Fritz Strobl

Fritz Strobl ( born August 24, 1972 in Lienz ) is a former Austrian alpine skier. He belonged to the turn of the millennium the world's best athletes in the disciplines of downhill and Super -G. He won nine races in the Ski World Cup, in 2002 Olympic downhill gold medalist and 2007 World Champion in the team competition and Vice World Champion in the Super -G. Because of him characterizing " creeping" driving style commentator Robert Seeger called him Fritz the Cat (Fritz the Cat), his real nickname in the Austrian ski team is but Friedl.

Biography

Strobl grew up in Gerlamoos on in the community Steinfeld, where his parents ran a farm. He began as a seven- year-old with skiing. His talent was soon discovered, after which he joined the local ski club SGSteinfeld. In the Carinthian provincial squad Strobl initially fell more than slalom specialist, but he concentrated for a second place at the departure of the Austrian Youth Championships at the speed disciplines. After graduating from the Skihandelsschule in Schladming, he began training as a policeman who gave him plenty of time for training in Großgmain.

1990 Strobl rose to the national team. His debut in the World Cup, he had 5 January 1991; the downhill in Garmisch -Partenkirchen, he finished in the 33rd position. Three months later, he crashed heavily in a race of the Nor -Am Cup and tore the cruciate ligament in his left knee and the inner band. After his recovery, he played mainly FIS races and European Cup races. Sporadic World Cup race, he fell on hard. The winner of the European Cup Super -G standings in the 1995/96 season but he was able to secure a Fixstartplatz in the World Cup team.

On December 15, 1996 in Val d'Isere Strobl succeeded at the first World Cup downhill of the season, a completely surprising victory. This success he confirmed with victories on the Streif in Kitzbuehel and Vail. The World Cup downhill in Sestriere in 1997, he finished in fourth place, after he had made ​​at the last split. For winning a medal he did not have a hundredth of a second. The 1997/98 season did not go according to plan. After several failures, he could almost qualify for participation in the 1998 Winter Olympics. In the Olympic downhill from Hakuba in Nagano he went to eleventh place.

In the following season, Strobl has experienced several failures, which he missed qualifying for the 1999 World Cup in Vail. The 1999/2000 season was very successful again: Strobl won for the second time the Kitzbühel Hahnenkamm downhill and was in St. Anton am Arlberg first decide a super -G in itself. The following winter he secured with a downhill victory on the Kandahar course in Garmisch -Partenkirchen early a starting place for the World Cup 2001. However in St. Anton, he could not meet and finished sixth of his favorite role.

After a victory in Bormio downhill and a super-G victory in Garmisch -Partenkirchen Strobl was again before the Winter Olympics in 2002 as one of the favorites. On 10 February 2002, he won the Olympic downhill gold medal and thus celebrated the biggest success of his career. Six days later he was in the Super- G in fourth. The World Cup season, he finished fifth overall and second in the downhill standings. While Strobl was also in the World Cup season 2002/ 03 pull out some results in the top ten, but he came at the 2003 World Cup is not about the tenth place in the downhill addition. Also in the 2003/04 season he showed consistently good performance, a victory failed to materialize.

In the 2004/05 season it was enough Strobl four times to a third place at the 2005 World Championships in Bormio, he drove the fourth exit just past a medal. To kick off the 2005/06 season he won the downhill of Lake Louise; should this be his last victory. With four other podium finishes he classified himself as second in the discipline standings. At the season's peak, the 2006 Winter Olympics, went on the descent to eighth place. The last highlight of Strobl's career was the 2007 World Championships in Åre: In the Super -G, he won the silver medal in the team competition, he became world champion.

At the beginning of 2007, Strobl tried as a singer. What was first intended as a short gag for a commercial of the Austrian Ski Federation Sponsor Iglo, became a cult hit. Then, a single was produced, which raised the disabled athletes in the Austrian Ski Federation. With the title of genius on the skis came " Fritz & The Downhill Gang" ( with Werner Franz, Klaus Kroell, Hans Grugger, Andreas Buder and Christoph Korn Berger as background singers ) during February to No. 2 in the Austrian charts. On 15 March 2007 Strobl went on his last World Cup race in Lenzerheide in Mozart costume at the start. Inspired had him be SongGenie on the skis, the first line " I am the Mozart mousetrap ... " is. During the race, he put several stops on the runway a goodbye to it by the coaches and was worn in the destination of his teammates on his shoulders. After that, he officially announced his resignation.

In civilian life is Strobl executive official of the Federal Police. Interior Minister Liese Prokop put him on August 17, 2006 as the new President of the Children police. Strobl has been married since 1999 and has two sons.

Achievements

Olympic games

  • Nagano 1998: 11 Departure
  • Salt Lake City 2002: 1st exit, 4 Super -G
  • Turin 2006: 8 Departure

World Championships

  • Sestriere 1997: 4th exit
  • St. Anton 2001: 6 Departure
  • St. Moritz 2003: 10 Departure
  • Bormio 2005: 4th exit
  • Åre 2007: 1st Team Competition, 2nd Super -G, downhill 22

World Cup

World Cup ratings:

  • Season 1996/ 97: 3rd exit
  • Season 1997/ 98: 7 combination
  • Season 1998/99: 8 Super -G, downhill 10
  • Season 1999/ 00: 7th overall, 3rd Super -G, 5 combination, 6th departure
  • Season 2000/ 01: 3rd exit
  • Season 2001/ 02: 5th overall, 2nd exit, third Super -G
  • Season 2002/ 03: 7 Departure
  • Season 2003/ 04: 4th exit
  • Season 2004/ 05: 8 Appreciation, 6th exit, 10 Super -G
  • Season 2005/ 06: 2nd exit

World Cup victories:

European Cup

  • 1995/ 96: 5 Ranking, 1st Super-G standings, 4th exit summary
  • 8 podiums, including two victories:

Austrian Championships

  • Austrian champion in the Super -G in 1999 and Downhill 2001

Discography

Singles

  • Genius on the ski

Awards (excerpt)

  • Gold Decoration for Services to the Republic of Austria: 2002
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