Paula Wiesinger

Paula (Paola) Rosa Wiesinger later Steger (27 February 1907 – 12 June 2001) was a pioneering Italian alpine skier and mountain climber who competed at one edition of Winter Olympics and three editions of the FIS Alpine World Ski Championships (1932, 1933, 1934, 1936).

Biography Wiesinger was born in Bolzano. She won the 1932 women's Downhill world championship in Cortina d'Ampezzo, and competed in the 1936 Winter Olympics, finishing 16th in the alpine skiing combined event. She married Hans Steger.

In 1935 Wiesinger was invited to view the Trofeo Mezzalama, a competition that was only intended for male ski mountaineers. Due to an injury leave of Giusto Gervasutti, she took his military uniform, covered her face with sunglasses and his cap, and took part instead of him, but the cheat was discovered at a check point of the race. She died in Seiser Alm. A hotel and a statue in Siusi allo Sciliar are dedicated to Wiesinger.

Olympic Games results Year Vanue Race Rank1936 Garmisch-Partenkirchen Alpine combined 16

World Championship results Edition Slalom Downhill Combined 1932 1316 1933 19 4 11 1934 5 12 11 1936 - DNF -

National titles Wiesinger won 15 national titles.

Italian Alpine Ski Championships Downhill: 1931, 1933, 1934, 1935, 1936 (5) Slalom: 1931, 1933, 1934, 1936 (4) Combined: 1931, 1932, 1933, 1934, 1935, 1936 (6)