Erika Paroni-Gasche

Erika Gasche (born June 1, 1920 in Biberist ; † March 18, 2016 in Saanen ), married Paroni-Gasche, was a Swiss ski racer and a member of the Swiss national ski team. In 1944 she became Swiss champion in combination.

Erika Gasche was a successful Swiss ski racer and often finished in the top three at the then important national and international ski races. Until her resignation, she was a member of the Swiss national ski team for six years.

During the time of the Second World War, Swiss ski racers lacked international competition with which they could also compete on an international level. Since the borders were closed at the time, there was hardly any opportunity to take part in ski races abroad, and during Erika Paroni-Gasche's most active racing activity, the Alpine World Ski Championships and the Winter Olympic Games were not held.

Sporting successes

At the 34th Swiss Ski Race in Gstaad in 1940, Erika Gasche took second place in the junior women’s downhill and slalom race, making it the fifth best time in both disciplines for the women. At the 35th Swiss Ski Race in St. Moritz in 1941, she was canceled due to a broken tibia in downhill training.

At the Grand Prix de la Légion in Mégève, 1942, Erika Gasche was third in the downhill, behind the two French women Georgette Thiolière and Colette Schmid. Shortly thereafter, she was successful in the France-Switzerland international ski competition in Wengen, 1942, in Team Switzerland I (Verena Fuchs, Elisa Darnutzer, Erika Gasche) and drove a. a. third place in slalom.

The married Erika Paroni-Gasche took fourth place in the combination, 2nd place in downhill and 6th place in slalom at the 37th Swiss Ski Championships in Arosa. A year later it was in 1944 at the 38th Swiss ski championships in Gstaad, Swiss champion in the combination.

More Achievements

• Victory in the downhill run at the Rinderberger Derby, Zweisimmen, 1939
• Victory in the downhill at Elsig-Derby, Frutigen, 1939
• Victory in the downhill and slalom at the Wispillen race, Gstaad, 1940
• Victory in the downhill and slalom at the 22nd Oberland Association race, Zweisimmen, 1941
• Victory in the downhill, slalom and combination on the Wengener downhill and slalom, Wengen, 1941
• Victory in the downhill and combined at the 23rd Oberland Association race, Mürren, 1941
• 2nd place in the descent on the Bouquetins slope, Villars, 1941

She was the first and to date the only Swiss champion in alpine skiing from the Saanenland. At the end of the winter season 1943/1944, she resigned from ski racing.

Erika Paroni-Gasche lived in Saanen. After her ski racing career, the mother of three worked as a dressmaker. From the beginning of the 1960s she worked in the boutique in Gstaad for the internationally renowned Florentine fashion designer Emilio Pucci , who was world famous at the time with his colorful paisley patterns. As a working woman, she quickly emancipated herself, and some personalities from show business were among her customers. She remained humble and worked all her life as a dressmaker, the job that she still carried out occasionally into old age.

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Erika Paroni-Gasche: Obituary notice. In: todesangeboteportal.ch. , accessed February 8, 2019.
2. ↑ 34th Swiss ski race in Gstaad . In: Yearbook of the Swiss Ski Association . Volume XXXVI, 1940. pp. 101-119.
3. ↑ 35th Swiss ski race in St. Moritz . In: Yearbook of the Swiss Ski Association . Volume XXXVII, 1941. p. 104.
4. ^ Grand Prix de la Légion, Mégève, 1942 . In: Yearbook of the Swiss Ski Association . Volume XXXVIII, 1942. p. 64.
5. ^ National ski competition France-Switzerland, Wengen 1942 . In: Yearbook of the Swiss Ski Association . Volume XXXVIII, 1942. pp. 60-64.
6. ↑ 37th Swiss ski race in Arosa . In: Yearbook of the Swiss Ski Association . Volume XXXIX / XL, 1943/1944. Pp. 118-125.
7. ↑ 38th Swiss ski race in Gstaad . In: Yearbook of the Swiss Ski Association . Volume XXXIX / XL, 1943/1944. Pp. 130-142.