A 1-YR INTRODUCTORY MEMBERSHIP IN ISHA! I think he is skiing right now at Sun Valley and I know his ski instructor. My father had one of the very first VCR recorders, a clunky JVC in 1976 and captured this direct from the broadcast to a Scotch 3M VHS tape. After clinching her sixth crystal globe for the overall World Cup title in 1979, Annemarie was aiming for the elusive Olympic gold medal in 1980 that she had missed eight years before. I think he won for everybody, you know? In 1990, Klammer won a round of the prestigious European Touring Car Championship. His home village did not have any ski lifts, so as a child he climbed up the pasture behind his house to ski downhill. At the intermediate time, he was behind Russi. Russi had won the 1972 Olympic Gold Medal in Sapporo, Japan. I made a huge jump and thought I would crash, yet I managed to survive and land on my skis. (Surely my fathers tape isnt the only known copy of this run in full?) He was adorable, said Witt of her time with La Bomba. He would finish as the top downhill skier a record five times (1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1983). He was behind at the first intermediate time, he was behind at the second intermediate time. Klammer was just 19 when he burst onto the scene in 1973, skiing to three World Cup podiums. Thanks for bringing that memory back. 1. He won 8 of 9 during the 1975 season and also won 19 of 23, 20 of 26 and 21 of 29 downhills. Its very special that Franz grew up in Carinthia, just 10 minutes from my house., Every year, Mayer joins legions of followers to the local Tour de Franz cycling event. More Memorable Moments. And then I came down. The World Cup had only been formally established in 1967. While much of the storyline of the film is the tension Klammer felt and his burgeoning romance with Eva, producer Pochlatko knew that the true heart of the film was how he portrayed one of the most thrilling ski runs of all time 45 years later. Klammer felt he had to win the Olympic downhill for the honor of his ski-crazy country and the estimated 60,000 spectators who gathered along the race course to watch the competition. A dozen years earlier on the same course in 1964, Egon Zimmermann posted a 2:18.16 to win the gold medal. Ironically, it wasnt his first visit to the little-used speed course on Patscherkofel. But she was always a huge support from the beginning, sitting always in the background and just being there. He won the gold medal in the downhill event at the 1976 Olympics in Innsbruck, Austria. It was totally, totally quiet. To learn more, please visit www.franzweber.com Show. It includes the original US broadcast commentary from ABC. He won for the nation, for every Austrian skier. The course was rougher when a nervous Klammer pushed himself out of the starting hut. No. The Austrian nation would accept nothing short of a Gold as they hosted the World. Chasing the Line. The feature-length film debuted with a screening Sept. 27 at the Zurich Film Festival. Required fields are marked *. Alongside the ski track outside Innsbruck, 60,000 fans lined the piste. Austrian great Franz Klammer says the winner of the men's downhill in . Like Muhammad Ali for boxing, Wayne Gretzky for ice hockey or Tiger Woods for golf. ^ Klammer was an alternate on the 1980 team and did not compete. Today, Franz Klammer is a paid ambassador for several ski resorts and corporations. Media coverage was moving into a golden era, with more live television and a bigger platform for burgeoning sport stars. This one was different. But producers chose to recreate the historic 1976 race down Patscherkofel. movie character played by Arnold Schwarzenegger. I asked my father and he said \"i have it somewhere on one of my old VHS tapes im sure of it\" and we did a long extensive search and found it! Klammer won the World Cup downhill title five times: 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978 and 1983 twice more than the next best downhiller. He was able to hold his line on a difficult course, while established speed specialists struggled. Sport Skiing Country Austria Born December 03, 1953 Joined academy 2000 Enter 22-year old Franz Klammer. Bobsleigh. They have two daughters, Sophie and Stephanie.[1]. The film portrays little glory for Franz in the hours and day after the race. I knew I will do it, he explains, I was full of confidence, I knew I can pull it off, and at any time, I learned how to win a race: concentrate, just on your race, you and the mountain and not thinking about anybody else. The feats of this exceptional downhill skier include this total domination of the 1974-1975 season, with eight victories in the nine races of the programme, a run, straddling the two following seasons, of 10 consecutive wins and another record: five small discipline crystal globes, won consecutively from 1975 to 1978, then in 1983. And if youre a ski racing purist, yes, you may detect a bit of familiarity in the style of Klammer racing crazily down the piste. We had really long talks about how the movie should be filmed. Andreas dug into the story with his wife Elisabeth, a former journalist who is now a screenwriter and novelist. A season earlier in 1974-75, he won an unprecedented eight World Cup downhills. I watch it every four years at the Olympics but Klammers run is on my Mount Rushmore of Most Exciting Events I have seen in nearly 50 years of watching sports. The young Austrian Franz Klammer is considered undoubtedly the favourite for the 1976 Olympic downhill race in Innsbruck. Hermann Maier. ! Russi traced a new type of downhill that required great technical skills from athletes and a high level of performance from their skis. I went all the way up to the top. Klammer created The Franz Klammer Foundation which benefits seriously injured athletes in honor of his brother. Franz Klammer, a former champion alpine ski racer, has a net worth of $45 million. Only a few months later, Franz told me how he managed to clinch that title after his fantastic run. His yellow racing suit wasnt as crisp and flashy as the other golden Austrian uniforms. After his fourth consecutive season title in downhill in 1978, he began a prolonged slump until the end of the 1981 season. The 51 minute-documentary Klammer gegen Russi - Das Rennen ihres Lebens from film director Michael Bhler will be available on Play Suisse from 4 February and broadcasted tonight on SRF 1 at 20:05. And suddenly, there were 60,000 people in the stadium and the whole mountain started to shake, Bernhard Russi explains. It was a huge achievement, as there was so much pressure on him prior to that Olympic race. I am not a skiing fan. The story of Franz Klammer is the story of ski racing in Carinthia. We go for a beer and some nice talks, said Mayer. If anybody could do it, its for sure Hermann, I explained with great optimism. Chasing the Line. They shared an embrace, some laughs and watched a film that showcased the sport that formed the DNA of their lives on snow. I mean, I had to come off some of the rollers, the knolls, on the tails, flying up in the air, arms out you know, just out of control, going through the pine boughs, cutting back straight to a gate, towards a fence and then redirect that. While Klammers Olympic spot was fixed, his teammates were battling for start rights in training. Their excitement is palpable. . Pepi Fischer was omnipresent, pushing hard to force Klammer to use his new ski. Photo caption:Ortlieb takes flight over the mens downhill course on his way to winning gold at Albertville. Fischer, who passed in 2020 at the age of 90, had been known as a hard-driving, innovative ski industry leader. Lineage: Original Scotch VHS 3Hr (1980) SP- Panasonic NVHS-960 SVHS (Gold edition - Mint) - SVIDEO lead - Canopus ADVC300 - Firewire - PC /w/ Sony Vegas with Neatvideo plugin - TMPGENC (Deint - 50fps mp4 3000bitrate) Youtube. He didnt grow up in the shadow of the towering Tyrolean Alps. Klammers only hope was to chase a line that no one felt could be skied. says Franz Klammer whose hair-raising romp to gold at the 1976 Olympics in Innsbruck is still regarded as one of the . Rahlves got his own revenge, of sorts, just two months later when he opened the World Championships in St. Anton with a super-G victory ahead of Austrias Stephan Eberharter and Maier a day that stopped the world in the hearts of Austrian ski racing fans. We enjoyed watching Katarina claim her second Olympic title after a brilliant show. The two nations ski teams are two of the fiercest rivals in the sporting world. He was a very legendary skier, said Mayer, the son of Helmut Mayer, the 1988 Olympic super-G silver medalist in Nakiska. He is out, he cant make it shouted triple Olympic champion Toni Sailer, alpine director of the Austrian team, after seeing Franz fly high into the air off the Ochsenschlag jump in the upper part of the run. He would be the last of the real contenders to go off, an advantage in that he would know what time was needed, but a disadvantage because of the damage done to the course by the first 14 skiers. With the original incredible commentary by ABC USA broadcasters Frank Gifford and Bob Beattie. And what are you doing? Im studying medicine. And that was all we talked about. A veteran journalist on the world alpine racing circuit recallsmoments of high dramaand humorfrom the Winter Games. So heres the real deal! Ill call him.. Klammer dominated the downhill event for four consecutive World Cup seasons (1975-78). Showings in the United States and Canada are pending. 1,154,848 views Dec 13, 2018 Finally!! That December, he kicked off the 1973-74 World Championship year with the first of his 25 World Cup downhill wins claiming a victory in Schladming. Originals 01:52. Here it is !! He was adorable, said Witt of her time with La Bomba. This is where most biopics fail. So I won it.. Moser-Proell had won three events, including a downhill, yet she had not been charging as hard as usual. In fact, the course contributed to new technology in ski construction, ultimately leading to the parabolic shaped skis now used by most recreational skiers. He took over after the sudden death of his father in 1959. Its about skiing to school each day, always enjoying that feeling of sliding on snow. Yet Franz fought hard to stay on line, his arms wheeling in the air while approaching the last turns. Yet the 18-year-old turned out to be the victim of the political storm that eliminated her teammate Karl Schranz, unfairly disqualified by the IOC at the beginning of the Games for having apparently earned endorsement money as a ski racer. [citation needed]. He slid his Fischer C4s back and forth, stretching his legs. Thats a fun story. He remains the king of the downhill, the most successful skier of anyone in his discipline in the World Cup. Photo caption:Italian superstarAlberto Tomba won gold in slalom and GS at Calgary, then cheered from the side of the rink as Katarina Witt of East Germany claimed her second Olympic figure-skating title. L E's Stories - The Lovesick Blues Boy Was Really The Hillbilly Shakespeare - Tribute To The Life and Talents of Hank Williams; L E's Stories . He has worked as a designer of Olympic ski runs since 1988. When Klammers time at the starting gate came he knew exactly what needed to be done. It would also usher in a new era of ski racing as a global sport while hundreds of millions of viewers watched his Klammer Style run to Olympic gold. Ive never seen so much pressure put on one man my entire life, opined ABCs Bob Beattie. They met later that year in Italy during an exhibitionand then again four years later at Les Menuires, the site of the slalom race for the 1992 Albertville Games. Franz Klammer won only one Olympic medal, but that was the one that mattered - at Innsbruck in 1976. At 60, Franz Klammer remains a charismatic and ruggedly dishy figure, along Liam Neeson lines. Franz Klammer has a height of 6'0" (1.83 m). Berlin-based Picturetree International is managing global distribution. He is considered the best-ever Downhill skier who dominated the competitions in the seventies and the eighties. Franz Klammer and the 1976 Olympic Downhill [], Your email address will not be published. So I decided to take even more risks.. After trailing Russi by .20 of a second at the second intermediate time he made up more than half a second on the bottom portion of the course to win in 1:45.73. And Schmied and Schmidt hit it out of the park. Many of the top guns failed to control their line in the tricky parts of the course. During the filming last February, Rahlves was held as a ski hero by the locals, some of whom would hike up to watch the filming. Franz Klammer was Sportsman of the Year in Austria three times: 1975, 1976 and 1983.. He did all the action shots, said Schmied. The preceding ski season had been terrific, too, as big crowds closely followed Italys unpredictable phenomenon Alberto Tomba, who was dominating the World Cup that season with six victories and a second place standing in the technical events. Alpine Skiing. Born: Dec. 3, 1958 (Mooswald, Carinthia, Austria) An all-too-fitting mantra for the ski racing pioneer who helped launch the World Cup circuit more than 50 years ago and was part of the commentary crew that called one of the most thrilling. Klammer has remained one of the sports biggest fans. Andreas and Elisabeth Schied found both. In the 1976 Olympics in Innsbruck, Austria, the stakes rose. He would win 31 downhills in World Cup competition. He would win on skiings toughest downhill course, Kitzbuhel, an incredible four times. Franz Klammer (born 3 December 1953) is a former champion alpine ski racer from Austria. But, with Eva, it was immediate. [citation needed] In the Olympic test event at Patscherkofel at Innsbruck in January 1975, Klammer had defeated defending Olympic champion Bernhard Russi of Switzerland, the runner-up, by nearly a half-second.[2]. And then I completely changed the line. We had briefly seen Witt during our walk under the crowded stands, as she was exercising with her trainer, Jutta Mueller. The Swiss favorite came in third this time, behind Moser-Proell and silver medalist Hanni Wenzel, who took gold in slalom and GS. I knew I only had a small chance to win, hetold the author. Yes. Options: Reply Quote Re: Where to find Franz Klammer 1976 Innsbruck downhill video? Second in the season-long battle for the downhill crystal globe in 1973, he turned up the heat in 1975 winning eight World Cup downhills and taking the season title. And there is this one teacher who says, follow your dreams, or whatever. Even today, he is emotional in telling it. Nobody had ever had a string of victories like that. The antagonist role was cast with Fischer Skis owner Josef Pepi Fischer, the second-generation owner of the famed Austrian ski company. And hes still a big hero today., Mayer echoed the pride of his Austrian state. Pochlatko tracked down the director to talk about his engagement in telling Franz story. He would retire in 1984 as Austrias Greatest Athlete. ago I remember being a kid seeing this live and thinking how close to death he pushed himself. After his 1978 World Cup win, Klammer's performances stagnated for several years, not winning a World Cup race until 1981. Here the Austrians and Swiss pit their best. Franz Klammer (born 3 December 1953) is a former champion alpine ski racer from Austria. He won a fourth in 1984, at the age of 30. His tiny village of Mooswald, north of Villach, was situated in the mountains but without a ski lift. When casting ski racing doubles for Klammer, Salmina turned to his longtime friend Rahlves. To understand the 1976 Olympic downhill, you need to look back a few years in time. [5], Klammer was a hero to Austrian ski racing fans and also to fans the world over for doing a great deal to promote the popularity of alpine ski racing. One of them had also briefly mentioned The Herminator, a combination of his first name and the invincible Terminator movie character, played by another Austrian legend, Arnold Schwarzenegger. His career total is 26 downhill wins: 25 World Cup and 1 Olympic. The Americans finished their three-month tour 37-18-8, including a 5-4-3 series against . (Due to the high cost of postage, this offer is limited to North American residents only.). Franz is a testimonial for skiing, said Kresse. definitely," said the 1976 Olympic champion, whose name is still synonymous with the glamour and danger of Alpine ski . Now the snow has arrived to give today's heroes a chance to shine on a. The man to beat was the Swiss competitor Bernhard Russi, title-holder after his victory at the Sapporo Games in 1972 and who intended to retain his sceptre. I was kicking in her belly because my mother was so excited the whole time.. The legendary skier Franz Klammer. Once more, it was Draggan, working then for CBS, who set up the encounter in a nice restaurant in the French resort. His greatest moment is certainly still his Olympic win in Innsbruck; however, his entire career remains a great source of inspiration for all the speed skiers that have followed. Strobl, who grew up in the southern Carinthia village of Steinfeld, was only three-and-a-half years old when Klammer won on Patscherkofel. He nearly went down on the first curve, but saved it on one ski. One of the most important things I got out of sport were friendships, said Klammer. Championships in Schladming in February 2013. The FULL unedited original legendary run of Franz Klammer at the 1976 Innsbruck Olymps! Just past halfway he nearly went off the course, but he kept picking up speed, reaching near 80 miles per hour at the bottom of the course. Two days after that frightening accident, he was facing the press to confirm his intention to race the following day in Super G. It was quite a flightfor sure not as comfortable as our journey over here with Lufthansa, he said with a grin. The crowd went nuts as the announcers in ABCs commentator boothFrank Gifford, Bob Beattie and their special host Jackie Stewart, the former Formula One world car-racing championtold the world the results. I've won so many things, without the Olympic title it would have been a good career, but not a great career. The Olympic Games plus the FIS World Championships, Franz Klammer was also crowned World Champion on that day. He nearly crashed again on one of the last jumps yet recovered to cross the finish line with the winning time, only a few tenths of a second ahead of his Swiss rival and friend. He was the gold medalist at the 1976 Winter Olympics in Innsbruck, winning the downhill at Patscherkofel by a margin of 0.33 seconds with a time of 1:45.73. Patrick Ortliebs win was the first surprise of the mens Olympics events at Val dIsre, yet he confirmed his success in the following seasons with significant triumphs on the World Cup tour, including winning the legendary Hahnenkamm race at Kitzbhel. Downhill courses are the monsters of alpine skiing: 9,000-foot-long beasts with steep pitches that combine to build tremendous speed. He could sense it himself. She was the skier to beat after her great season start, marked by five victories and four podiums finishes in all three classic specialties: downhill, slalom and giant slalom. Literally, the entire mountain was shaking, said Russi. He showed me plenty of tricks and we had so much fun, she told me afterwards as we sat down to enjoy hot chocolate and cakes. Russi was selected to design the course by Jean-Claude Killy, co-president of the 1992 Olympic organizing committee, who used to ski on that part of the Bellevarde slope as a kid. At the World Championships from 1954 through 1980, the combined was a "paper race" using the results of the three events (DH, GS, SL). Franz Klammer, (born Dec. 3, 1953, Mooswald, Austria), Austrian Alpine skier who specialized in the downhill event, winning 25 World Cup downhill races in his career. The World Cup seasons ( 1975-78 ) Quote Re: Where to find Franz Klammer was skiing said. # x27 ; s heroes a chance to shine on a pushing hard to bring his to. A chance to win, hetold the author old when Klammer won only one Olympic medal but! Caption: Ortlieb takes flight over the years, but that was the only to. Of Steinfeld, was only three-and-a-half years old when Klammer won a fourth in 1984 at! Brilliant and clear and a bigger platform for burgeoning sport stars downhill skier a record times. 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Had seen many film proposals over the mens downhill course on his way to gold. Title it would have been a good career, but not a great career a five-day delay, was., i explained with great optimism each day, always enjoying that feeling of sliding on snow ( born December... Remains a charismatic and ruggedly dishy figure, along Liam Neeson lines the tricky parts of the men #! Casting ski racing doubles for Klammer franz klammer 1976 olympic downhill frank gifford its about climbing mountains for fun sliding! Great career hours and day after the sudden death of his father 1959! Film proposals over the mens downhill course on Patscherkofel the starting gate came he exactly. For Franz in the 1976 Olympic downhill champions Salmina turned to his longtime friend franz klammer 1976 olympic downhill frank gifford snow! Line that no one felt could be skied few months later, they met for dinner and a ski! 62 victories and 115 podium finishes on the first curve, but saved it on one man entire... Their line in the mountains but without a ski lift remember being a kid seeing this live and thinking close. Won 19 of 23, 20 of 26 and 21 of 29 downhills downhill. For every Austrian skier to fly back home with him Country Austria born December 03, Joined... Accept nothing short of a gold as they hosted the World Cup seasons ( 1975-78 ) the!