Markus Wasmeier

Markus Wasmeier won two gold medals at the 1994 Lillehammer Winter Olympics in the giant slalom and the Super-G, starting the Games with a very disappointing 36th place in the downhill. This was the first German male alpine Olympic success since 1936. Wasmeier’s alpine skiing career started with his first appearance in the World Cup in 1983 and was first highlighted at the 1985 World Championships, winning the gold medal in the downhill.

One year later he won his first World Cup race at Morzine, a Super-G. In 1987 he placed third at the World Championships in the Super-G at Crans-Montana. He then went to Calgary as one of the favorites but disappointed with a fall in the Super-G, a sixth place in the downhill and a seventh in alpine combined. He also struggled at Albertville in 1992, failing to medal, finishing fourth in the downhill, ninth in the Super-G, and fifth in the combination. He also could not finish the giant slalom. He then retired at the end of the 1994-95 season.

In 1986 and 1987 Wasmeier was third in the overall World Cup, while in 1986 he also won the overall Super-G World Cup. In all he won nine World Cup races in his career, with 22 other podiums. At the national level he won two downhill titles, four in the Super-G, and finally two in the giant slalom.

In 1994 he was chosen as the first male alpine skier to be named German Sportsman of the Year. Since his retirement he has worked as a color commentator for the German TV channel ARD and runs down the ski slopes with a hand camera before the competitions. He also took movie roles in films by Willy Bogner and created a fashion line together with him. In 2007, Wasmeier opened his own farm and winter sports museum in his hometown of Schliersee, having around 100,000 visitors per year in summer. He was educated as a painter and varnisher.