Wolfgang Bartels (ski racer)

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Wolfgang Bartels (born July 14, 1940 in Bischofswiesen ; † February 6, 2007 in Ramsau near Berchtesgaden ) was a German ski racer . Together with Ludwig Leitner , he was one of the best downhill skiers of the German Ski Association (DSV) in the early 1960s . Between 1962 and 1964 he was three times German champion in downhill and slalom . He celebrated his greatest international success in 1964 at the Olympic Winter Games in Innsbruck by winning the bronze medal in the downhill. After the end of his active career, he worked successfully as a ski trainer and innkeeper.

Career

Bartels was born the son of an innkeeper in Ramsau. He stood on skis for the first time at the age of three. Under the care of the trainers of the Ramsau Ski Club, he was able to develop his talent and, as a teenager, attracted attention with numerous successes. In 1957 he won in Berchtesgaden in the slalom run held as part of the German Youth Games and in the combined ranking in the age group of 14 to 16 year olds. Two years later he became German youth champion in giant slalom, slalom and combined in Hausham . After that, his conscription to the Bundeswehr interrupted his athletic development. Until July 1961 he served with the mountain troops in Bad Reichenhall .

At the beginning of the sixties he achieved top positions in many international ski races, including a victory in the giant slalom in the criterion of first snow in Val-d'Isère 1962/63 and with two victories in the 3-Tre races in Madonna di Campiglio 1963 and 1964. In 1963 he led the world rankings in the downhill.

A few months after his Olympic success, Bartels had a serious accident with his car on the B 20 on the night of April 23, 1964 when he went off the road in a curve. The occupants of a following vehicle pulled the men out of the car, which had already burned out when the fire brigade arrived. One passenger died and another was seriously injured. In February 1965 he was sentenced to a fine and suspended sentence as well as a one-year driving license withdrawal. After his recovery, he was unable to build on his previous performance and left the DSV squad.

From 1967 to 1976 he worked for the German Ski Association as a downhill trainer. Under his aegis, the two sisters Maria and Irene Epple advanced to the top of the world. In the men's field, he turned Michael Veith and Sepp Ferstl into top international drivers. Finally, in 1976, he led Rosi Mittermaier to the gold medal in the downhill at the Winter Olympics .

After his sports career, he devoted himself to the Wörndlhof inn in Hintersee , which he and his wife Margit had taken over from his parents.

Awards

Federal President Heinrich Lübke awarded him the Silver Laurel Leaf for his successes . His hometown club SK Ramsau made him an honorary member in 2000.

statistics

Header olympic box2.gif
  discipline space
Innsbruck 1964 Departure 3.  
Giant slalom excluded  
slalom 9.  

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ ski-db.com names like Sports-Reference.com in contrast to the Munzinger archive Bischofswiesen as the place of birth
  2. ↑ Passauer Neue Presse No. 193 of August 24, 1964 ( online )
  3. ↑ Passauer Neue Presse No. 44 of February 23, 1965 online )

Web links

personal data
SURNAME Bartels, Wolfgang
BRIEF DESCRIPTION German ski racer
DATE OF BIRTH July 14, 1940
PLACE OF BIRTH Bischofswiesen
DATE OF DEATH February 6, 2007
Place of death Ramsau near Berchtesgaden