The FIS Alpine Ski World Cup is the top international circuit of alpine skiing competitions, launched in 1966 by a group of ski racing friends and experts which included French journalist Serge Lang and the alpine ski team directors from France and the USA. It was soon backed by International Ski Federation president Marc Hodler during the FIS Alpine World Ski Championships 1966 at Portillo, Chile, and became an official FIS event in the spring of 1967 after the FIS Congress at Beirut, Lebanon.
Giant slalom (GS) is an alpine skiing and alpine snowboarding competitive discipline. It involves racing between sets of poles ("gates") spaced at a greater distance from each other than in slalom but less than in Super-G.
Tanja Tuulia Poutiainen is a retired World Cup alpine ski racer from Finland. She specialized in the technical events of slalom and giant slalom, and was the silver medalist in the women's giant slalom at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Torino.
Marie-Thérèse Nadig is a retired Swiss alpine skier.
The 39th World Cup season began in October 2004 in Sölden, Austria, and concluded in March 2005 at the World Cup finals in Lenzerheide, Switzerland. The overall winners were Bode Miller of the U.S. and Anja Pärson of Sweden.
The 37th World Cup season began in October 2002 on Sölden, Austria, and concluded in March 2003 at the World Cup finals in Lillehammer, Norway. The overall winners were Stephan Eberharter of Austria and Janica Kostelić of Croatia.
The 23rd World Cup season began in November 1988 in Austria and concluded in March 1989 in Japan. The overall champions were Marc Girardelli of Luxembourg and Vreni Schneider of Switzerland. Schneider established the record for victories in a World Cup season, winning a total of 14 races, surpassing the record of 13 established in 1978-79 by the great Swedish skier and three-time overall World Cup champion Ingemar Stenmark.
The 21st World Cup season began in August 1986 in Argentina for men, resumed in late November, and concluded in March 1987 in Sarajevo. The overall champions were Pirmin Zurbriggen and Maria Walliser, both of Switzerland, who each won for the second time. Two-time women's overall World Cup champion Erika Hess of Switzerland retired at the end of the season.
The 20th World Cup season began in August 1985 in Argentina, resumed in December 1985 in Italy, and concluded in March 1986 in Canada. Because of the South America events, this was the first time that the World Cup season had started prior to December 1. The overall champions were Marc Girardelli of Luxembourg, his second consecutive overall win, and Maria Walliser of Switzerland, her first.
The 18th World Cup season began in December 1983 in Kranjska Gora, Yugoslavia, and concluded in March 1984 in Oslo, Norway. The overall champions were Pirmin Zurbriggen and Erika Hess, both of Switzerland.
The 17th season of World Cup competition began in December 1982 in Switzerland and concluded in March 1983 in Japan. For the first time, the overall titles were both won by Americans, Tamara McKinney and Phil Mahre. Mahre won his third consecutive overall World Cup title; McKinney became the first American woman to win the overall title.
The 16th World Cup season began in December 1981 in France and concluded in March 1982, also in France. Phil Mahre of the US repeated as overall champion, the second of his three consecutive titles. Erika Hess of Switzerland won the women's overall title.
The 15th World Cup season began in December 1980 in France and concluded in March 1981 in Switzerland. Phil Mahre became the first American to win an overall title, the first of his three consecutive overall titles. Marie-Theres Nadig of Switzerland won the women's overall title.
The 12th World Cup season began in December 1977 and concluded in March 1978. Ingemar Stenmark of Sweden won his third consecutive overall title. Hanni Wenzel of Liechtenstein won the women's overall title.
The 2nd World Cup season began in January in West Germany and concluded in April in the US Jean-Claude Killy of France repeated as the overall champion, and announced his retirement from World Cup competition. Nancy Greene of Canada repeated as the women's World Cup overall champion, and announced her retirement from World Cup competition.
Perrine Marie Pelen is a former World Cup alpine ski racer from France. Born at Boulogne-Billancourt near Paris, she made her World Cup debut at age 16 in December 1976 and won three slalom races that 1977 season.
Elisabeth Görgl is a retired World Cup alpine ski racer from Austria.
Christina Weirather is a retired Liechtensteiner World Cup alpine ski racer. She won a bronze medal in Super-G for Liechtenstein at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang.
Women's giant slalom World Cup 1980/1981
The International Ski Federation (FIS) Alpine Skiing World Cup is the premier circuit for alpine skiing competition. The inaugural FIS World Cup season launched 57 years ago in January 1967 and this 51st season began on 22 October 2016 in Sölden, Austria, and concluded in the United States at Aspen on 19 March 2017. The biennial World Championships interrupted the tour in early February in Saint Moritz, Switzerland. The season-ending finals in March were held in North America for the first time in two decades: the last finale in the U.S. was in 1997 at Vail.
France 
Irene Epple 
Erika Hess 
Tamara McKinney 
Italy 
Hanni Wenzel 
