Sarah Schleper

Sarah Schleper is an alpine skier whose career started in 1995. She competed for the United States in four Winter Olympics from 1998-2010, and later competed for Mexico at the Winter Olympics in 2018, 2022 and 2026.

Career Her lone World Cup victory was at a slalom event in Switzerland in 2005. Her best finish at the FIS Alpine World Ski Championships was seventh in the slalom event at Santa Caterina (near Bormio) in 2005.

Schleper also competed in four Winter Olympics for USA, In her career spanning a total of 15 years, she took part in 186 World Cup races and achieved four podium finishes and one victory.

In keeping with the tradition that allows retiring skiers to wear whatever they choose, Schleper raced in a thin brown summer dress, bare-armed and bare-legged. Midway down the course, she stopped to scoop up her toddler son and carried him in her arms the rest of the way down, delighting the crowd and her fellow competitors. At the finish, Lindsey Vonn greeted her with a long hug, and race organizers presented her with a huge bouquet of roses. At the same race, Mikaela Shiffrin reached the podium for her first time, causing Schleper to believe she would soon be surpassed as the top American ski racer.

After acquiring Mexican citizenship in April 2014, she came out of retirement in June to represent Mexico. She raced for Mexico in the women's giant slalom at the FIS Alpine World Ski Championships 2015. When she joined the Mexican ski team, she doubled the size of the team, serving alongside Prince Hubertus of Hohenlohe-Langenburg, a long time sole representative for Mexico at the world circuit. She qualified for the 2018 Olympics, alongside Rodolfo Dickson, freestyler Roberto Franco, and cross-country skier Germán Madrazo.

Schleper qualified for the 2026 Winter Olympics, her third with Mexico and seventh overall, and was selected as one of the team's flag bearers during the opening ceremony. Her son, Lasse Gaxiola, also qualified in men's alpine skiing, making them the first mother-son duo in Winter Olympics history to compete in the same year.

Personal life Sarah's father is Buzz Schleper, who owns a ski shop in Vail, Colorado. She is married to Federico Gaxiola and acquired Mexican citizenship via her spouse in April 2014. As of 2014, she lived in both Vail and Mexico.

World Cup results Season standings Season Age Overall Slalom Giantslalom Super-G Downhill Combined 1998 19 102 — 46 — — — 1999 20 90 51 43 — — — 2000 21 50 21 25 — — — 2001 22 23 11 21 — — — 2002 23 22 10 20 — — — 2003 24 22 12 21 — — — 2004 25 17 11 12 — — — 2005 26 17 5 20 — — — 2006 27 65 27 36 — — — 2007 28 did not compete: birth her child 2008 29 2009 30 97 55 41 — — — 2010 31 54 26 20 — — — 2011 32 53 30 22 — — — 2012 33 107 — 48 — — —

Race podiums 1 win – (1 SL) 4 podiums – (3 SL, 1 GS) Season Date Location Discipline Place2001 December 10, 2000 Sestriere, Italy Slalom 2ndDecember 30, 2000 Semmering, Austria Giant slalom 3rd 2004 March 13, 2004 Sestriere, Italy Slalom 2nd 2005 March 12, 2005 Lenzerheide, Switzerland Slalom 1st

World Championship results YearAgeSlalomGiantslalomSuper-GDownhillCombinedRepresenting the 2001 22 DNF1 DNF1 — — — 2003 24 DNF1 DNF1 — — — 2005 26 7 13 — — — 2009 30 28 31 — — — 2011 32 DNF2 50 — — —Representing 2015 36 DNF1 50 — — — 2017 38 DNF1 41 37 38 27 2019 40 — 42 29 — — 2021 42 — 41 — — — 2023 44 — DSQ1 — — — 2025 46 — 37 — —

Year Age Slalom Giantslalom Super-G Downhill CombinedRepresenting 1998 19 22 DNF2 — — — 2002 23 DNF1 21 — — — 2006 27 10 DNF2 — — — 2010 31 16 14 — — —Representing 2018 39 — DNF2 41 — — 2022 43 — 37 35— — 2026 47 — DSQ1 26—