Toni Sailer

Anton ("Toni") Sailer (born November 17, 1935 in Kitzbühel) is a former alpine skier from Austria, considered among the best ever in the sport's history.

Nicknamed "Blitz from Kitz", Sailer was the first skier at the olympic games to win all three Alpine skiing events (downhill, slalom and giant slalom), at the 1956 Winter Olympic Games in Cortina d'Ampezzo. He was the fifth athlete to win three gold medals in the same Winter Olympic Games.

He won four more gold medals in world championships before he retired in 1959. Between 1957 and 1971 he appeared in a handful of movies, most of them shallow comedies at least partly set in Alpine regions, with Sailer showing off his talent. From 1972 to 1976 he was chief trainer and technical director of the Austrian Skiing Association (ÖSV).

For his contribution to the Olympic Movement, the International Olympic Committee awarded him the Olympic Order in 1985.

In January 2004 Sailer, although not associated with any political party, announced that he would run for Mayor of Kitzbühel. A few weeks later he withdrew his candidature, saying he had only now realised that being Mayor was a full-time job.

In 2006 he announced his retirement as "chief of race" of the Hahnenkamm Race, a position which he had occupied for 20 years.

External links

* [http://www.nevasport.com/nevablogs/detalle.php?id_blogs=31&id_articulos=1678 Toni Sailer, skier, actor and singer] (with images)
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* [http://www.hahnenkamm.com/cms/en/history/kitzbuheler_ski_legends/toni_sailer/index.html Toni Sailer] at the Kitzbühel Ski Club
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