Ingrid Wendl

Even as a schoolgirl in the mid-1950s Ingrid Wendl was among the best figure skaters in the world, together with her compatriots Hanna Eigel and Hanna Walter, with the three Austrians placing in the top seven at the 1956 Winter Olympics.

Nationally, Wendl came in second and third in 1953 and 1954, before taking the title in 1955, 1956 and 1958. In 1956 and 1958, she was European Champion and she was runner-up in 1957. At the World Championships in 1956 and 1957 she was third, ending her amateur career after placing second at the 1958 World Championships. Wendl then turned professional and joined the Vienna Ice Revue and later the US Ice Capades. She retired from active skating in 1971.

Wendl studied dramatics and art history. She became a freelancer at the Austrian broadcasting station ORF in 1972, where she worked as a program presenter and commentator on figure skating events, although she later hosted major entertainment shows, joining the team of a popular German quiz show in 1979 (Was bin ich - Which is my job?). In 1988, Wendl joined the ORF sports department as an editor and reporter, receiving an award in 1990 as the best sports host, before retiring from television in 2000. From 2002-06 she held a seat for the conservative Austrian People’s Party (ÖVP) in the Federal Parliament. Wendl married the well-known bassoonist Milan Turković.