Michaela Kirchgasser (born 18 March 1985) is a retired Austrian alpine ski racer. She raced in the technical events of slalom and giant slalom, and also the combined.
 Kirchgasser in December 2006 | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | 18 March 1985 Schwarzach im Pongau, Salzburg, Austria |
| Occupation | Alpine skier |
| Height | 1.69 m (5 ft 7 in) |
| Skiing career | |
| Disciplines | Slalom, giant slalom, combined |
| Club | Union Sportklub Raika Filzmoos |
| World Cup debut | 9 December 2001 (age 16) |
| Retired | 10 March 2018 (age 32) |
| Website | kirchi.com |
| Olympics | |
| Teams | 3 – (2006, 2010, 2014) |
| Medals | 0 |
| World Championships | |
| Teams | 6 – (2007–17) |
| Medals | 7 (3 gold) |
| World Cup | |
| Seasons | 14 – (2004–2017) |
| Wins | 3 – (1 GS, 2 SL) |
| Podiums | 17 |
| Overall titles | 0 – (8th in 2007) |
| Discipline titles | 0 – (2nd in SL, 2012) |
Medal record | |
in November 2006
Career
editOn 25 November 2006, Kirchgasser made her first World Cup podium with a third place in the giant slalom at Aspen, Colorado. Her first victory was on 24 February 2007, in a giant slalom at Sierra Nevada, Spain.
She has competed in three Olympics and six World Championships. At the 2006 Winter Olympics, she finished fifth in the slalom and sixth in the combined, but failed to finish in the giant slalom. At the 2007 World Championships she won the gold medal with the Austrian team in the team event, and finished fourth in the giant slalom and ninth in the slalom. She took a total of seven World Championship medals during her career.[1]
Kirchgasser attained her first World Cup podium in slalom in January 2012 at Zagreb, Croatia.[2] Less than three weeks later, she won her first World Cup slalom at Kranjska Gora, Slovenia.[3] Kirchgasser won again in the slalom at the World Cup finals in Schladming to finish second in the slalom season standings, runner-up to compatriot Marlies Schild.[4]
She retired from competition in 2018, with her final World Cup start being in a slalom in Ofterschwang, which she raced whilst wearing a bright pink dress.[1]
Michaela Kirchgasser married Sebastian Kirchgasser on 7 May 2016 - despite having the same last name they are not related.[5]
World Cup results
editSeason standings
edit| Season | Age | Overall | Slalom | Giant slalom |
Super-G | Downhill | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | 16 | 89 | 33 | — | — | — | — |
| 2003 | 17 | 81 | 36 | — | — | — | — |
| 2004 | 18 | 63 | 25 | 48 | — | — | — |
| 2005 | 19 | 58 | 31 | 25 | — | — | — |
| 2006 | 20 | 20 | 14 | 9 | — | — | 20 |
| 2007 | 21 | 8 | 13 | 3 | — | — | 4 |
| 2008 | 22 | 33 | 13 | 18 | — | — | 21 |
| 2009 | 23 | 22 | 20 | 10 | — | — | 17 |
| 2010 | 24 | 19 | 24 | 15 | 36 | 51 | 3 |
| 2011 | 25 | 21 | 16 | 17 | 47 | 48 | 6 |
| 2012 | 26 | 10 | 2 | 21 | — | — | — |
| 2013 | 27 | 14 | 12 | 16 | — | — | 3 |
| 2014 | 28 | 25 | 15 | 30 | — | — | 2 |
| 2015 | 29 | 29 | 16 | 22 | — | — | 8 |
| 2016 | 30 | 15 | 10 | 12 | 50 | 54 | 3 |
| 2017 | 31 | 28 | 26 | 18 | — | — | 4 |
| 2018 | 32 | 94 | 41 | — | — | — | — |
- Standings through 4 February 2018
Race podiums
edit| Season | Date | Location | Discipline | Place |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | 25 Nov 2006 |  Aspen, USA |
Giant slalom | 3rd |
| 15 Dec 2006 |  Reiteralm, Austria |
Super combined | 2nd | |
| 24 Feb 2007 |  Sierra Nevada, Spain |
Giant slalom | 1st | |
| 10 Mar 2007 |  Zwiesel, Germany |
Giant slalom | 3rd | |
| 18 Mar 2007 |  Lenzerheide, Switzerland |
Giant slalom | 3rd | |
| 2009 | 25 Jan 2009 |  Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy |
Giant slalom | 2nd |
| 2010 | 29 Jan 2010 | St. Moritz, Switzerland |
Super combined | 2nd |
| 2012 | 3 Jan 2012 |  Zagreb, Croatia |
Slalom | 3rd |
| 22 Jan 2012 |  Kranjska Gora, Slovenia |
Slalom | 1st | |
| 21 Feb 2012 |  Moscow, Russia |
Parallel slalom | 2nd | |
| 17 Mar 2012 | Schladming, Austria |
Slalom | 1st | |
| 2013 | 1 Jan 2013 | Munich, Germany |
Parallel slalom | 3rd |
| 24 Feb 2013 |  Méribel, France |
Super combined | 3rd | |
| 2014 | 12 Jan 2014 | Altenmarkt, Austria |
Super combined | 2nd |
| 2016 | 18 Dec 2015 | Val d'Isère, France |
Super combined | 3rd |
| 13 Mar 2016 | Lenzerheide, Switzerland |
Super combined | 2nd | |
| 2017 | 24 Feb 2017 | Crans-Montana, Switzerland |
Super combined | 3rd |
World Championship results
edit| Year | Age | Slalom | Giant slalom |
Super-G | Downhill | Combined | Team event |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | 21 | 9 | 4 | — | — | DSQ1 | 1 |
| 2009 | 23 | DNF1 | 5 | — | — | DSQ1 | cancelled |
| 2011 | 25 | DNF2 | — | — | — | 13 | 2 |
| 2013 | 27 | 2 | DSQ1 | — | — | 4 | 1 |
| 2015 | 29 | DNF2 | 6 | — | — | 3 | 1 |
| 2017 | 31 | 6 | 12 | — | — | 3 | — |
Olympic results
edit| Year | Age | Slalom | Giant slalom |
Super-G | Downhill | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 20 | 5 | DNF2 | — | — | 6 |
| 2010 | 24 | DNF2 | 15 | — | — | 9 |
| 2014 | 28 | DNF2 | 12 | — | — | 7 |
References
edit- ^ a b "Retiring ski stars dress to impress on final run". news.yahoo.com. 10 March 2018. Retrieved 10 March 2018.
- ^ "Schild continues perfect slalom season with Zagreb Snow Queen crown, ill Vonn ninth - Skiracing.com". www.skiracing.com.
- ^ Ski Racing.com – Kirchgasser wins Kranjska Gora slalom, Schild's streak ends – 22 January 2012.
- ^ Ski Racing.con – Kirchgasser wins World Cup Finals slalom in Schladming, Schild claims title trophy – 17 March 2012.
- ^ Michi Kirchgasser said yes! – "You'll notice it by my new last name," the 31-year-old joked about her marriage - 8 May 2016.
External links
edit
- Michaela Kirchgasser at the International Ski and Snowboard Federation
- Michaela Kirchgasser World Cup standings at the International Ski Federation
- Michaela Kirchgasser at Ski-DB Alpine Ski Database
- Michaela Kirchgasser at Olympics at Sports-Reference.com (archived)
- Official website (in German)
- Michaela Kirchgasser at Austrian Ski team (ÖSV) (in German)
- Michaela Kirchgasser at Atomic Skis
