Hermann Maier facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Hermann Maier

Alpine skier
Hermann Maier during the Austrian Sportspersonalities of the Year awards in November 2009.
Disciplines	Downhill, super-G, giant slalom, combined
Club	USC Flachau – Salzburg
Born	(1972-12-07) 7 December 1972 (age 52) Altenmarkt im Pongau, Salzburg, Austria
Height	1.81 m (5 ft 11 in)
World Cup debut	10 February 1996 (age 23)
Retired	October 2009 (age 36)
Website	hm1.com
Olympics
Teams	2 (1998, 2006)
Medals	4 (2 gold)
World Championships
Teams	6 (1999–2009)
Medals	6 (3 gold)
World Cup
Seasons	12 (1997–2001, 2003-2009)
Wins	54
Podiums	96
Overall titles	4 (1998, 2000, 2001, 2004)
Discipline titles	10 (2 DH, 5 SG, 3 GS)
Medal record International alpine ski competitions Event 1st 2nd 3rd Olympic Games 2 1 1 World Championships 3 2 1 World Cup race podiums Event 1st 2nd 3rd Slalom 0 0 0 Giant 14 5 9 Super-G 24 10 4 Downhill 15 5 5 Combined 1 1 2 Parallel 0 0 1 Olympic Games Gold 1998 Nagano Super-G Gold 1998 Nagano Giant slalom Silver 2006 Turin Super-G Bronze 2006 Turin Giant slalom World Championships Gold 1999 Vail Downhill Gold 1999 Vail Super-G Gold 2005 Bormio Giant slalom Silver 2001 St. Anton Downhill Silver 2003 St. Moritz Super-G Bronze 2001 St. Anton Super-G

Hermann Maier (born December 7, 1972) is an amazing former alpine ski racer from Austria. He won many World Cup championships and Olympic gold medals. People called him the "Herminator" because he was so strong and determined.

Hermann Maier is one of the best alpine skiers ever. He won the overall World Cup title four times (in 1998, 2000, 2001, and 2004). He also earned two Olympic gold medals in 1998 and three World Championship titles (two in 1999 and one in 2005). He won 54 World Cup races, which is the third-highest number for men. This includes 24 super-G wins, 15 downhill wins, 14 giant slalom wins, and 1 combined win.

Early Life & Ski Start

Hermann Maier did not have an easy start in ski racing. When he was 15, he was sent home from a ski academy. They told him he was too small to succeed because of problems with his growth.

He went back home to Flachau, Austria, and worked at his father's ski school. In the summer, he worked as a bricklayer, and in winter, he was a ski instructor.

Becoming a Ski Star

Hermann became a champion in local races in Salzburg and Tyrol. But he still couldn't join the main Austrian World Cup team. His amazing talent was finally noticed on January 6, 1996. He skied as a "forerunner" in a World Cup giant slalom race in Flachau. Even though he wasn't officially competing, his time was the 12th fastest!

This moment changed everything for him. The Austrian Ski Federation noticed him. Just two days later, he raced in his first Europa Cup event and finished second. He won his next race the very next day. Even though he joined the Europa Cup season late, he won the overall Europa Cup title and the giant slalom title that year.

Hermann's Ski Career

Hermann Maier made his first World Cup appearance at age 23 on February 10, 1996. He finished 26th in a giant slalom race. A year later, in February 1997, he won his first World Cup event, a super-G race. He quickly became known as a powerful and daring racer. He was famous for his strength, willingness to take risks, and hard work.

Olympic Glory and a Big Crash

Hermann soon became a top skier. At the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, he won gold medals in both the giant slalom and super-G. This happened just days after a very dramatic crash in the downhill race. He flew off the course, landed on his head, tumbled many times, and crashed through safety nets.

Even though the crash looked terrible, Hermann was able to walk away. This event put him on the cover of Sports Illustrated magazine and made him famous worldwide. He won the overall World Cup title in 1998. He also won the super-G and giant slalom titles that season.

Dominating the World Cup

In 2000, Hermann won the overall World Cup title again. He also won the season titles in downhill, super-G, and giant slalom. He had an amazing performance, scoring 2000 points, which was a record for male alpine skiers at the time. This record stood until 2013.

He won the overall World Cup title for the third time in 2001. He also won the downhill, super-G, and giant slalom titles that season. He won 13 World Cup races that year.

Motorcycle Accident and Comeback

Hermann's racing career almost ended after a very serious motorcycle accident on August 24, 2001. He crashed with a car on his way home from training. Doctors almost had to remove his lower right leg, but instead, he had major surgery to fix it. Most people thought he would never race again. He missed the entire 2002 season, including the 2002 Winter Olympics.

He returned to racing in January 2003. Just two weeks later, he won a super-G race in Kitzbühel, Austria. In 2004, his first full season back, he won both the super-G and his fourth overall World Cup title. He even received an award for "Comeback of the Year."

Maier, 2006

Because he seemed so tough, people sometimes called him "The Herminator." After his 1998 Olympic gold medals, he even appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno with actor Arnold Schwarzenegger, who is famous as "The Terminator".

In October 2005, he won a giant slalom race, reaching 51 World Cup victories. This placed him fifth on the all-time career victory list at that time.

On November 30, 2008, Hermann won his 24th super-G race in Lake Louise. This was his 54th World Cup victory and his first win in almost three years. He announced his retirement in 2009 after 13 years of competing in the World Cup.

Hermann's Achievements

Hermann Maier achieved many great things in his ski career.

World Cup Season Titles

He won 14 season titles in total:

• 4 overall World Cup titles
• 2 downhill titles
• 5 super-G titles
• 3 giant slalom titles

World Cup Season Standings

This table shows how Hermann Maier ranked in different ski disciplines each season.

World Championship Results

Hermann Maier won 3 gold, 2 silver, and 1 bronze medal at the World Championships.

Olympic Results

Hermann Maier won 2 gold, 1 silver, and 1 bronze medal at the Winter Olympics.

Beyond Skiing

Hermann Maier also won the 2001 American Superstars competition, which is an all-around sports event. He often appears in TV commercials for his sponsor bank. His brother, Alexander Maier, also competed for Austria in the Winter Olympics.

In 2003, Hermann Maier even rode the prologue of the 2003 Tour de France bicycle race. He completed the 6.5 km (about 4 miles) individual time trial.

Videos

• YouTube.com – Hahnenkamm (full course) – 9th place – January 24, 2004
• YouTube.com – 1998 Olympics – Nagano downhill (crash) & giant slalom (2nd run) – gold medal

See also

In Spanish: Hermann Maier para niños