Johann Kniewasser

Johann " Hans " Kniewasser ( born October 13, 1951 in Hinterstoder; † 19 October 2012 in Wels ) was an Austrian alpine skier. He was one of the early 1970s, to the best slalom racers in the world. He achieved three podium finishes in World Cup races and in the season 1973/1974 ranked third in the slalom World Cup.

Biography

Kniewasser came in 1958 to the ski club of his hometown Hinterstoder and was initially taken after several successes in the junior level in the Upper Austrian provincial cadres and later in the squad of the Austrian Ski Federation. He specialized after several injuries in his youth early on the technical slalom and giant slalom. As in the season 1971/1972 of the European Cup was held for the first time, Kniewasser finished sixth overall place in the overall, slalom and giant slalom rating respectively. At the end of the winter he came in Val Gardena and Pra Loup to his first World Cup inserts. Ten months later, on 15 January 1973, he won eighth place in the giant slalom in Adelboden first World Cup points. Opposite end of the season 1972/1973 he was able to score in the slalom at the North American race twice.

The winter of 1973/1974 was finally to knee water most successful season: The first slalom of winter on December 17, 1973 in Sterzing he reached second behind Piero Gros his first podium in the World Cup. End of January, followed by the slalom the Hahnenkamm race in Kitzbühel again a second place, this time behind Hansi Hinterseer, and on March 3, 1974, he was third in the slalom in the Norwegian Voss a third time on the podium. In the slalom World Cup he finished in third place behind Gustav Thöni and Christian Neureuther, in the World Cup he finished eighth. Through its World Cup services to Kniewasser also secured a spot in the 1974 World Cup slalom in St. Moritz. There, however, he fell after a few gates from the first pass.

In the season 1974/1975 Kniewasser could not repeat last year's results. He ran three times into the top ten and achieved its best result a seventh place at the Ganslernhang in Kitzbuhel, whereupon he fell back to 14th in the slalom World Cup. After he had remained in the next season without a World Cup points, finished Kniewasser 1976 his career.

Kniewasser graduated from the gendarmerie school and worked as a police inspector in Hinterstoder after the end of his active career until his retirement in 2011. In October 2012, he died 61 years old from liver disease. He was married and had two children.

Achievements

World Cup

  • Season 1973/1974: 8th overall World Cup, 3rd World Cup slalom
  • 3 podiums and another 8 top 10 rankings

European Cup

  • Season 1971/1972: 6th overall, 6th slalom standings, 6 giant slalom rating
  • 2 podiums
Slalom skiing 1974 Alpine Skiing World Cup October 19 1973 Alpine Skiing World Cup FIS Alpine World Ski Championships 1974 1975 Alpine Skiing World Cup
374293
de