Sharon Petzold (born October 10, 1971 ) is a former American freestyle skier . She specialized in the no longer performed discipline ballet (acro) . In this discipline she became vice world champion in 1993 and won two individual competitions in the World Cup.
Sharon Petzold was from Andover , Massachusetts , and grew up with two sisters. She began skiing in Sugarloaf and graduated from Carrabassett Valley Academy in 1989. Her younger sister Brenda Petzold was also active as a freestyle skier and specialized in the aerials (jumping) discipline.
Petzold made her debut in the Freestyle Skiing World Cup in January 1991 in Breckenridge and finished 20th. Only three weeks later she took part in the World Championships in Lake Placid , but missed the ballet final with 15th place. Towards the end of the season she achieved her first top positions in the World Cup, including third place in Skole . In 1991/92 Petzold was one of the absolute best in the world and took six second places behind Swiss Conny Kissling . When demonstration competition at the Olympic Games of Albertville , she won the bronze medal. After finishing second in the discipline classification, she also became US champion at the end of winter. In January 1993, Petzold celebrated her first World Cup victory in Lake Placid and traveled to the World Championships in Altenmarkt-Zauchensee as a favorite . There she had to give up to her compatriot and defending champion Ellen Breen and won silver. In the World Cup discipline ranking, she finished second after another victory behind Breen and then ended her career.
United States
