Annemarie Moser-Pröll

Annemarie Moser-Pröll is often considered the greatest female ski racer of all-time, and her overall record would likely have been better had she not taken off 1975-76, missing the 1976 Innsbruck Olympics. At her best in the power races, Moser-Pröll won silver medals in downhill and giant slalom at the 1972 Winter Olympics. In that era Olympic events were considered World Championships, so that gave her two World medals, but she added a third with a gold medal in the non-Olympic combined event in 1972.

Her first World medal had been a bronze in downhill at Gröden in 1970. She later won downhill World titles in 1974 and 1978, and at the 1978 Worlds in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Moser-Pröll won three medals, adding a victory in the combined and a bronze medal in GS. Moser-Pröll capped her career by finally winning Olympic gold with a victory in the downhill at Lake Placid in 1980.

Despite the Olympic and World Championships record, Moser-Pröll’s cemented her place in skiing history with her World Cup performances. Through 2013, she still holds records for the most World Cup race wins, with 62, and podiums, with 114. She was a six-time overall World Cup champion, the most ever for men or women, winning the seasonal title in 1971-75 and 1979. In event seasonal World Cups, Moser-Pröll won 13 crystal globes, with seven in downhill (1971-75, 1978-79), three in giant slalom (1971-72, 1975), one in slalom (1979), and two in the combined (1975, 1979).

Annemarie Moser-Pröll retired from ski racing after a sixth place in a giant slalom at Saint-Gervais-les-Bains in March 1980. During her career she won 18 Austrian titles, with eight in giant slalom. During her break from racing in 1975-76, Moser-Pröll opened a restaurant, Café Annemarie, in Kleinarl, where her trophy collection was on display. She managed this through 2008, when she sold it and retired.

Honors were numerous during her career and afterwards. She was Austrian Sportswoman of the Year in 1973-75, and 1977-80, was later chosen as Austrian Sportswoman of the Century, and was the World Winter Female Athlete of the 20th Century. In 1979 she was awarded the grand decoration for services to the Republic of Austria.