Ildegarda Taffra

Biographical information

RolesCompeted in Olympic Games
SexFemale
Full nameIldegarda•Taffra (-Di Ragogna)
Used nameIldegarda•Taffra
Born30 June 1934 in Tarvisio, Udine (ITA)
Died7 December 2020 in Trieste, Trieste (ITA)
NOC Italy

Biography

Tarvisio’s Ildegarda Taffra was an Italian cross-country skier. At the age of 17 she competed at the 1952 Oslo Winter Olympics, the first Italian female cross-country skier at the Games, alongside Fides Romanin, another icon of winter sports.

Between 1951 and 1956, Taffra won six consecutive Italian Championships at 10 kilometres. In 1954 she took part in the World Championships, placing sixth in the relay with the Italian team, and was also flagbearer of the Italian team. She also competed at the 1956 Cortina Winter Olympics before ending her competitive career at age 22.

In 1974, Taffra was one of the founders of the Forni di Sopra Ski School, alongside the ski instructors Italo Clerici and Bruno Comis. In 1969 she married the sports journalist Dante Di Ragogna. In 2020 Taffra contracted COVID-19 and died at age 86.

Results

Games Discipline (Sport) / Event NOC / Team Pos Medal As
1952 Winter Olympics Cross Country Skiing (Skiing) ITA Ildegarda Taffra
10 kilometres, Women (Olympic) DNF
1956 Winter Olympics Cross Country Skiing (Skiing) ITA Ildegarda Taffra
10 kilometres, Women (Olympic) 23
3 × 5 kilometres Relay, Women (Olympic) Italy 8

Special Notes