Karl Schranz

Karl Schranz (born 18 November 1938) is a former champion alpine ski racer from Austria, one of the best of the 1960s and early 1970s.

Born and raised in St. Anton, Tyrol, Schranz had a lengthy ski racing career, from 1957 to 1972. He won twenty major downhills, many major giant slalom races and several major slaloms. Late in his career he was the successor to Jean-Claude Killy as the World Cup overall champion; Schranz won the title at age 30 in the third World Cup season of 1969, and repeated in 1970. He was also the downhill champion for those two seasons and was the giant slalom season champion in 1969. Schranz won both the "classic downhills" four times each: the Hahnenkamm at Kitzbühel, Austria (1966, 1969, 1972, 1972), and the Lauberhorn at Wengen, Switzerland (1959, 1963, 1966, 1969). He also excelled at the legendary Arlberg-Kandahar events, winning nine times, from 1957 (Chamonix) to 1970 (Garmisch-Partenkirchen).

Early years Schranz' father was a tunnel worker in St. Anton, which led to an early death from tuberculosis; his widow was left to raise five children. In addition to the hardship, their hut burned down. At age 12, Schranz became an apprentice ski maker, then worked in a sawmill, and later became a ski tester. Schranz began skiing before age five on salvaged broken skis, left by tourists and reworked by his father.

At age 18, he won the first of three consecutive Arlberg-Kandahar downhill and combined titles at Chamonix in March 1957. Schranz won again the following year, rotated back to his hometown at St. Anton, and also in 1959 at Garmisch, West Germany. He missed the 1958 World Championships in Bad Gastein due to illness. (From 1948 through 1980, the Winter Olympics were also the world championships for alpine skiing.)

Classified as a professional by the International Olympic Committee, Schranz was banned from the 1972 Winter Olympics and retired from the World Cup circuit in mid-February at age 33. In July 1973, he joined the pro ski racing circuit.

Schranz later became a hotel owner in his hometown of St. Anton and played a key role in organizing the 2001 World Championships.

World Cup results

Season titles 5 titles - (2 overall, 2 DH, 1 GS)

Season standings Season Age Overall Slalom Giant Slalom Super G Downhill Combined 1967 28 7 7 8 notrun 13 notawarded 1968 29 8 20 11 3 1969 30 1 9 1 1 1970 31 1 13 4 1 1971 32 11 — 12 8 1972 33 8 — — 2 Results from the 1968 Winter Olympics and 1970 World Championships were included the World Cup standings.

Individual races 12 wins - (8 DH, 4 GS) 23 podiums - (12 DH, 9 GS, 2 SL)

World Championship results Year Age Slalom Giant Slalom Super-G Downhill Combined 1958 19 — — not run — — 1960 21 — 7 7 — 1962 23 4 2 1 1 1964 25 24 2 11 6 1966 27 DNF1 3 9 — 1968 29 DSQ2 6 5 — 1970 31 DNF2 1 4 — 1972 33 — — — — From 1948 through 1980, the Winter Olympics were also the World Championships for alpine skiing. At the World Championships from 1954 through 1980, the combined was a "paper race" using the results of the three events (DH, GS, SL).

1958: illness1972: banned by IOC

Year Age Slalom Giant Slalom Super-G Downhill Combined 1960 21 — 7 not run 7 not run 1964 25 24 2 11 1968 29 DSQ2 6 5 1972 33 — — —