Rosi_Mittermaier

Rosi Mittermaier

Rosi Mittermaier

German alpine skier (1950–2023)

Rosa Anna Katharina Mittermaier-Neureuther (German: [ˈʁozi ˈmɪtɐˌmaɪ̯ɐ] ⓘ; 5 August 1950 – 4 January 2023) was a German alpine skier. She was the overall World Cup champion in 1976 and a double gold medalist at the 1976 Winter Olympics.[1]

Quick Facts Personal information, Born ...

Mittermaier competed in alpine skiing from 1967 to 1976, retiring after a highly successful season in which she finished with two Olympic gold medals and ranked first in the World Cup. She remained popular, advertising for sports and as a non-fiction writer. She was known as Gold-Rosi, and she was inducted into Germany's Sports Hall of Fame in April 2006 when it was initiated.

Life and career

Mittermaier was born in Munich[2] and grew up in Reit im Winkl on the Winklmoos-Alm [de].[3] Her father had run there the Passauer Hütte.[4] A certified skiing instructor, he also owned a skiing school from 1966,[5] and was the first to train his daughters.[6]

Racing career

Mittermaier made her World Cup debut in the inaugural season of 1967,[7] and won her first World Cup race two seasons later.[8]

She won two gold medals (downhill and slalom)[9] and one silver (giant slalom) at the 1976 Winter Olympics in Innsbruck.[10][11] Her victory in the Olympic downhill was the only downhill win in her international career.[12] Mittermaier was the most successful athlete at those games, along with cross-country skier Raisa Smetanina of the Soviet Union, earning her the nickname of Gold-Rosi within Germany (then West Germany).[13]

In addition to the overall World Cup title, she also won the season title in slalom and combined in 1976. After winning both races at Copper Mountain in Colorado to wrap up the overall and slalom titles,[14] the four-year-old resort immediately named the race course run after her.[15][16] In addition to her success in international competition, she also won 16 German national titles during her career.[17]

On 31 May 1976, she retired from international competition at age 25, following the very successful 1976 season.[18][19][20]

After racing

After her career in sports, Mittermaier joined Mark McCormack's International Management Group as the only German alongside Jean-Claude Killy, Jackie Stewart, and Björn Borg.[21] During her three-year contract, she designed a collection of winter sports clothing and made international appearances for various skiing products.[22] She wrote non-fiction books, often together with her husband.[19] She worked for several charities and occasionally as a commentator for German television for major sporting events. She established a charitable foundation to aid children with rheumatism in 2000.[17][19]

Personal life and death

Mittermaier was born with a twin sister who died at birth. Her younger sister Evi Mittermaier also competed as an alpine skier and previously lived in a hotel.[17] Rosi and Evi also recorded two albums of Bavarian folk songs together.[17]

Mittermaier (r.) and her husband with figure skater Aljona Savchenko in 2018

In 1980 she married Christian Neureuther, winner of six World Cup slalom races.[23] They are the parents of Felix Neureuther (b. 1984), a World Cup ski racer for Germany,[24] and a daughter Ameli who works as a fashion designer.[25]

Mittermaier died because of cancer in Garmisch-Partenkirchen on 4 January 2023, at the age of 72 years.[3][26][27]

Awards

She was an honorary citizen's of Garmisch-Partenkirchen and Reit im Winkl.[19]

World Cup results

Season standings

Source:[29]

More information Season, Age ...

Points were only awarded for top ten finishes (see scoring system).

Season titles

More information Season, Discipline ...

Race victories

  • 10 wins – (1 GS, 8 SL, 1 K)
  • 41 podiums – (4 DH, 11 GS, 22 SL, 4 K)
More information Season, Date ...

World championship results

Source:[29]

More information Year, Age ...

From 1948 through 1980, the Winter Olympics were also the World Championships for alpine skiing.

At the World Championships from 1954 through 1980, the combined was a "paper race" using the results of the three events (DH, GS, SL).

Olympic results

Source:[12]

More information Year, Age ...

Publications

Many of her books were written with her husband Christian Neureuther:[19]

  • Mittermaier, Rosi (1977). Ski-Zirkus : meine 10 Jahre im Hochleistungssport (in German). Frankfurt/M.: Ullstein. ISBN 3-550-17672-4. OCLC 3629220.
  • ——; Neureuther, Christian; Messmann, Kuno (1983). Unser Skibuch. München: Mosaik. ISBN 3-570-00735-9. OCLC 64741076.
  • —— (1994). Gewinnen mit Walking das Original-Rosi-Mittermaier-Walking-Buch (in German). Düsseldorf. ISBN 978-3-7919-0531-0. OCLC 75506562.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  • —— (2004). Nordic Walking Ganzjahrestraining - starke Muskeln - gesunde Gelenke - top Kondition - super Figur (in German). München. ISBN 978-3-426-64139-2. OCLC 76551517.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  • ——; Bartl, Reiner (2005). Stabile Knochen, mobiles Leben Osteoporose aktiv begegnen, vermeiden, behandeln und beweglich bleiben ; frühzeitige Diagnose und wirksame Therapie ; 3-stufiges Knochenaufbauprogramm mit Rosi Mittermaier (in German). München. ISBN 978-3-426-64277-1. OCLC 181457767.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  • ——; Neureuther, Christian; Mittermaier, Rosi (2006). Nordic-Walking-Praxisbuch leichter Einstieg in 7 Schritten mit der Nordic-ALFA-Technik ; für jeden geeignet – rundum gesund (in German). München. ISBN 978-3-426-64341-9. OCLC 163402416.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  • ——; Neureuther, Christian; Deutscher Skilehrerverband (2008). Neuer Schwung für alle, die die Freude am Skifahren (wieder) entdecken wollen ; mit allen Skigebieten (D), Loipen, Insidertipps, Checklisten (in German). München. ISBN 978-3-485-01146-4. OCLC 271637893.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  • ——; Neureuther, Christian (2008). Die Heilkraft des Sports mit Spaß und Freude mehr Gesundheit (in German). München. ISBN 978-3-485-01130-3. OCLC 227007343.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  • ——; Neureuther, Christian (2009). Sicher durch den Skiwinter (in German). München. ISBN 978-3-485-01189-1. OCLC 643238604.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  • —— (2011). Fröhlich bin ich sowieso mit 11 Rezepten (in German). München. ISBN 978-3-485-01321-5. OCLC 759529483.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  • ——; Neureuther, Christian (2012). Die schönsten Schneeschuhtouren Bayern, Tirol, Salzburger Land (in German). [Luzern]. ISBN 978-3-7243-1043-3. OCLC 774039790.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  • ——; Mittermaier, Rosi; Neureuther, Christian (2013). Kraftort Alpen. München. ISBN 978-3-7243-1050-1. OCLC 859342148.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  • ——; Neureuther, Christian; Edition Raetia GmbH (2016). Mit Rosi und Christian in Südtirol kulinarische Begegnungen (in German). Bozen. ISBN 978-88-7283-555-5. OCLC 932030791.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)

See also

Notes

  1. includes 3 Olympics

References

  1. [1]
    Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Rosi Mittermaier". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020.
  2. [2]
    Leidinger, Saskia (5 January 2023). "Im Alter von 72 Jahren: Skilegende Rosi Mittermaier ist tot". Saarbrücker Zeitung (in German). Retrieved 5 January 2023.
  3. [3]
    "Wintersport: Trauer – "Gold-Rosi" Mittermaier ist tot" (in German). BR. 5 January 2023. Retrieved 5 January 2023.
  4. [4]
    Mittermaier, Rosi (2012). Fröhlich bin ich sowieso (in German). München. ISBN 978-3-485-06007-3. OCLC 882493926.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  5. [5]
    "Mit 72 Jahren: Ski-Legende Rosi Mittermaier ist tot – Das Erste". MDR.DE (in German). 5 January 2023. Retrieved 5 January 2023.
  6. [6]
    "Über 60 Jahre auf der Winklmoosalm". ovb-online.de (in German). 17 March 2009. Retrieved 5 January 2023.
  7. [7]
    "Rosi Mittermaier ist tot – Zweimalige Olympiasiegerin stirbt mit 72". T-Online.de (in German). 5 January 2023. Retrieved 5 January 2023.
  8. [8]
    "Mit 72 Jahren: Ski-Legende Rosi Mittermaier ist tot". MDR (in German). 5 January 2023. Retrieved 5 January 2023.
  9. [9]
    "Clipping from Star Tribune". Star Tribune. 12 February 1976. p. 33. Retrieved 5 January 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. [10]
    Johnson, William Oscar (16 February 1976). "On came the heroes". Sports Illustrated. p. 13.
  11. [11]
    Johnson, William Oscar (23 February 1976). "Opening up those golden gates". Sports Illustrated. p. 12.
  12. [12]
    "Rosi MITTERMAIER Biography, Olympic Medals, Records and Age". Olympics.com. 2 July 2018. Retrieved 5 January 2023.
  13. [13]
    "Ski-Olympiasiegerin Rosi Mittermaier ist tot". tagesschau.de (in German). Retrieved 5 January 2023.
  14. [14]
    "Mittermaier wins World Cup". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Associated Press. 7 March 1976. p. 3B.
  15. [15]
    "Rosi has run named for her". Spokane Daily Chronicle. Associated Press. 8 March 1976. p. 20.
  16. [16]
    Looney, Douglas S. (15 March 1976). "Adding a title to a triumph". Sports Illustrated. p. 18.
  17. [17]
    Cazeneuve, Brian (18 February 2012). "2002 Winter Olympics – SI Daily: Where are they now? Rosi Mittermaier". CNNSI. Retrieved 28 December 2013.
  18. [18]
    "'Grandma' Rosi out of racing". Spokane Daily Chronicle. Associated Press. 1 June 1976. p. 21.
  19. [19]
    "Rosi Mittermaier vollendet 70. Lebensjahr". Der Deutsche Olympische Sportbund (in German). 5 August 2020. Retrieved 5 January 2023.
  20. [20]
    "Rosi Mittermaier Weighs Retirement". The New York Times. 25 March 1976. Retrieved 5 January 2023.
  21. [21]
    "Ich habe ja nichts Großes vollbracht". Die Zeit (in German). No. 48. 17 December 1976. pp. 194–196. Retrieved 16 April 2020.
  22. [22]
    "Die Millionen der Slalome". No. 48. 21 November 1976. pp. 194–196.
  23. [23]
    "Tod von Rosi Mittermaier: So war die Skilegende "Gold-Rosi" zu Lebzeiten". Stuttgarter Nachrichten (in German). 5 January 2023. Retrieved 5 January 2023.
  24. [24]
    "Rosi Mittermaier ist tot: Ski-Olympiasiegerin stirbt nach Krankheit". Süddeutsche.de (in German). 5 January 2023. Retrieved 5 January 2023.
  25. [25]
    Hörmann, Andi (25 December 2013). "Skizirkus gegen die schillernde Modewelt getauscht". Deutschlandfunk Kultur (in German). Retrieved 5 January 2023.
  26. [26]
    "Olympic skiing champion Rosi Mittermaier dies at 72". AP NEWS (in German). 5 January 2023. Retrieved 5 January 2023.
  27. [27]
    "Markus Wasmeier über Rosi Mittermaier: "Rosi war positiv. Bis zum Schluss"". stern.de (in German). 9 January 2023. Retrieved 25 March 2023.
  28. [28]
    "Rosi Mittermaier". Hall of Fame (in German). Retrieved 5 January 2023.
  29. [29]
    "MITTERMAIER Rosi – Athlete Information". fis. 23 October 2018. Retrieved 5 January 2023.
  30. [30]
    "Clipping from The Gazette". The Gazette. 14 December 1974. p. 45. Retrieved 5 January 2023 – via Newspapers.com.

Further reading

Biographies

Obituaries

More information Awards and achievements ...
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