Leonhard Stock
Leonhard Stock (born March 14, 1958 in Finkenberg) is an Austrian former skier who won a gold medal at the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, New York.
In Lake Placid, Stock started very low on the starting list - in heavy snow and on a track that was worn down. All the favorites were down the hill, the medals were almost handed out. The commentaters at the time was in fact already speaking about the future events.
Stock then named as another Austrian talent but with no wins, came out of nowwhere and made the most of the harsh conditions and took first place - to everybodys surprise.
Stock could not repeat his surprise win at the Lake Placid Olympics on the World Cup tour until almost a decade later, winning Downhill races in 1989, 1990, an 1992. At the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary he just missed a second Olympic medal, coming in 4th in the downhill and 8th in the Super Giant Slalom race. He now runs a hotel [1] in his birthplace in the Zillertal.
In his many years on the circuit, it is fair to say, he never was a star - but maybe one of the best to start from at low place on the starting list - and reach top 10 on many occasions. A feat that he would repeat again and again. The old saying: "Before Stock is down, we cannot give the crown", says it best.
World Cup victories
External links
| Persondata |
| Name |
Stock, Leonhard |
| Alternative names |
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| Short description |
downhill skier |
| Date of birth |
March 14, 1958 |
| Place of birth |
Finkenberg, Austria |
| Date of death |
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| Place of death |
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