Born: 1923 (In Gassen, Switzerland)
Biography:
Hedy Schlunegger, born as Hedwig Schlunegger on March 10, 1923, in the Wengen district of In Gassen, Switzerland, was a renowned Swiss alpine skier. She is best known for her incredible skiing skills and her victory in the downhill event at the 1948 Winter Olympics.
Schlunegger grew up in Café Oberland alongside her six older siblings. Her father, a mountain guide, unfortunately passed away in 1939. Despite the hardships her family faced, Schlunegger and her siblings worked diligently to support their mother in running the café. Schlunegger’s early experience with skiing came from her job as a milk transporter in the winter, where she traversed the snow-covered mountains on skis. This unconventional training eventually became the foundation of her remarkable skiing career.
In the early 1940s, Schlunegger followed in the footsteps of her older brother, Hans Schlunegger, and ventured into ski racing. In 1942, she made headlines by winning the downhill event at the Swiss Ski Championships in Grindelwald. Remarkably, her time was six seconds faster than the best senior competitor, Erna Steuri, which led to her becoming the Swiss champion. Shortly after this victory, Schlunegger secured a third-place finish in the downhill at the France-Switzerland international ski competition held in her hometown, Wengen.
The following year, Schlunegger continued to impress by winning the junior women’s downhill at the 1943 Swiss Championships in Arosa. Although she fell just short of the best senior competitor, Antoinette Meyer, Schlunegger’s second-place finish in the slalom event granted her the title of Swiss champion in the Alpine Combined category. In 1944, competing in the senior class, she claimed her second Swiss downhill championship title in Gstaad.
Schlunegger’s success continued in the years that followed. In 1946, she became a two-time Swiss champion in downhill and combined, triumphing in Davos. The following year, she added two more championship titles to her collection by winning the downhill and combined events in Wengen. By the end of her career, Schlunegger had amassed a total of seven Swiss championship titles, surpassing any previous achievements in Swiss women’s skiing.
In 1947, Schlunegger showcased her talent internationally at the Arlberg-Kandahar Races in Mürren. She finished fourth in the slalom and combined events and fifth in the downhill, solidifying her reputation as an accomplished skier. However, Schlunegger’s greatest achievement came in 1948 at the Winter Olympics in St. Moritz.
Despite a fall in the challenging cannon barrel section of the downhill course, Schlunegger showcased incredible resilience and determination. She crossed the finish line eight tenths of a second ahead of Trude Jochum-Beiser from Austria, securing the Olympic gold medal and the title of world champion in downhill skiing. Additionally, Schlunegger competed in the combined slalom event, finishing 15th and ultimately earning an impressive eighth-place overall in the combined standings.
Hedy Schlunegger’s skiing career remains a testament to her unwavering dedication and exceptional skill. Her triumphs on the slopes continue to inspire future generations of athletes, solidifying her legacy as one of Switzerland’s most remarkable alpine skiers.
Awards:
– Olympic gold medal in downhill (1948)
– World champion in downhill (1948)
– Seven-time Swiss champion (1942-1947)