Tag Archives: Val D’Isere

Tamara McKinney 9: Mikaela Shiffrin 7

tamara mckinney ski race racer val disere france time magazine 1984 olympicsTamara McKinney in Time magazine, January 30, 1984, photo by Yarbrough-Team Russell.

tamara mckinney ski race aspen winternational colorado World Cup giant slalom action at the Aspen Winternational.

tamara mckinney ski race racer vail giant slalom rossignol descenteMarch 12, 1983 Press Photo:  VAIL, COLO:  USA’s Tamara McKinney takes a gate during the first run of Women’s World Cup Giant Slalom.  McKinney had the second best time of 1:11:59, only 0.01 second behind teammate Cindy Nelson.  McKinney is attempting to become the first American woman to win the overall World Cup Championship.  UPI jm/Pat Benic

Tamara’s signature bunny hat was made by her sister who sells specialty knit goods through her Kentucky-based company, Ouisha.

tamara mckinney us ski team athlete olympics 1984Training for the 1984 Winter Olympics in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia.  ABC press photo.

With Mikaela Shiffrin’s win at Flachau yesterday, she has racked up seven World Cup slalom wins – quickly gaining on Tamara McKinney’s nine victories, the record for any American woman in slalom.

Tamara McKinney was my first ski hero.  Her small stature but aggressive style coupled with her girl-next-door image and trusty Rossignol skis offered a strong, female role model in the sport.  Her racing accomplishments include being the first American woman to win the World Cup overall title, two Giant Slalom titles, a Slalom title, multiple World Championship medals and a long list of career wins and podiums.  She is a legend without question.

My husband and I have been devout followers of Mikaela Shiffrin — her stunning talent and rapid ascent — since we watched her win the slalom at the 2010 J-III Junior Olympics when she was 15.  We had heard the hype but it wasn’t until we witnessed her runs that we truly grasped what this young girl could mean to the world of ski racing.  Amazed by her performance, I began referring to her as “Magic Girl”.  I was thrilled to be present to watch her win the slalom title at the World Championships in Schladming, Austria last winter.

So, with that, it is bittersweet for me to watch Mikaela gain on Tamara’s slalom record in record time!

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Christa Zechmeister: Teenage Slalom World Champion

Today, Mikaela Shiffrin graduated from Burke Mountain Academy.  The 2013 World Cup Slalom Champion graduated from high school.

When Mikaela unleashed her full-force assault on the World Cup ski circuit this past winter culminating in the slalom season title, she became the youngest slalom champion since Christa Zechmeister of Germany 39 years ago.  Here is a look at the 1974 slalom champion. . .

christa zechmeister germany ski slalom world champion 1973 1974CHRISTA ZECHMEISTER ROWING AT THE KÖNIGSLAKE. . . It is not very often than pretty German skier Christa Zechmeister, slalom world champion 1973/74, has leisure time for rowing at the Königslake, near Berchtesgaden (Bavaria) where she lives.  The 17 year old blonde girl, slalom star of the German national ski team, is even in summer busy, first of all with the training for the winter and then as a seller in a sportshop in her home town.  1974 press photo

christa zechmeister germany ski racer 19761976 Sport-Parade (Americana Munchen) trading card #246.

christa zechmeister germany wins slalom val d'isere france 197312/7/1973 AP Wirephoto:  VAL D’ISERE, France – THEY’RE 1-2-3 IN WOMEN’S SLALOM—Christa Zechmeister, center, of West Germany holds both hands high after winning women’s slalom of 19th International Criterium of First Snow ski race Friday at Val D’Isere.  Hanny Wentzel, left, of Liechtenstein was second and Marilyn Cochran, right, of Richmond, Vt., third in the event.

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Franz Klammer: Team Austria Speed Suit

franz klammer austria ski downhill val d'isere france12/9/1974 A.P. wirephoto:  Franz Klammer, Austria’s world ski champion, won the men’s World Cup downhill race yesterday at Val D’Isere, France.  Klammer, 20, also set a course record of 2 minutes 3.19 seconds in the 3,298-meter event.

franz klammer austria ski world championships st moritz 19742/10/1974 Press Photo:  Austrian Triumph in Men’s Downhill Race. . . St. Moritz, Switzerland:  David Zwilling (center) first and Franz Klammer (r) second won the top honours for Austria in the men’s downhill race at the 23rd Alpine Ski World Championships here.  Willi Frommelt (left) from Liechtenstein created a big surprise by taking the third place among the world’s elite.  It was the second medal for this tiny principality.

I am totally into the banded sleeve stripes on the circa 1974 Austrian national team uniform, as worn here by Franz Klammer.  It is reserved design with big impact – creative and effective interpretation of Austria’s flag.

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