| GABL, Gertrud (AUT) |
26.08.1948 St Anton
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1972/retired. 18,01,1976 loss of life
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| Photo: Hiro Yakushi |
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World Cup Ranking
General
1967/18th, 1968/7th, 1969/1st, 1970/17th, 1971/9th, 1972/19th
Special
1968 SL/2nd, 1969 SL/1st, GS/3rd.
World Championships
1970 Val Gardena SL/4th, GS/5th.
Olympic Games
1968 Grenoble GS/9th.
1972 Sapporo DH/12th.
World Cup - 7 w. (5 SL, 2 GS)
| 1. |
SL: |
Grindelwald 68, Heavenly Valley 68, Oberstaufen 69, Grindelwald 69,
Visoke Tatly 69, |
| GS: |
Heavenly Vally 68, Visoke Tatly 69, |
| 2. |
SL: |
Oberstaufen 68, Aspen 68, Schruns 69, Oberstaufen
71, |
| GS: |
Maribor 71, |
| 3. |
SL: |
Badgastein 68, |
| GS: |
Rossland 68, Abetone 71‡U, Aare 71, |
| 4. |
SL: |
Val Gardena 70, Schruns 71, |
| GS: |
Grindelwald 68, Aspen 68, |
| 5. |
SL: |
Val d'Isere 70, Banff 72, |
| GS: |
Watervill Valley 69, Val Gardena(WM) 70 |
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1969 was a big year for Austria, and its tiny ski village of Saint Anton.
Both winners of the Overall World Cup were born there. 30-year-old Karl
Schranz was already very famous but young Gertrud Gabl, only 20, was a
surprising champion.
The daughter of a ski instructor, who worked in North America, Gabl showed
her elegant slalom skills when she first joined Austrian team in 1967.
Getrud won seven technical events from 1968 to 1969. In fact, she was the first Austrian to win a World Cup slalom, but never won a medal at either Olympics or World Championships. During the 1968/69 winter, she took advantage of the injury for rival Annie Famose, to become the first Austrian to clinch the Crystal Globe.
The Famose tore her Achilles tendon in January in a crash in the downhill
at St Anton and the Gertrude conquered the Cup by defeating another French
champion, Florence Steurer. Yet the shy, friendly Tyrolian didn't make
it back the top-10 in the Overall standings ever again.
She retired at age 23 in 1972, when her teammate and friend Annemarie Proell
was dominating women's ski racing. Gertrud Gabl later married a wealthy
British businessman and avid skier.
They were skiing together in 1976 in the Arlberg area when an avalanche broke loose above them, killing Gertrud. She was only 27 years old. |
Biorama Basel |
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