Marlies Schild : biography

Skiing career

At the beginning of her career, Schild preferred the downhill event. However, by the age of 19 she had already undergone five knee surgeries, prompting her to concentrate on the less dangerous slalom and giant slalom competitions.T W Flørenes, T Bere, L Nordsletten, S Heir, R Bahr (13 October 2009), , British Journal of Sports Medicine 2009;43:973–978. , ESPN, 2008. Retrieved January 1, 2012. Since 2004, she has finished every season (except 2009 when out with injury) among the top 3 in the World Cup slalom standings, and won the slalom trophy in 2007, 2008, and 2011. Her best result in the overall competition was a second place in 2007, when she lost the overall trophy only in the last two races (slalom and giant slalom) against compatriot Nicole Hosp, after having taken the lead with a second place in downhill and a third place in Super-G on the first two days of the World Cup final 2007 in Lenzerheide.

While training for the giant slalom in October 2008, Schild fell and sustained a comminuted fracture in her left tibia and fibula, as well as a fractured tibial head., DiePresse.com. October 9, 2009. Retrieved January 1, 2012. This severe injury sidelined Schild for the entire 2009 season. A few weeks after her return to competition in Levi in November 2009, she celebrated her first victory after the injury, winning the slalom in Lienz on December 29. Starting with Lienz, Schild has reached for more than two years the podium in all FIS slalom races she finished,, results for Marlies Schild, slalom, sorted by race date. Retrieved January 10, 2012. including the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver (silver medal) and the 2011 World Championships in Garmisch-Partenkirchen (gold medal). Her podium-run ended on March 10, 2012 when she finished 6th at the Slalom of Åre. Schild has not competed in downhill or Super-G since her injury. (Ref. Bio Patrick Lang)

Schild tore ligaments in her right knee on 20 December 2012 in Sweden, and it was announced that she will miss most of the 2013 season, including the 2013 World Championships. Nevertheless, Schild announced on 13 February 2013 that she will compete at the women’s World Championships slalom three days later and will make her comeback only 58 days after her accident.

With 33 World Cup victories in slalom, Schild is second on the career list, behind only Vreni Schneider of Switzerland with 34., NZZ. December 29, 2011. Retrieved January 1, 2012.

World Championships

At the 2003 World Championships in St. Moritz, Switzerland, she placed second in the slalom behind Janica Kostelić, and in 2005 at Bormio, Italy, she won a bronze medal in the combined, behind Janica Kostelić and Anja Pärson. In 2007 at Åre, Sweden, Schild won silver in the slalom and bronze in the combined. In team events she won gold 2007 in Åre and silver at the 2011 World Championships in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, with the Austrian team.

Olympics

At the 2006 Winter Olympic Games in Turin, Schild won a silver medal in women’s combined and a bronze medal in the women’s slalom event; in the giant slalom, she placed 17th. In the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver, Schild improved to another silver in the slalom. She also competed at the 2002 Olympics in Salt Lake, but did not finish the slalom event.

Schild is engaged to Austrian ski racer Benjamin Raich.