Thomas Hauser (alpine skier)

Thomas Hauser ( born October 27, 1953 in Zell am Ziller ) is a former Austrian alpine skier. The giant slalom and slalom specialist was four times Austrian champion. In Skiweltcup he reached the podium 18 times in total and came in the top ten. His younger sisters Brigitte and Gabi were also ski racers.

Career

Thomas Hauser began early with the skiing. He attended the Skigymnasium in Stams and completed an apprenticeship in carpentry. At the age of 16, he was Austrian Champion in Giant Slalom. In 1971 he was accepted into the National team of the Austrian Ski Federation. First, the Tyrolean started mainly in the European Cup, where he finished 1972 ranked second in the slalom of Megève and 1973, the third places in the giant slalom in Innsbruck and in the slalom and giant slalom in Zwiesel. He was Austrian Champion in slalom in 1972.

The first points in the World Cup took Hauser on January 15th 1973, sixth in the giant slalom at Chuenisbärgli in Adelboden. Two months later, he finished fifth in the giant slalom in Anchorage. On December 16, 1973, he reached for the first and only time a World Cup podium. In the giant slalom in Saalbach -Hinterglemm, he took second place behind the surprise winner Hubert Berchtold. In January 1974, he came into the slalom in Wengen and Kitzbuehel in the top ten and even got so into the team for the World Championships in St. Moritz. There was but the weaker in the slalom Franz Klammer his starting place to leave this participation in the combination allow.

In the season 1974/75 Hauser came six times into the top six. Best result was a fourth place in the giant slalom in Adelboden. He finished seventh in the giant slalom World Cup. In the European Cup he won the giant slalom in Tignes and it was introduced in 1975 for the third time Austrian champion in this discipline. Also in the next World Cup season of Tyrolean met five times in the top six. In the giant slalom, he qualified for the Olympic Winter Games in Innsbruck in 1976, retired from there but already in the first round.

In winter 1976/77 Hauser reached no World Cup points. After he finished his career because he had to take over the family carpentry firm because of health problems of his father.

Sporting successes

World Cup

• 1973/ 74: 9 Giant Slalom
• Season 1974/75: 7 Giant Slalom
• A podium eight times more in the top five

European Cup

• A victory (Giant Slalom in Tignes 1975), second once, third three times

Austrian Championships

Quadruple Austrian Champion:

• Giant slalom in 1970, 1974 and 1975
• Slalom 1972