The legend, Toni Sailer

Anton Engelbert “Toni” Sailer was born on 17th November 1935 in Kitzbühel. "Der Schwarze Blitz aus Kitz" as he was known, was named Austria’s athlete of the century and won three gold medals at the Winter Olympics held in Cortina d’Ampezzo in 1956 – in the slalom, the giant slalom and the downhill. Sailer also won gold in non-Olympic events. In 1958 Toni Sailer won gold in the World Championships in Bad Gastein in the downhill, giant slalom and combined events, and silver in the slalom. In total he fought it out for three Olympic gold medals and seven World Championship titles – making him one of the most successful skiers of all time, and a legend of our time.

DIE WELT began a pictorial feature on its title page with the words: "Toni Sailer, favourite of the gods" - and that he was. But much more than that, in his life Toni enjoyed success, he was optimistic and characterised the sport of skiing, Kitzbühel and the entire country.
Kitzbühel is in mourning, the state of Tirol is in mourning for its biggest son and the world’s media bow once again to his life’s achievements.

Sailer started skiing when he was just a little boy. At the age of 2 he was given his first pair of skis. His father Anton, sister Rosi and brother Rudi were also competitive skiers. At the age of 10 Sailer took part in his first race and even then posted success in schools competitions. In 1947 Toni Sailer joined Kitzbühel Ski Club. Sailer was also a successful ski-jumper, however a short while later he turned his attention to Alpine competitions. Sailer went to the technical college in Schwaz, and worked as a glazier and a plumber.

Toni Sailer’s first key victory came in the winter of 1952, at the age of 16. He won the downhill and the combined events in Mègeve, then the giant slalom and the combined events in Morzine. In 1952/53 when he suffered a fracture of the tibia and fibula in training, Sailer had to take time-out. He returned to winning ways, first in the slalom and in the combined events in Cortina d’Ampezzo and in the giant slalom in Seefeld.

”Der Schwarze Blitz aus Kitz” – as he was named by his fellow competitors - was number 1 at the Hahnenkamm races in Kitzbühel in the downhill, slalom and combined events. He was the first sportsman to win all Alpine events in the Olympic Games in Cortina d’Ampezzo in 1956, at the age of 20. Sailer was three-time Olympic champion and four-time World Champion.

After the World Championships in 1958, at the age of 22, Sailer decided to retire from skiing. After his success in Alpine skiing he studied at Berlin drama school and was seen in several film and TV productions; he also produced 18 records.

From 1972 to 1976 Sailer was head trainer and technical director for the Austrian Ski Federation (ÖSV), president of Kitzbühel golf club from 1978 to 1993 and race director for the Hahnenkamm race in Kitzbühel from 1986 to 2006. Toni Sailer managed the children’s ski school “Rote Teufel” in Kitzbühel for more than 30 years.

At the Olympics reception Sailer received the Grand Decoration of Honour for Services to the Republic of Austria from Federal President Theodor Körner. In 1999 he received the award of Austria’s sportsman of the century. A few months before his death (in April 2009) he was awarded the "Schneekristall des Skisports" from the Austrian Ski Federation (ÖSV).

Toni Sailer died after a long illness on 24th August 2009, in the company of his family.