Josef Walcher

Josef "Sepp" Walcher (December 8, 1954 – January 22, 1984) was an Austrian World Cup alpine ski racer. He specialized in the downhill event and won the gold medal at the World Championships in 1978 at Garmisch, West Germany.

Biography

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. 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.

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.

World Cup results Season standings Season Age Overall Slalom Giant Slalom Super G Downhill Combined 1973 18 28 — — notrun 11 notawarded 1974 19 29 — — 11 1975 20 23 — — 12 1976 21 30 — — 13 — 1977 22 8 — — 2 notawarded 1978 23 7 — — 2 1979 24 39 — — 13 1980 25 22 — — 7 — 1981 26 41 — — 14 — 1982 27 50 — — 18 —

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

World championship results Year Age Slalom Giant Slalom Super-G Downhill Combined 1976 21 — — notrun 9 — 1978 23 — 27 1 — 1980 25 — — — ^ — From 1948 through 1980, the Winter Olympics were also the World Championships for alpine skiing.

Year Age Slalom Giant Slalom Super-G Downhill Combined 1976 21 — — not run 9 not run 1980 25 — — — ^ ^ 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.