Leonhard Stock

Leonhard Stock ( born March 14, 1958 in Finkenberg ) is a former Austrian alpine skier. His greatest achievement was winning the gold medal at the 1980 Winter Olympics, which counted as a World Championship medal at the same time. In the Ski World Cup, he was from 1976 to 1993 at the start, but had to wait until 1989 for his first win. In total he won three World Cup downhills and was on the podium 25 times.

  • 2.1 Olympic Winter Games
  • 2.2 World Championships
  • 2.3 World Cup
  • 2.4 Junior European Championships
  • 2.5 Austrian Championships

Career

The road to the Olympic victory

Leonhard Stock grew up with four siblings, his parents had a farm and a pension. He completed an apprenticeship as an industrial clerk. His first ski race he went at the age of six years, with ten, he celebrated the first victory. Twice the Tyrolean took very successfully at the European Junior Championships. In 1975 he brought in Mayrhofen two silver medals in the Giant Slalom and Downhill, 1976, he won the gold medal in these disciplines.

In the World Cup started stick from the 1976 / 77th His first points he won on January 8, 1977 eighth in the Kandahar downhill in Garmisch- Partenkirchen, two fifth places, he finished in a combination of Wengen and in the departure of Heavenly Valley. Three fifth places respectively in the giant slalom, were also in the season 1977/78 his best results. He qualified in this discipline for the World Championships in Garmisch -Partenkirchen, came there but only on the 27th rank. At the beginning of the 1978/79 season he reached second place in the combination of Schladming his first podium, another followed in early February in the departure of Villars -sur -Ollon. With another four fourth places and a total of 14 placements in the top ten in all disciplines (except in the slalom, here was his best result an eleventh rank ) he took in his third World Cup season behind the Swiss Peter Lüscher second place in the overall World Cup. This result could not be repeated later.

Rushed Even before the actual start of the season 1979/80 Stock on December 5 in the first downhill training in Val d'Isere hard and pulled injuries in the shoulder and knee. Participation at the Olympic Games in Lake Placid seemed no longer possible. But floor began with a cast on his shoulder quickly to train again and managed on 18 January in the first downhill from Wengen to fifth place. Therefore, first we took it as a substitute driver to the United States. After two pole at Whiteface Mountain, he was still nominated as one of the four Austrian starter for the Olympic downhill. Stock could more than justify its lineup, won the downhill 0.62 seconds ahead of Peter Wirnsberger and was Olympic champion and world champion at the same time. With 18th place in the slalom and 26th place in the giant slalom, he also won the bronze medal in the combination, which counted only as a World Championship medal.

Long dry spell

In the World Cup of the Zillertal was thrown back by several injuries over and over again and could not confirm his success long time. At the beginning of the 1980/81 season he reached although the combination of Madonna di Campiglio / Val Gardena second place, after a serious fall in the downhill in Garmisch January 10, but he could have a monthly contest not racing and came no more time among the top three. In the winter of 1981/82 he reached again only two third places at the start and then did not come to the podium. With several top ten results in the downhill, he qualified at least in this discipline for the 1982 World Cup in Schladming, ranked there but only ranks 15th. In the 1982/83 season his best result was only a sixth place in the departure of Lake Louise. After floor at the start of the 1983/84 season in Val d'Isere and combination of Madonna di Campiglio in the Super - G, which was recorded in the previous year to the World Cup program, again achieved two third places for the first time, he fell on January 7, difficult in the departure of Laax. He broke his several lumbar vertebrae and had to pause after six weeks, which is why he missed the Winter Olympics in Sarajevo. The next winter he could not connect to his earlier form. He drove in only two combinations in the points and therefore was not at the World Championships in Bormio used.

After a material change took stock in the 1985/86 season back to its previous performance. He drove a total of seven times on the podium that finished sixth in the overall World Cup in the downhill World Cup for the second time after 1979 also the sixth place in the super-G standings he reached fourth place with his best result ever. But a World Cup victory was denied him further. In the season 1986/87 he managed three podiums, and came in the World Cup in seventh. At the 1987 World Championships in Crans -Montana, his first major event for the past five years, he missed finishing fourth in the super -G only just a medal in the downhill and the combination he came each to eighth place. In 1987 he was Austrian Champion in Downhill and Super -G. Slightly worse results were stocks in 1987 / 88th The fourth place in the downhill in Bad Kleinkirchheim was his best result. At the Olympic Winter Games in Calgary in 1988, he was ranked fourth in the downhill again just outside the medals in super G, he finished eighth.

World Cup wins

At the beginning of the 1988/89 season continued the Tyrolean third place in the Super G in Schladming again on the podium, in December he arrived in the departure of St. Anton also in third place. After more than 19 podium finishes, which now succeeded 30 -year-olds in his twelfth World Cup season finally the first World Cup victory: Nine years after the Olympic gold medal he won on January 6, 1989 ahead of his team mate Peter Wirnsberger and Helmut höflehner the departure of Laax and thus was the first time in the World Cup at the top of the podium. The rest of the season then proceeded rather disappointing and also at the World Championships in Vail, he finished only ninth in Super -G and 22nd place in the downhill. Due to injury, he came only three times in the points next winter.

At the beginning of the season 1990/91 won in Val d'Isere floor his second World Cup race, but was otherwise only twice in the top ten. At the 1991 World Championships in Saalbach -Hinterglemm of the Tyrolean missed finishing fourth in the downhill again barely a medal. The 1991/92 season began floor with two second places in the slopes of Val d'Isere Val Gardena and. With some more good results he finished fifth in the downhill World Cup - his best result. At the Olympic Games in 1992 but he had no success and could not finish the descent. In the season 1992/93 drove its stock last race. On December 12, he celebrated his third World Cup victory in the downhill in Val Gardena, ten days later, he finished second in the Super G in Bad Kleinkirchheim. But at the World Championships in Japan, he was unable to attend due to illness. On March 26, 1993, he finished at the age of 35 years with the 13th place in the Super G at the season finale in Åre his career.

Overall, drove stock 17 seasons in the Ski World Cup, took in all disciplines World Cup points, drove in 102 races in the top ten, came in downhill, super -G and combined 25 times on the podium, winning three runs. In the giant slalom, he reached a fourth and fifth places more, in the slalom, an eleventh grade was his best result.

In 1997, stock the house of his parents and developed it into a 4 -star hotel. With his brother Hans, he also owns a sports and fashion shop in Finkenberg.

Sporting successes

Olympic Winter Games

  • Lake Placid 1980: first exit, 18th slalom, giant slalom 26
  • Calgary 1988: 4th exit, 8 Super -G

World Championships

  • Garmisch -Partenkirchen 1978: 27 Giant Slalom
  • Lake Placid 1980: 1st exit, 3 combination, 18th slalom, giant slalom 26
  • Schladming 1982: 15 Departure
  • Crans -Montana 1987: 4 Super -G, downhill 8, 8 combination
  • Vail 1989: 9 Super -G, downhill 22
  • Saalbach -Hinterglemm 1991: 4th exit

World Cup

  • 1978/79 season: 2nd Overall World Cup downhill 6 rating, 10 giant slalom rating
  • Season 1980/81: 10 Departure rating
  • Season 1985/86: 6 Overall World Cup, 4th Super -G standings, 6th departure rating
  • Season 1986/87: 7 Overall World Cup, 5 Super G standings, 10 downhill rating
  • 1987/ 88: 6 Super-G standings, 10 downhill rating
  • Season 1990/91: 7 Departure rating
  • 1991/92 season: 5th exit summary

25 podiums including 3 victories:

Junior European Championships

  • Mayrhofen 1975: 2nd exit, 2nd Giant Slalom
  • Gällivare 1976: 1st exit, 1 giant slalom

Austrian Championships

  • Austrian Champion in Downhill and Super- G 1987

Awards (excerpt)

Slalom skiing Alpine skiing combined Winter Olympic Games Alpine skiing at the 1980 Winter Olympics 1979 Alpine Skiing World Cup 1992 Alpine Skiing World Cup 1986 Alpine Skiing World Cup 1978 Alpine Skiing World Cup 1977 Alpine Skiing World Cup FIS Alpine World Ski Championships 1978 Villars-sur-Ollon Lake Placid, New York 1981 Alpine Skiing World Cup 1982 Alpine Skiing World Cup FIS Alpine World Ski Championships 1982 1983 Alpine Skiing World Cup 1984 Alpine Skiing World Cup 1985 Alpine Skiing World Cup 1987 Alpine Skiing World Cup FIS Alpine World Ski Championships 1987 Crans-Montana 1988 Alpine Skiing World Cup FIS Alpine World Ski Championships 1989 Vail (Colorado) 1990 Alpine Skiing World Cup 1991 Alpine Skiing World Cup FIS Alpine World Ski Championships 1991 1993 Alpine Skiing World Cup FIS Alpine World Ski Championships 1993 Alpine skiing at the 1988 Winter Olympics France Italy Henri Oreiller Jean Vuarnet Egon Zimmermann Jean-Claude Killy Franz Klammer Pirmin Zurbriggen Patrick Ortlieb Tommy Moe Fritz Strobl Matthias Mayer Walter Prager Gustav Lantschner David Zogg Franz Zingerle Rudolf Rominger James Couttet Christian Pravda Karl Schranz David Zwilling Harti Weirather Franz Heinzer Urs Lehmann Bruno Kernen Hermann Maier Hannes Trinkl Michael Walchhofer Bode Miller John Kucera Erik Guay
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