Uli Spieß

Ulrich " Uli " spit ( born August 15, 1955 in Innsbruck ) is a former Austrian alpine skier. The downhill specialist launched from 1975 to 1983 in the World Cup and celebrated it two wins.

Career

As the son of Ernst Spiess and Erika Mahringer came Uli Spiess, as well as his younger sister Nicola spit, very early for skiing. First major successes came at the European Junior Championships: 1972 he won the silver medal in the downhill, 1973 he was European Junior Champion in slalom and giant slalom. While he was at the beginning of his career also very successful in the technical disciplines, he developed subsequently to a pure downhill specialists. In the seasons 1974/75 and 1975/76 he scored three podium finishes in the European Cup and he won in the downhill score the fifth and fourth place.

His first World Cup race was the downhill on the Patscherkofel in Innsbruck on 26 January 1975. The first World Cup points he took ninth place in Val Gardena on 17 December 1976, the day after he came in second Saslong exit in sixth place. In the rest of the winter, he came another three times in the top ten. At the beginning of the season 1977/78 he managed several top ten results, but could not within the strong Austrian team qualify for the World Championships in Garmisch -Partenkirchen. After missing the World Cup Tyrolean celebrated in Laax, Switzerland on March 10, 1978 his first World Cup victory, the next day he came up with third place on the podium again, thus reaching even to sixth place in the downhill World Cup.

In the season 1978/79 spit came in the departure of Morzine and on the Streif in Kitzbühel each to third place and in Garmisch -Partenkirchen succeeded with second place his best result of the season. He improved to fourth place in the downhill World Cup. However, in the next winter he came only twice into the top ten, with fourth place was by far his best result of the season in Val Gardena, and thus was also at the Olympic Winter Games in 1980 are used.

After changing the ski brand in the summer he found in the 1980/81 season back to his old form back and celebrated the opening race in Val d'Isere his second World Cup victory. A week later he came on the slopes in Val Gardena on the fifth and two. He has entered the history books when he won the second and third " camel hump" skipped the first racer in the history of Saslong with a 50 -meter record.

On 20 December 1980, the spit in the financial statements Trainingswhip to departure from St. Moritz hard to fall. He suffered multiple torn ligaments in his left knee and had to end the season prematurely. Nevertheless, he came with his success so far this season to fifth place in the downhill World Cup. After the severe injury he scored only two results in the World Cup points ranks and in 1983 he finished his career.

Uli skewer holds a degree in Sports Science and has been a certified diploma ski instructor, ski, ski trainer, cross country ski and snowboard instructors contender. He lives with his wife and two children in Mayrhofen in the Ziller Valley and operates a ski rental shop with three locations, a restaurant and a café / bar.

Sporting successes

World Cup

• 1977/ 78: 12th overall, 6th departure rating
• 1978/79 season: 4th exit summary
• 1980/81 season: 5th exit summary
• 7 podiums, including two victories:

European Cup

• Season 1974/75: 5 exit summary
• 1975/76 season: 4th exit summary
• 3 podiums

European Junior Championships

• Madonna di Campiglio 1972 2nd exit
• Ruhpolding 1973: 1 Slalom, Giant Slalom 1

Austrian Championships

• Two-time Austrian Vice Champion in downhill in 1976 and 1979