Josef Walcher

File:WalcherSepp 004.jpg downhill.]]

File:Skirennläufer Josef Walcher.jpg

Born in Schladming, Styria, Walcher made his World Cup debut in December 1972, two days after his 18th birthday. Two months later, he scored his first World Cup points (and podium) with a runner-up finish at St. Moritz, Switzerland. Walcher's first World Cup victory came in January 1977 at Morzine, France, his seventh podium.{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=tztOAAAAIBAJ&sjid=te0DAAAAIBAJ&pg=3871%2C81905 |newspaper=Spokesman-Review |agency=Associated Press |title=Josef Walcher surprise winner |date=February 1, 1977 |page=17 }}{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=CHswAAAAIBAJ&sjid=x6EFAAAAIBAJ&pg=1114%2C111297 |newspaper=Montreal Gazette |agency=Canadian Press |title=Downhill star Klammer loses second race in row |date=February 1, 1978 |page=15 }} His best two seasons were 1977 and 1978, finishing runner-up to compatriot Franz Klammer in the downhill standings both years. A week prior to his win at the world championships in 1978, Walcher won consecutive downhills at Kitzbühel, Austria.{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=jOkgAAAAIBAJ&sjid=NG4FAAAAIBAJ&pg=2336%2C3107912 |newspaper=The Hour |location=Norwalk, CT |agency=UPI |title=Walcher triumphs |date=January 20, 1978 |page=21 }}{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=uM0tAAAAIBAJ&sjid=UaEFAAAAIBAJ&pg=3018%2C1019506 |newspaper=Montreal Gazette |agency=Reuters |title=Klammer upset in downhill |date=January 21, 1978 |page=13 }}

Walcher retired after the 1982 season with five World Cup victories and thirteen podium finishes. In 1984, he was killed at age 29 in a skiing accident at a benefit race in his hometown of Schladming. The race was a 8 km downhill where the skiers started only 30 seconds apart from each other. Walcher died after breaking his neck in a fall and hitting his head on a course marker. {{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1984/01/23/sports/austrian-ski-star-killed-in-accident.html |newspaper=New York Times |title=Austrian ski star killed in accident |agency=UPI |date=January 23, 1984 |accessdate=April 4, 2014}}

• 5 wins – (5 DH)
• 13 podiums – (13 DH)

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

^ Walcher made the downhill team in 1980 but was dropped the day before the race, replaced by alternate Leonhard Stock, who won the gold medal.{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=V2dQAAAAIBAJ&sjid=qFgDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5861%2C4296507 |newspaper=St. Petersburg Independent |agency=Associated Press |title=For Stock, it was an uphill battle |date=February 15, 1980 |page=5C }}{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=V2pQAAAAIBAJ&sjid=L1oDAAAAIBAJ&pg=3357%2C6003269 |newspaper=St. Petersburg Times |last=Mizell |first=Hubert |title=Unknown Austrian skier Stock suddenly is hero |date=February 15, 1980 |page=1C }}{{cite magazine |url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1120399/index.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100219145719/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1120399/index.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=February 19, 2010 |magazine=Sports Illustrated |last=Johnson |first=William Oscar |title=Austria storms the hill |date=February 25, 1980 |page=22 }}

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Category:1954 births

Category:1984 deaths

Category:Austrian male alpine skiers

Category:Alpine skiers at the 1976 Winter Olympics

Category:Olympic alpine skiers for Austria

Category:Skiing deaths

Category:Sport deaths in Austria

Category:People from Liezen District

Category:Skiers from Styria

Category:20th-century Austrian sportsmen