Birthdate: July 18, 1963 in Lustenau, Austria
Education: Volksschule Lustenau (1970 – 1974), Realschule Dornbirn (1974 – 1978), Humboldt Fernschule (1979 – 1987)
Abitur Diploma: 1987
Began skiing: 1969 at 5-years-old
First race as a child: 1971
State Champion in the slalom: 1971
Topolino and Ovo Grand Prix: 1975 / 1976
After many successful years skiing for the VVS (Vorarlberg Ski Federation), we were forced to switch ski federations by a conspiracy.
At just twelve years old, I had the Luxembourg license.
Switched to Luxembourg Ski Federation 1976
After the switch, I had to take a year off because you have to be at least 14 years old in order to be allowed to participate in FIS races.
First FIS Races: 1978
The first season was anything but satisfactory. There was no question why; I was used to winning, and now I suddenly had to settle for finishes around 50th (!) place.
First World Cup Races: 1980
After I skied well in FIS and European Cup races, I had enough confidence for the World Cup. After the first season, I was in the second group in the slalom and giant slalom.
First Trip to the World Cup Podium: Wengen 1981, Slalom
My first big success in the World Cup surprised everyone, including me. But from then on, I knew I didn’t have much further to go to reach the level of Stenmark and the like.
First World Cup Victory: Gällivare 1983, Slalom
An exuberant feeling that I’ve never felt again! The more I won, the more “normal” it felt.
Unfortunately, I was seriously injured at the end of the season and was lucky to be able to continue my career. Despite a 15% disability in my left knee, I was able to stabilize the knee by training hard.
Slalom World Cup Standings: 1984 (5 Wins)
First strike against Stenmark, the dominator. I was better in his discipline, and it stayed that way for a while. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to participate at the Olympic Games in Sarajevo because I still didn’t have a passport from Luxembourg.
World Cup Overall Standings: 1985 (11 Wins)
The crown is mine! What only few have achieved, I was able to achieve at 21 years old. Despite strong resistance from Zurbriggen, I was able to win the big globe with eleven victories! On the other hand, things didn’t go so well for me at the World Championships, where I was “only” able to take home two medals.
World Cup Overall Standings: 1986
The injuries made it more difficult for me to be able to repeat last year’s success. However, it was still enough for the big globe.
1987 and 1988
The injuries didn’t go away. In 1987, I was indeed able to get three medals and come in second behind Zurbriggen in the overall World Cup, but I never reached my top form.
In 1988, I was injured several times and was constantly under medical treatment. An easy game for Tomba and Zurbriggen.
Overall World Cup Victory 1989 (9 Wins)
Everything was working again this year. I was able to dominate and win in all of the disciplines. Last year, Bode Miller was the first person to achieve this again, with the exception of the combined. With two medals, the World Championships also went well.
Injury 1990
I lost nearly the entire 1990 season due to a major fall in Sestriere. To this very day, I am still suffering the consequences of that fall. I used the free time I had between rehabilitations to acquire a helicopter license.
Overall World Cup Victory: 1991
Despite all odds, I was able to triumph over Tomba. Indeed, I could win several races, but Tomba won more. I was only able to win the World Cup due to tactics. Though, you often do win battles strategically, not just by strength.
1992
A rather mediocre season, but with two Olympic silver medals, it still went well.
Fifth Overall World Cup Victory 1993
The fifth title was the most difficult. Not because I was too old, but because I ruptured the cruciate ligament in my knee eight races before the World Cup Final. I was only able to keep going to the end because of the erroneous diagnosis of the local doctor who said “The knee is okay.” If I had known that the knee was injured, Aamodt would have still caught up with me.
Aamodt Wins 1994
He was simply better, and I was rather tired. After 15 years of elite competition, I couldn’t perform as well as I could in my younger years. Although, it was enough for second place in the Overall World Cup and the downhill title.
1995 to 1996
These years were very exhausting and painful. I was constantly under medical treatment, but it was still continuing to get worse. Training runs were out of the question as of 1994.
After one last competition in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, where I once more won a gold medal, I decided to end my career.
New Goals and Objectives:
After ending my athletic career, I first sought interesting fields of activity. The first was commercial transaction in China.
For a few months, I sold Pilsner Urquell beer to Shanghai. However, the profit wasn’t great, so I came back to my old field, the snow...
My partners and I planned and built the longest indoor ski facility in the world, the Alpincenter in Bottrop.
For four years, I managed the 600-meter long facility on location.
In the summer of 2004, I sold the facility to a Dutch hotel chain called Van der Valk.
Since the fall of 2004, I have been working as a consultant for the DSV (German Ski Federation) as well as the Bulgarian Ski Federation. More tasks await me in Bulgaria, as we’re working to promote a new ski area near Sofia (Bansko) as well as develop the sport of skiing in the entire country.
Since 2005, I’ve also been active in the fashion industry. Liegelind and I have created a new line of children’s clothing under the label Marc Girardelli Ski Wear. The first sales figures are in complete support of putting the brand on the worldwide market very soon. We can already be found in the shop and ski rental at the new Ultra indoor ski facility in Dubai as well as Giacomelli-Sport in Italy, Austria, Benelux, Moscow and even Chile.
Roxa is the only company for which I only make endorsements. The ski boot manufacturer located in Montebelluna has developed a great product.
“Event management” has rather coincidentally become an additional activity of mine.
For a year now, I have been organizing various events for companies such as MLP, Credit Suisse, Aldiana or Barklay’s Capital. In collaboration with the company Head, I “garnish” the various events, mostly lasting two to three days, with a ski test of the latest equipment.
The great thing about it is that I can choose the most beautiful ski areas, have the most interesting people around me while I work and even arrange it so that I can take along my family.
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