Isolde Kostner

Isolde Kostner was born in Ortisei, in Gardena Valley, daughter of Ulrich, a wood-carver, and Olivia; her first passion was hockey on ice, as the most part of children in these valleys, while the love for ski came some years later. During her youth, in spite of his way of skiing not so good at the sight, she entered in the national team C at the age og 16, winning her first title in giant slalom. In the season 93/94 she entered the major national team, and began her carier with an unespected 11^th place in Tigne, and with her fisrt victory in the third race in Garmish, a race become popular because of the death of Ulrike Mayer. After the Olympic Games of Lillehammer his popularity spreads in the whole ski world; then came the world titles in Super-G of Sierra Nevada and Sestrière in 1996 and 1997. Isolde became famous not only thanks to her sport successes, but also thanks to her personality: she's a simple girl, helpful, humble, as the life in her Valley; so she became a pattern for a lot of young skiers and no only for them.