Josef Walcher


Josef "Sepp" Walcher was an Austrian World Cup alpine ski racer. He specialized in the downhill event and won the gold medal at the World Championships in 1978 at Garmisch, West Germany.
Born in Schladming, Styria, Walcher made his World Cup debut in December 1972, two days after his 18th birthday. Two months later, he scored his first World Cup points with a runner-up finish at St. Moritz, Switzerland. Walcher's first World Cup victory came in January 1977 at Morzine, France, his seventh podium. His best two seasons were 1977 and 1978, finishing runner-up to compatriot Franz Klammer in the downhill standings both years. A week prior to his win at the world championships in 1978, Walcher won consecutive downhills at Kitzbühel, Austria.
Walcher retired after the 1982 season with five World Cup victories and thirteen podium finishes. Two years later, he was killed at age 29 in a skiing accident in a benefit race in 1984 at his hometown of Schladming.

World Cup results

Season standings

Race podiums

SeasonDateLocationDisciplinePlace
197311 Feb 1973 St. Moritz, SwitzerlandDownhill2nd
197418 Dec 1973 Zell am See, AustriaDownhill3rd
19755 Jan 1975 Garmisch, West GermanyDownhill3rd
197625 Jan 1976 Kitzbühel, AustriaDownhill3rd
197718 Dec 1976 Val Gardena, ItalyDownhill2nd
197730 Jan 1977 Morzine, FranceDownhill2nd
197731 Jan 1977 Morzine, FranceDownhill1st
197712 Mar 1977 Heavenly Valley, USADownhill1st
197811 Dec 1977 Val d'Isère, FranceDownhill3rd
197820 Jan 1978 Kitzbühel, AustriaDownhill1st
197821 Jan 1978 Kitzbühel, Austria Downhill1st
197916 Dec 1978 Val Gardena, ItalyDownhill1st
198018 Jan 1980 Wengen, SwitzerlandDownhill2nd

World championship results

From 1948 through 1980, the Winter Olympics were also the World Championships for alpine skiing.

Olympic results 50px">File:Olympic rings.svg">50px

^ Walcher made the downhill team in 1980 but was dropped the day before the race, replaced by alternate Leonhard Stock, who won the gold medal.