Régine Cavagnoud (27 June 1970 – 31 October 2001) was a World Cup alpine ski racer from France. She was the World Cup and World Champion in Super-G in 2001. Later that year, Cavagnoud was involved in a high-speed collision while training and died two days later.[1][2][3] She competed at three Winter Olympics and five world championships.[4]

Régine Cavagnoud
Personal information
Born(1970-06-27)27 June 1970
Thônes, Haute-Savoie, France
Died31 October 2001(2001-10-31) (aged 31)
Innsbruck, Tyrol, Austria
OccupationAlpine skier
Height1.63 m (5 ft 4 in)
Skiing career
DisciplinesDownhill, super-G, giant slalom, combined
ClubS.C. La Clusaz
World Cup debut22 December 1990 (age 20)
Olympics
Teams3 – (1992, 1994, 1998)
Medals0
World Championships
Teams5 – (19911997, 2001)
Medals1 (1 gold)
World Cup
Seasons11 – (19912001)
Wins8 – (3 DH, 4 SG, 1 GS)
Podiums23 – (8 DH, 12 SG, 3 GS)
Overall titles0 – (3rd in 2000, 2001)
Discipline titles1 – (SG, 2001)
Medal record
Women's alpine skiing
Representing  France
World Championships
Gold medal – first place 2001 St. Anton Super-G

Career

edit

Born in Thônes, Haute-Savoie, Cavagnoud's career was plagued by injuries. She finally secured a World Cup race victory in her tenth year of competition, a downhill at Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, in January 1999. That was the first World Cup downhill race victory by a Frenchwoman in 17 years. Cavagnoud had eight World Cup victories: four in Super-G, three in downhill, and two in giant slalom. Her last victory was in March 2001 in giant slalom at the national championships in Courchevel, France. She topped the super-G season standings in 2001 and was ranked third overall in 2000 and 2001. At the 2001 World Championships in St. Anton, Austria, she won the Super-G title on 29 January.

Death

edit

On 29 October 2001, Cavagnoud collided with German ski coach Markus Anwander during ski training in Pitztal, Austria, as he crossed the piste.[5] Both sustained serious head injuries and were evacuated by helicopter to Innsbruck's university hospital, where Cavagnoud was found to have serious brain damage and succumbed to her injuries two days later.[2]

Her death was the first fatality involving a World Cup ski racer in over seven years, since the death of Austria's Ulrike Maier in a downhill race in January 1994.[3][6]

Cavagnoud was buried near her native village at La Clusaz in the French Alps.

World Cup results

edit

Season titles

edit
Season Discipline
2001 Super-G

Season standings

edit
Season Age Overall Slalom Giant
Slalom
Super-G Downhill Combined
1991 20 50 19 20
1992 21 51 39 21 21
1993 22 13 39 10 8 8
1994 23 28 33 12 27 28
1995 24 26 52 9 20
1996 25 46 36 22 26
1997 26 27 47 15 15
1998 27 28 52 21 9
1999 28 7 16 4 8
2000 29 3 11 4 5 10
2001 30 3 15 1 3 7

Race victories

edit
  • 8 wins – (3 DH, 4 SG, 1 GS)
  • 23 podiums – (8 DH, 12 SG, 3 GS)
Season Date Location Discipline
1999 21 Jan 1999   Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy Downhill
23 Jan 1999 Super-G
2000 19 Nov 1999   Copper Mountain, USA Giant slalom
22 Jan 2000   Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy Downhill
15 Mar 2000   Bormio, Italy Downhill
2001 6 Dec 2000   Val-d'Isère, France Super G
13 Jan 2001   Haus im Ennstal, Austria Super G
20 Jan 2001   Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy Super G

World Championship results

edit
  Year    Age   Slalom   Giant 
 slalom 
Super-G Downhill Combined
1991 20 12 10
1993 22 15 11
1996 25 25 26
1997 26 21 26
1999 28 injured, did not compete
2001 30 17 1 12

Olympic results

edit
  Year    Age   Slalom   Giant 
 slalom 
Super-G Downhill Combined
1992 21 26 17 10
1994 23 18 11 26
1998 27 16 7

References

edit
  1. ^ Clarey, Christopher (October 30, 2001). "French star injured in training accident". New York Times. Retrieved October 15, 2014.
  2. ^ a b "French skier dies after collision". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. November 1, 2001. p. 6E.
  3. ^ a b "Skiing champion dies after training crash". CNN. October 31, 2001. Retrieved October 15, 2014.
  4. ^ Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Régine Cavagnoud Olympic Results". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020. Retrieved 25 March 2018.
  5. ^ "Coach investigated in ski wreck". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). wire services. October 31, 2001. p. 2B.
  6. ^ "Life's risk takers". BBC Sport. 31 October 2001.
edit