Pirmin Zurbriggen

Last updated
Pirmin Zurbriggen
Pirmin Zurbriggen.JPG
Zurbriggen in 2014
Personal information
Born (1963-02-04) 4 February 1963 (age 61)
Saas Almagell, Valais, Switzerland
Occupation Alpine skier
Height1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Skiing career
Disciplines Downhill, super-G, giant slalom, slalom, combined
World Cup debut4 January 1981 (age 17)
Retired17 March 1990 (age 27)
Website zurbriggen.ch
Olympics
Teams2 (1984, 1988)
Medals2 (1 gold)
World Championships
Teams4 (1982, 1985, 1987, 1989)
Medals9 (4 gold)
World Cup
Seasons10 (19811990)
Wins40
Podiums83
Overall titles4 (1984, 1987, 1988, 1990)
Discipline titles12
Medal record
Men's Alpine Skiing
Representing Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg  Switzerland
International alpine ski competitions
Event1st2nd3rd
Olympic Games 101
World Championships 441
Total542
World Cup race podiums
Event1st2nd3rd
Slalom222
Giant766
Super-G1094
Downhill1054
Combined1141
Parallel000
Total402617
Olympic Games
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 1988 Calgary Downhill
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg 1988 Calgary Giant slalom
World Championships
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 1985 Bormio Downhill
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 1985 Bormio Combined
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 1987 Crans-Montana Super-G
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 1987 Crans-Montana Giant slalom
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 1985 Bormio Giant slalom
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 1987 Crans-Montana Downhill
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 1987 Crans-Montana Combined
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 1989 Vail Super-G
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg 1989 Vail Giant slalom

Pirmin Zurbriggen (born 4 February 1963) is a former World Cup alpine ski racer from Switzerland. One of the most successful ski racers ever, he won the overall World Cup title four times, an Olympic gold medal in 1988 in Downhill, and nine World Championships medals (4 gold, 4 silver, 1 bronze).

Contents

Biography

Zurbriggen was born in Saas-Almagell in the canton of Valais, the son of Alois, an innkeeper, and Ida. His father competed as a ski racer in local competitions in the 1940s and 1950s, but quit the sport after his brother was killed in a training accident. [1] Zurbriggen made his World Cup debut in January 1981, a month before his 18th birthday. With his victory in the downhill at Kitzbühel in January 1985 at age 21, he became the first to win World Cup races in all five disciplines. (The fifth discipline, super-G, was added in December 1982.) [2] Incidentally Marc Girardelli, the second to enter this exclusive circle, won his first downhill race four years later at the same venue.

Zurbriggen retired from international competition after having won the 1990 World Cup overall title – his fourth, which was then the most overall titles won by a single racer, reached only once before by Gustav Thöni in 1975. Again it was Marc Girardelli who followed him in 1991 with a fourth overall title, and Girardelli added another in 1993 to become the only male racer with five overall titles in World Cup history.

Zurbriggen grew up in the remote village of Saas-Almagell, near Saas-Fee. With a total of 40 World Cup victories over nine years and five gold medals, he belongs to the "All-Time Greats" of alpine skiing, ranking fifth in all-time wins and having 169 Top Ten finishes. [3]

Zurbriggen left the World Cup tour as a hero to start a family; he was married the previous summer (30 June 1989) to Monika Julen (the sister of his best friend on the Swiss ski team, Max Julen), [4] with whom he has five children: Elia, Pirmin Jr., Maria, Alain and Leonie, who have all competed in ski racing. [5] He is the older brother of Heidi Zurbriggen, a winner of three World Cup downhill races, and a distant cousin of Silvan Zurbriggen. [6]

Zurbriggen now runs the "Wellness Hotel Pirmin Zurbriggen" with his parents in Saas-Almagell and another, "Apparthotel Zurbriggen," in Zermatt. [7] In addition, after his World Cup career had ended he partnered with Authier Ski company on a line of signature skis. [8]

World Cup results

Season standings

SeasonAgeOverallSlalomGiant
Slalom
Super GDownhillCombined
1981 183117not
run
18
1982 19113367
1983 206214not
awarded
(w/ GS)
263
1984 211242102
1985 22214259
1986 2326102111
1987 241211111
1988 25194114
1989 262152143
1990 271116131

Season titles

SeasonDiscipline
1984 Overall
1987 Overall
Downhill
Super-G
Giant slalom
1988 Overall
Downhill
Super G
1989 Super-G
1990 Overall
Super-G

Race victories

Downhill

DateLocation
11-Jan-1985 Flag of Austria.svg Kitzbühel
12-Jan-1985 Flag of Austria.svg Kitzbühel
16-Aug-1986 Flag of Argentina.svg Las Leñas
05-Dec-1986 Flag of France.svg Val d'Isère
10-Jan-1987 Flag of Germany.svg Garmisch
25-Jan-1987 Flag of Austria.svg Kitzbühel
07-Mar-1987 Flag of the United States.svg Aspen, CO
09-Jan-1988 Flag of France.svg Val d'Isère
29-Jan-1988 Flag of Austria.svg Schladming
06-Dec-1989 Flag of Italy.svg Val Gardena

Giant slalom

DateLocation
24-Mar-1982 Flag of Italy.svg San Sicario
11-Jan-1983   Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg   Adelboden
05-Mar-1984 Flag of the United States.svg Aspen, CO
13-Jan-1987   Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg   Adelboden
20-Jan-1987  Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg   Adelboden
15-Feb-1987 Flag of Germany.svg Todtnau
29-Nov-1988 Flag of France.svg Val Thorens

Slalom

DateLocation
10-Dec-1984 Flag of Italy.svg Sestriere
23-Feb-1986 Flag of Sweden.svg Åre

Super-G

DateLocation
19-Dec-1983 Flag of Italy.svg Val Gardena
20-Mar-1984 Flag of Norway.svg Oppdal
07-Dec-1984 Flag of France.svg Puy-Saint-Vincent
17-Mar-1985 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Panorama, BC
28-Feb-1986 Flag of Norway.svg Hemsedal
08-Mar-1987 Flag of the United States.svg Aspen, CO
27-Nov-1988 Flag of Austria.svg Schladming
12-Dec-1989 Flag of Italy.svg Sestriere
06-Feb-1990 Flag of Italy.svg Courmayeur
10-Mar-1990 Flag of Norway.svg Hemsedal

Combined

DateLocation
24-Jan-1982   Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg   Wengen
22-Dec-1982 Flag of Italy.svg Campiglio
29-Jan-1984 Flag of Germany.svg Garmisch
11-Jan-1985 Flag of Austria.svg Kitzbühel
19-Jan-1986 Flag of Austria.svg Kitzbühel
23-Feb-1986 Flag of Sweden.svg Åre
18-Jan-1987   Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg   Wengen
25-Jan-1987 Flag of Austria.svg Kitzbühel
22-Dec-1988 Flag of Austria.svg St. Anton
12-Jan-1990 Flag of Austria.svg Schladming
21-Jan-1990 Flag of Austria.svg Kitzbühel

World championship results

  Year   Age  Slalom  Giant 
 Slalom 
Super-GDownhillCombined
1985 22 DNF 2 not run 1 1
1987 24DNF1122
1989 26DNF32154

Olympic results Olympic rings.svg

  Year   Age  Slalom  Giant 
 Slalom 
Super-GDownhillCombined
1984 21 DNF1 DNF1 not run 4 not run
1988 25 7 3 5 1 DNF SL2

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Super-G</span> Racing discipline of alpine skiing

Super giant slalom, or super-G, is a racing discipline of alpine skiing. Along with the faster downhill, it is regarded as a "speed" event, in contrast to the technical events giant slalom and slalom. It debuted as an official World Cup event during the 1983 season and was added to the official schedule of the World Championships in 1987 and the Winter Olympics in 1988.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stephan Eberharter</span> Austrian alpine skier

Stephan "Steff" Eberharter is a former World Cup alpine ski racer from Austria.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ingemar Stenmark</span> Swedish alpine skier (born 1956)

Jan Ingemar Stenmark is a Swedish former World Cup alpine ski racer. He is regarded as one of the most prominent Swedish athletes ever, and as the greatest slalom and giant slalom specialist of all time. He competed for Tärna IK Fjällvinden.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alberto Tomba</span> Italian alpine skier

Alberto Tomba is a former World Cup alpine ski racer from Italy. He was the dominant technical skier in the late 1980s and 1990s. At 182 cm and 90 kg, his powerful build was a contrast to the lighter, more traditional technical skiers who prioritised agility over muscle. Tomba was able to take advantage of the introduction of spring-loaded ski gates which replaced the older, solid gates in the early 1980s by using his power to maintain a faster, more direct line through courses. Tomba won three Olympic gold medals, two World Championships, and nine World Cup season titles: four in slalom, four in giant slalom, and one overall title. He was popularly called Tomba la Bomba.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marc Girardelli</span> Austrian-Luxembourgian alpine ski racer

Marc Girardelli is an Austrian–Luxembourger former alpine ski racer, a five-time World Cup overall champion who excelled in all five alpine disciplines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lasse Kjus</span> Norwegian alpine skier

Lasse Kjus is a former World Cup alpine ski racer from Norway. He won the overall World Cup title twice, an Olympic gold medal, and several World Championships. His combined career total of 16 Olympic and World Championship medals ranks second all-time behind fellow Norwegian Kjetil André Aamodt.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Silvan Zurbriggen</span> Swiss alpine skier

Silvan Zurbriggen is a retired Swiss World Cup alpine ski racer who competed primarily in downhill and combined, and occasionally in super-G. In 2012, he stopped competing in slalom due to poor results.

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 22nd World Cup season began in November 1987 in Italy and concluded in March 1988 in Austria. The overall champions were Pirmin Zurbriggen and Michela Figini, both of Switzerland. Zurbriggen won his third overall title; Figini her second.

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 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.

Heidi Andenmatten-Zurbriggen in Saas-Almagell, Kanton Wallis) is a Swiss former alpine skier. She is the sister of Pirmin Zurbriggen, an aunt of Elia Zurbriggen and cousin of Silvan Zurbriggen. She won 3 Downhill races on the World Cup tour. She competed at the 1992, 1994 and the 1998 Winter Olympics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gustav Thöni</span> Italian alpine skier

Gustav Thöni is an Italian retired alpine ski racer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bernhard Russi</span> Swiss alpine skier

Bernhard Russi is a former World Cup alpine ski racer from Switzerland. Born in Andermatt in the canton of Uri, he is an Olympic, World Cup, and World champion in the downhill event.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marina Kiehl</span> German alpine skier

Marina Kiehl is a former World Cup alpine ski racer from Germany.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Günther Mader</span> Austrian alpine skier

Günther Mader is a former alpine ski racer and Olympic medalist from Austria. Born in Matrei am Brenner, Tyrol, he is one of only five men to have won World Cup races in all five alpine disciplines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elisabeth Görgl</span> Austrian alpine skier

Elisabeth Görgl is a retired World Cup alpine ski racer from Austria.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carlo Janka</span> Swiss alpine skier

Carlo Janka is a Swiss former alpine ski racer. Born in Obersaxen, in the canton of Graubünden, he had the winter sports facilities right in front of his home. Janka has won gold medals at both the Winter Olympics and the World Championships, as well as one World Cup overall title, one discipline title and also, one unofficial alpine combined title.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dominik Paris</span> Italian alpine skier

Dominik Paris is an Italian alpine ski racer, who specializes in speed events of super-G and downhill. He was the world champion in super-G, as the gold medalist in 2019 at Åre, Sweden.

References

  1. Johnson, William Oscar (27 January 1988). "The Swiss Golden Boy". Sports Illustrated . Retrieved 11 March 2016.
  2. victories of Pirmin Zurbriggen on fis-ski.com, sorted by date , retrieved 2011-12-30
  3. Most Valuable Racers – Top 50 , retrieved 2010-02-22
  4. Harvey, Randy (February 8, 1988). "PIRMIN ZURBRIGGEN: The Pride of the Swiss Mountain Country Is an Often Humble, Yet Daring Young Man Who Could Win Three Gold Medals in Skiing". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved January 21, 2018.
  5. Despont, Christian; Monnard, Bertrand (28 December 2014). "Les enfants Zurbriggen arrivent en force" [The children of Zurbriggen arrive in force]. Le Matin (Switzerland) (in French). Retrieved 4 March 2017.
  6. Lang, Patrick (18 December 2010). "Silvan Zurbriggen on Pirmin's footsteps". FIS-Ski.com. Retrieved 26 January 2016.
  7. Zurbriggen Homepage , retrieved 2007-11-22
  8. California Ski Company (2003), The Authier Story, archived from the original on December 27, 2007, retrieved 2007-11-19