Axel Lesser

Axel Lesser ( born April 18, 1946 in Brotterode ) is a former German cross-country skiers.

Axel Lesser took part in three Winter Olympic Games. In 1968 he reached in Grenoble about 30 kilometers 36th, over 15 kilometers, it did not reach the target, and with the season, he finished seventh. Four years later in Sapporo Lesser was about 15 km sixth, about 30 km twelfth and sixth in the relay of the GDR. At the Winter Games in 1976 in Innsbruck, he was 17 over 30 -kilometers. In the relay race, the GDR was in the cast Gerd Hessler, Lesser, Gerhard Grimmer and Gert -Dietmar Klause the next teams from Finland, Norway, Sweden and the Soviet Union to favorites. To change from Hessler to Lesser the GDR was in second place behind the Swedes, after 1.5 kilometers above Lesser took the lead. However, in a departure he collided with an unknown woman and injured, which is why the East German squadron had to retire from the race. As Lesser reported 30 years later, he suspected the woman behind a Soviet advisor who wanted to hasten their own relay at shoe problems to help and accidentally collided with him. Statements of Sweden Christer Johansson and the Finn Juha Mieto and the Swedish team manager Lars Austria based Lessers statements. Because of the political situation in the GDR but Lesser may comment publicly before the political changes his suspicions never. The Soviet Union eventually won the bronze medal behind Finland and Norway.

Back in the early 1970s, the GDR was able to advance in the relay competition in the world's best, at the World Cup 1970 in the High Tatras, the season of the GDR could win behind the relay from the USSR surprising silver in the cast Hessler, Lesser, Grimmer and Klause. In the Nordic World Ski Championships 1974 in Falun, the East German squadron was able to win, Lesser had at winning the gold medal, however, hurt look, his place was taken by Dieter Meinel.

During his time in Lesser launched for the ASK forward Oberhof. After the accident at the Olympic relay competition, he had to end his career due to chronic knee problems. Today he lives in his birthplace Brotterode. His grandson Erik Lesser biathlete.