Patrick Mayrhofer Last updated September 07, 2025 Biography Born in Helfenberg , Upper Austria in 1987, [ 2] Mayrhofer had been snowboarding since childhood. [ 1] He worked as an electrician until an accident in February 2008, when he guiltless touched a 6000-volt power line , causing serious injury on his right upper leg, left forearm and right hand. On his right hand the thumb and parts of the middle finger needs to be amputated. After several unsuccessful attempts to reconstruct the function of his left hand Mayrhofer decides to amputate his left hand. His surgeon Dr. Oskar Aszmann from the University of Vienna worked close together with the prosthesis technology company Ottobock . So Mayrhofer became the first patient in the world to undergo elective amputation. His left hand was amputated around 17 cm (6.7 inches) below the elbow in July 2010. [ 1] After this, he was fitted with a groundbreaking prosthesis , known as a "Michelangelo Hand ", [ 3] [ 4] The elective amputation allows Mayrhofer to control the prosthesis in the same way as non-amputees do: [ 5] EMG electrodes in the prosthesis detect muscle signals within the lower arm which can be used for prosthesis control. [ 3] He can open bottles, tie shoelaces and brush his teeth within a short period of time. [ 1] [ 5] After the amputation, he worked closely with Ottobock's R&D department giving feedback to the engineers; in 2013 he joined the company as a product specialist in upper limb prosthesis. [ 6]
Paralympic sport Visiting a prosthetics trade show in 2012, Mayrhofer saw a stall run by the Austrian Paralympic Committee , which led to him deciding to pursue para-snowboarding. [ 1] [ 4] At the 2015 World Para Snowboard World Championships at La Molina , Spain, Mayrhofer won the gold medal in the Banked Slalom [ 7] and came fifth in snowboard cross . [ 8]
In the 2018 Winter Paralympics , he competed in both snowboarding events, coming fifth in snowboard cross on 12 March [ 9] but then winning the silver medal in Banked Slalom four days later. [ 10]
At the 2019 World Para Snowboard World Championships at Pyhä , Finland, Mayrhofer won the silver medal in the Banked Slalom .
Competition history Date Location Competition Placing Discipline Class Team Best time Ref 30 March 2019 Pyhä , Finland World Championships 5 Banked Slalom SB-UL Austria 27 March 2019 Pyhä , Finland World Championships Banked Slalom SB-UL Austria 51.43 8 March 2019 La Molina , Spain World Cup Banked Slalom SB-UL Austria 48.54 7 March 2019 La Molina , Spain World Cup 4 Banked Slalom SB-UL Austria 49.50 5 March 2019 La Molina , Spain World Cup Snowboard Cross SB-UL Austria 46.20 4 March 2019 La Molina , Spain World Cup Snowboard Cross SB-UL Austria 47.25 1 December 2018 Pyhä , Finland World Cup Snowboard Cross SB-UL Austria 38.90 30 November 2018 Pyhä , Finland World Cup 4 Snowboard Cross SB-UL Austria 38.84 15 November 2018 Landraaf , Netherlands World Cup Banked Slalom SB-UL Austria 42.18 14 November 2018 Landraaf , Netherlands World Cup Banked Slalom SB-UL Austria 42.46 13 November 2018 Landraaf , Netherlands Continental Cup Banked Slalom SB-UL Austria 42.48 8 November 2018 Dubai , United Arab Emirates World Cup Banked Slalom SB-UL Austria 33.37 7 November 2018 Dubai , United Arab Emirates World Cup Banked Slalom SB-UL Austria 34.94 6 November 2018 Dubai , United Arab Emirates Continental Cup Banked Slalom SB-UL Austria 33.74 16 March 2018 Jeongseon , South Korea Winter Paralympics Banked Slalom SB-UL Austria 51.36 [ 10] 12 March 2018 Jeongseon , South Korea Winter Paralympics 5 Snowboard Cross SB-UL Austria 1:01.04 [ 9] 8 February 2018 Big White , Canada World Cup Banked Slalom SB-UL Austria 1:17.59 16 November 2017 Landraaf , Netherlands World Cup Banked Slalom SB-UL Austria 43.09 15 November 2017 Landraaf , Netherlands World Cup 4 Banked Slalom SB-UL Austria 43.87 16 November 2017 Landraaf , Netherlands Continental Cup Banked Slalom SB-UL Austria 44.56 18 November 2016 Landraaf , Netherlands World Cup Banked Slalom SB-UL Austriad 33.85 17 November 2016 Landraaf , Netherlands World Cup Banked Slalom SB-UL Austria 34.05 18 November 2016 Landraaf , Netherlands World Cup Banked Slalom SB-UL Austria 33.85 18 November 2016 Landraaf , Netherlands World Cup Banked Slalom SB-UL Austria 34.07 17 November 2016 Landraaf , Netherlands World Cup Banked Slalom SB-UL Austria 34.05 16 November 2016 Landraaf , Netherlands Continental Cup Banked Slalom SB-UL Austria 34.07 18 March 2016 Trentino , Italy World Cup Banked Slalom SB-UL Austria 57.00 17 March 2016 Trentino , Italy World Cup Snowboard Cross SB-UL Austria 53.75 16 March 2016 Trentino , Italy World Cup 4 Snowboard Cross SB-UL Austria 56.86 12 March 2016 Les Angles , France World Cup Banked Slalom SB-UL Austria 1:05.60 11 March 2016 Les Angles , France Continental Cup Banked Slalom SB-UL Austria 1:05.39 9 March 2016 Les Angles , France World Cup Snowboard Cross SB-UL Austria 41.85 8 March 2016 Les Angles , France Continental Cup Snowboard Cross SB-UL Austria 41.85 13 February 2016 Big White , Canada World Cup Banked Slalom SB-UL Austria 1:03.44 11 February 2016 Big White , Canada World Cup Snowboard Cross SB-UL Austria 1:08.36 10 February 2016 Big White , Canada World Cup Snowboard Cross SB-UL Austria 1:07.83 6 February 2016 Aspen Snowmass , USA World Cup Snowboard Cross SB-UL Austria 38.31 5 February 2016 Aspen Snowmass , USA World Cup Snowboard Cross SB-UL Austria 39.49 4 February 2016 Aspen Snowmass , USA Continental Cup Snowboard Cross SB-UL Austria 38.76 20 November 2015 Landraaf , Netherlands World Cup Banked Slalom SB-UL Austria 32.53 19 November 2015 Landraaf , Netherlands World Cup Banked Slalom SB-UL Austria 32.42 18 November 2015 Landraaf , Netherlands Continental Cup Banked Slalom SB-UL Austria 32.51 28 February 2015 La Molina , Spain World Championships Banked Slalom SB-UL Austria 1:31.65 [ 7] 24 February 2015 La Molina , Spain World Championships 5 Snowboard Cross SB-UL Austria 55.32 [ 8] 19 January 2015 Big White , Canada World Cup Banked Slalom SB-UL Austria 2:26.71 17 January 2015 Big White , Canada World Cup Snowboard Cross SB-UL Austria 1:12.25 13 January 2015 Aspen Snowmass , USA World Cup 4 Snowboard Cross SB-UL Austria 32.37 12 January 2015 Aspen Snowmass , USA World Cup Snowboard Cross SB-UL Austria 1:03.55 20 November 2014 Landraaf , Netherlands World Cup Banked Slalom SB-UL Austria 1.16:98 19 November 2014 Landraaf , Netherlands Continental Cup Banked Slalom SB-UL Austria 1:18.60.51 12 February 2014 La Molina , Spain World Cup Snowboard Cross SB-UL Austria 1.28.43 11 February 2014 La Molina , Spain World Cup Snowboard Cross SB-UL Austria 1.31.34
Personal life Mayrhofer is married. [ 1]
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