1. Overview
Hannelore (Hanni) Wenzel, born on December 14, 1956, is a retired Liechtensteiner alpine ski racer. She stands as a former World Cup, world, and Olympic champion, distinguishing herself as a prominent figure in the sport. Wenzel made history by winning Liechtenstein's first-ever Olympic medal, a bronze, at the 1976 Winter Olympics in Innsbruck, Austria. Four years later, at the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, she secured the country's first two Olympic gold medals, along with a silver, making her Liechtenstein's first Olympic gold and silver medalist. Her remarkable career also includes two overall World Cup titles and multiple World Championship medals.
2. Early Life and Career Beginnings
Hanni Wenzel was born in Straubing, Bavaria, West Germany, on December 14, 1956. She moved to Liechtenstein at a young age. Her early foray into ski racing quickly showed promise. After both Hanni and her younger brother, Andreas Wenzel, achieved initial success in the sport, the family was granted Liechtenstein citizenship. Hanni's breakthrough came at the 1974 World Championships in St. Moritz, Switzerland, where she won a gold medal in the slalom event and a silver medal in the combined. By winning the slalom title on February 8, 1974, at the age of 17 years, 1 month, and 25 days, she became the youngest female Alpine Skiing World Champion in the slalom discipline. This achievement surpassed the previous record held by Esme Mackinnon, who was 17 years, 2 months, and 17 days old when she won the slalom race in 1931.
3. Alpine Skiing Achievements
Hanni Wenzel's career was marked by numerous significant achievements across various alpine skiing competitions, including the World Championships, Olympic Games, and the FIS World Cup circuit. Her versatility allowed her to excel in multiple disciplines, contributing to a substantial collection of medals and titles.
3.1. World Championships
Wenzel participated in five World Championships between 1974 and 1982, accumulating a total of nine medals, including four gold, three silver, and two bronze.
Her initial success came at the 1974 World Championships where, at age 17, she secured a gold medal in the slalom and a silver in the combined event. At the 1976 World Championships (which coincided with the 1976 Winter Olympics), she earned a bronze medal in the combined. In 1978, at the Garmisch-Partenkirchen World Championships, Wenzel won a silver medal in the combined.
Her most dominant World Championship performance occurred at the 1980 Lake Placid World Championships, which were integrated with the 1980 Winter Olympics. There, she captured gold medals in the slalom, giant slalom, and combined events, in addition to a silver medal in the downhill. The combined event at the 1980 championships was notable as its final edition as a "paper race," where results were determined from the individual performances in the three other disciplines.
The following table summarizes her World Championship results:
| Year | Age | Slalom | Giant slalom | Super-G | Downhill | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 | 17 | 1 | 7 | not run | 13 | 2 |
| 1976 | 19 | 3 | 20 | 11 | 3 | |
| 1978 | 21 | 6 | 5 | 29 | 2 | |
| 1980 | 23 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | |
| 1982 | 25 | DNF | DNF | - | - |
From 1948 through 1980, the Winter Olympics also served as the World Championships for alpine skiing. At the World Championships from 1954 through 1980, the combined was a "paper race" using the results of the three individual events (downhill, giant slalom, and slalom).
3.2. Olympic Games
Hanni Wenzel participated in two Winter Olympic Games, leaving a lasting legacy as Liechtenstein's first Olympic medalist and first gold medalist. At the 1976 Winter Olympics in Innsbruck, Austria, then 19 years old, she won Liechtenstein's first-ever Olympic medal, a bronze in the slalom event contested at Axamer Lizum. She also achieved another World Championship medal in the combined event at these games.
Her most celebrated Olympic performance came at the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid. Wenzel won gold medals in both the slalom and giant slalom disciplines. She nearly achieved a sweep of all three alpine skiing events, earning a silver medal in the downhill competition at Whiteface Mountain. This made her the first athlete from Liechtenstein to win an Olympic gold medal, and also the country's first silver medalist. Her brother, Andreas Wenzel, also won a silver medal at the same Olympics, contributing to Liechtenstein's unexpectedly high standing in the games' medal ranking.
The following table outlines her Olympic results:
| Year | Age | Slalom | Giant slalom | Super-G | Downhill | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1976 | 19 | 3 | 20 | not run | 11 | not run |
| 1980 | 23 | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||
| 1984 | 27 | - | - | - |
3.3. FIS World Cup
Hanni Wenzel competed in the FIS Alpine Ski World Cup circuit for 13 seasons, from 1972 to 1984, showcasing remarkable consistency and dominance. During her World Cup career, she achieved 33 individual race victories and accumulated a total of 89 podium finishes across various disciplines. Her successes included overall, giant slalom, slalom, and combined titles.
3.3.1. Season Performance
Wenzel won a total of seven World Cup season titles, including two overall titles, two in giant slalom, one in slalom, and two in combined. Her first overall title came in the 1978 season, where she also claimed the slalom title and finished second in giant slalom. Her most successful World Cup season was in 1980, a year that saw her win nine individual World Cup races. In that season, she not only captured her second overall World Cup title but also secured the giant slalom and combined season titles, while finishing second in slalom and third in downhill. This remarkable achievement coincided with her brother Andreas Wenzel also winning the men's overall World Cup title, marking a historic family sweep of the overall crystal globes. She added a combined title in the 1983 season.
The following table details her World Cup season titles:
| Season | Discipline |
|---|---|
| 1974 | Giant slalom |
| 1978 | Overall |
| Slalom | |
| 1980 | Overall |
| Giant slalom | |
| Combined | |
| 1983 | Combined |
Her annual standings across various disciplines in the World Cup circuit are presented below:
| Season | Age | Overall | Slalom | Giant slalom | Super G | Downhill | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1972 | 15 | 40 | - | 27 | not run | - | not awarded |
| 1973 | 16 | 5 | 6 | 3 | 18 | ||
| 1974 | 17 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 16 | ||
| 1975 | 18 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 12 | ||
| 1976 | 19 | 9 | 9 | 13 | 16 | 6 | |
| 1977 | 20 | 5 | 5 | 8 | 11 | not awarded | |
| 1978 | 21 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 15 | ||
| 1979 | 22 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 10 | ||
| 1980 | 23 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 | |
| 1981 | 24 | 3 | 6 | 3 | 9 | 2 | |
| 1982 | 25 | 19 | 9 | 14 | - | - | |
| 1983 | 26 | 2 | 4 | 5 | not awarded | - | 1 |
| 1984 | 27 | 2 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 4 |
3.3.2. Race Victories
Wenzel recorded 33 World Cup race victories throughout her career. These wins were distributed across various disciplines: 11 in slalom, 12 in giant slalom, 2 in downhill, and 8 in combined events. She achieved 89 podium finishes in total.
Her World Cup race victories are detailed in the following table:
| Season | Date | Location | Discipline |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 | 19 Dec 1973 | Zell am See, Austria | Giant slalom |
| 1975 | 21 Feb 1975 | Naeba, Japan | Slalom |
| 14 Mar 1975 | Sun Valley, USA | Slalom | |
| 1977 | 19 Jan 1977 | Schruns, Austria | Combined |
| 1978 | 15 Dec 1977 | Madonna di Campiglio, Italy | Giant slalom |
| 10 Jan 1978 | Les Mosses, Switzerland | Giant slalom | |
| 22 Jan 1978 | Maribor, Yugoslavia | Slalom | |
| 24 Jan 1978 | Berchtesgaden, West Germany | Slalom | |
| 25 Jan 1978 | Slalom | ||
| 2 Mar 1978 | Stratton Mountain, USA | Giant slalom | |
| 1979 | 12 Dec 1978 | Piancavallo, Italy | Giant slalom |
| 3 Feb 1979 | Pfronten, West Germany | Slalom | |
| 4 Feb 1979 | Combined | ||
| 8 Feb 1979 | Maribor, Yugoslavia | Slalom | |
| 1980 | 8 Dec 1979 | Limone Piemonte, Italy | Giant slalom |
| 14 Dec 1979 | Combined | ||
| 10 Jan 1980 | Berchtesgaden, West Germany | Giant slalom | |
| 16 Jan 1980 | Arosa, Switzerland | Giant slalom | |
| 21 Jan 1980 | Bad Gastein, Austria | Slalom | |
| Combined | |||
| 23 Jan 1980 | Maribor, Yugoslavia | Slalom | |
| 26 Jan 1980 | Saint-Gervais, France | Giant slalom | |
| 1980 Winter Olympics | |||
| 25 Feb 1980 | Waterville Valley, USA | Giant slalom | |
| 1981 | 27 Jan 1981 | Les Gets, France | Combined |
| 8 Feb 1981 | Zwiesel, West Germany | Combined | |
| 1982 | 12 Dec 1981 | Piancavallo, Italy | Combined |
| 18 Mar 1982 | Furano, Japan | Giant slalom | |
| 1983 | 30 Jan 1983 | Les Diablerets, Switzerland | Combined |
| 1984 | 21 Dec 1983 | Haus im Ennstal, Austria | Downhill |
| 22 Dec 1983 | Giant slalom | ||
| 14 Jan 1984 | Bad Gastein, Austria | Downhill | |
| 15 Jan 1984 | Combined | ||
| 20 Mar 1984 | Zwiesel, West Germany | Slalom | |
3.4. 1984 Olympic Ban and Retirement
Hanni Wenzel faced a significant challenge in 1984 when she was banned from participating in the 1984 Winter Olympics by the International Ski Federation (FIS). The ban stemmed from a dispute over her direct acceptance of promotional payments, a practice that conflicted with FIS regulations which required such payments to be channeled through national ski federations. Ingemar Stenmark of Sweden, another double gold medalist from the 1980 Olympics, was also banned for similar reasons.
Following the 1984 competitive season, Wenzel announced her retirement from professional alpine ski racing. She concluded her illustrious career with a remarkable record, including two Olympic titles, four World titles, two overall World Cup titles, three discipline World Cups, and three combined titles, alongside her 33 World Cup victories.
4. Personal Life and Family
Hanni Wenzel comes from a family deeply rooted in alpine skiing. She is the sister of fellow World Cup ski racers Petra Wenzel and Andreas Wenzel. Andreas notably won a silver medal in the men's giant slalom at the 1980 Winter Olympics, contributing to the Wenzel family's significant medal haul at those games.
Hanni Wenzel is married to Harti Weirather, an Austrian ski racer who himself was the world champion in downhill in 1982. Their daughter, Tina Weirather, has followed in her parents' footsteps, becoming a successful World Cup ski racer. Tina has also achieved Olympic success, earning a bronze medal in the Super-G event for Liechtenstein at the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, and a silver medal at the 2017 World Championships. Beyond their athletic careers, Hanni Wenzel and Harti Weirather jointly operate their own sports marketing agency, demonstrating their continued involvement in the world of sports.
5. Honours and Legacy
Hanni Wenzel's impact on alpine skiing, particularly for Liechtenstein, is profound. She not only achieved unparalleled success but also inspired a generation of athletes, solidifying her status as a national hero.
5.1. Honours
For her exceptional contributions and achievements, Hanni Wenzel has received official recognition from her home country. On June 9, 2017, she was awarded the Commander's Cross of the Order of Merit of the Principality of Liechtenstein. This honor acknowledges her significant role and lasting influence.
5.2. Legacy and Influence
Hanni Wenzel's pioneering career established Liechtenstein as a competitive force in alpine skiing on the international stage. Her bronze medal in 1976 and the two gold medals in 1980 were historic firsts for the principality, fundamentally changing its profile in the Olympic movement. Through the 2018 Winter Olympics, Liechtenstein had won a total of ten medals at the Winter Olympics. Eight of these medals were earned by two sets of siblings: the Wenzel siblings (Hanni and Andreas) account for six, while brothers Willi Frommelt and Paul Frommelt contributed two more. This highlights the enduring legacy of the Wenzel family and their pivotal role in Liechtenstein's sporting achievements. Her family's continued success in the sport, through her daughter Tina Weirather, further underscores the lasting influence of her contributions to alpine skiing.