Werner Heel is an
ItalianThe Italian people are an ethnic group that share a common Italian culture, ancestry and speak the Italian language as a mother tongue. Within Italy, Italians are defined by citizenship, regardless of ancestry or country of residence , and are distinguished from people...
alpine ski racerAlpine skiing is the sport of sliding down snow-covered hills on skis with fixed-heel bindings. Alpine skiing can be contrasted with skiing using free-heel bindings: Ski mountaineering and nordic skiing – such as cross-country; ski jumping; and Telemark. In competitive alpine skiing races four...
.
Born in Meran, Heel grew up in
St. Leonhard in PasseierSt Leonhard in Passeier is a comune in the Passeier Valley in South Tyrol, northern Italy, located about 80 km north of Trento and about 35 km north of Bolzano .-Geography:...
and currently resides in Meran, where he works as a police officer. He began skiing at the age of four. His main disciplines are
downhillDownhill is an alpine skiing discipline. The rules for the Downhill were originally developed by Sir Arnold Lunn for the 1921 British National Ski Championships....
and
super-GThe Super Giant Slalom is an Alpine skiing discipline. It is usually referred to as Super G and is a "speed" event, along with the faster Downhill event; the Giant Slalom and Slalom events are known as the "technical" disciplines.-History:...
. In order to be competitive in super combined he also practices
slalomSlalom is an alpine skiing discipline, involving skiing between poles spaced much closer together than in Giant Slalom, Super-G or Downhill, thereby causing quicker and shorter turns.- Origins :...
. In 2004 he won the Italian championship in
super-GThe Super Giant Slalom is an Alpine skiing discipline. It is usually referred to as Super G and is a "speed" event, along with the faster Downhill event; the Giant Slalom and Slalom events are known as the "technical" disciplines.-History:...
at
CaspoggioCaspoggio is a comune in the Province of Sondrio in the Italian region Lombardy, located about 100 km northeast of Milan and about 11 km north of Sondrio.-External links:*...
. His career has been slowed by several injuries.
European Cup
During the 2005 season Werner Heel achieved his best results in the European Cup with two third places in the
downhillDownhill is an alpine skiing discipline. The rules for the Downhill were originally developed by Sir Arnold Lunn for the 1921 British National Ski Championships....
races in
RoccarasoRoccaraso is a town and comune of the province of L'Aquila in the Abruzzo region of central Italy.-External links:***...
and
Bad KleinkirchheimBad Kleinkirchheim is a municipality in Spittal an der Drau, Carinthia, Austria. Until the middle of the 20th century, agriculture was the dominant focus, but it is now a renowned spa and ski resort...
and a fourth place in the
super-GThe Super Giant Slalom is an Alpine skiing discipline. It is usually referred to as Super G and is a "speed" event, along with the faster Downhill event; the Giant Slalom and Slalom events are known as the "technical" disciplines.-History:...
race in
TarvisioTarvisio is a town in the Province of Udine, in the northeastern part of the autonomous Friuli–Venezia Giulia region in Italy...
.
World Championships
In 2007 he participated in the
World ChampionshipsThe FIS Alpine World Ski Championships are organized by the International Ski Federation . The first world championships in alpine skiing were held in 1931. During the 1930s, the event was held annually in Europe, until interrupted by the outbreak of World War II, preventing a 1940 event...
in
ÅreÅre is an alpine ski area in Sweden, founded in 1909. It is located in Åre Municipality, Jämtland, just outside and above the village of Åre, approximately 80 km from the city of Östersund. The ski lift system is on the Åreskutan mountain, at an elevation of 1420 meters ; its absolute summit...
without finishing his run in the
Super CombinedCombined is an alpine skiing event. Although not technically a discipline of its own, it is sometimes referred to as a fifth alpine discipline, along with downhill, super G, giant slalom, and slalom.-Traditional & Super-Combined:...
, and placed 27th in the
super-GThe Super Giant Slalom is an Alpine skiing discipline. It is usually referred to as Super G and is a "speed" event, along with the faster Downhill event; the Giant Slalom and Slalom events are known as the "technical" disciplines.-History:...
.
World Cup
Heel debuted in the
World CupThe FIS Alpine Ski World Cup is the top international circuit of alpine skiing competitions, launched in 1966 by a group of ski racing friends and experts which included French journalist Serge Lang and the alpine ski team directors from France and the USA...
on 28 December 2001 at the Stelvio
downhillDownhill is an alpine skiing discipline. The rules for the Downhill were originally developed by Sir Arnold Lunn for the 1921 British National Ski Championships....
in
BormioBormio is a town and comune located in the province of Sondrio, Lombardy region of the Alps in northern Italy. It has a population of 4,200...
, finishing 37th. In the
2007 seasonThe 41st World Cup season was scheduled to begin on October 28, 2006, but cancellation of the opening races in Sölden delayed the season's start by two weeks. A very poor snowpack in the Alps, along with stormy weather in January, caused numerous races to be moved and rescheduled throughout the...
, he achieved his first top ten finish at the
KvitfjellKvitfjell is a ski resort in the municipality of Ringebu, Norway. Kvitfjell is one of the most modern resorts in the world, with 85% of the alpine skiing pistes covered in artificial snow. Based near the river Gudbrandsdalslågen, the resort offers 23 pistes: 5 green , 9 blue , 6 red , and 3 black...
downhill and finished 12th at
Lake Louise-Canada:*Lake Louise , a lake in Alberta, Canada*Lake Louise, Alberta, a hamlet which takes its name from the lake**Chateau Lake Louise, hotel in Alberta, Canada, one of Canada's Grand Railway Resorts...
.
The
2008The 42nd World Cup season began in October 2007 in Sölden, Austria and concluded on March 15, 2008, at the World Cup Finals in Bormio, Italy....
season started very well for Heel, finishing 6th in the
Lake Louise-Canada:*Lake Louise , a lake in Alberta, Canada*Lake Louise, Alberta, a hamlet which takes its name from the lake**Chateau Lake Louise, hotel in Alberta, Canada, one of Canada's Grand Railway Resorts...
downhillDownhill is an alpine skiing discipline. The rules for the Downhill were originally developed by Sir Arnold Lunn for the 1921 British National Ski Championships....
. He won his first race on 29 February 2008 in the
KvitfjellKvitfjell is a ski resort in the municipality of Ringebu, Norway. Kvitfjell is one of the most modern resorts in the world, with 85% of the alpine skiing pistes covered in artificial snow. Based near the river Gudbrandsdalslågen, the resort offers 23 pistes: 5 green , 9 blue , 6 red , and 3 black...
downhillDownhill is an alpine skiing discipline. The rules for the Downhill were originally developed by Sir Arnold Lunn for the 1921 British National Ski Championships....
. One day later he reconfirmed his potential finishing third in the second Kvitfjell World Cup downhill. He concluded the 2008 season with his best
super-GThe Super Giant Slalom is an Alpine skiing discipline. It is usually referred to as Super G and is a "speed" event, along with the faster Downhill event; the Giant Slalom and Slalom events are known as the "technical" disciplines.-History:...
result, a 7th place in
BormioBormio is a town and comune located in the province of Sondrio, Lombardy region of the Alps in northern Italy. It has a population of 4,200...
on 13 March 2008. Near his hometown, Heel won the Super-G at Val Gardena on 19 December 2008. On 12 March 2009 he concluded his outstanding 2008/2009 season with a
super-GThe Super Giant Slalom is an Alpine skiing discipline. It is usually referred to as Super G and is a "speed" event, along with the faster Downhill event; the Giant Slalom and Slalom events are known as the "technical" disciplines.-History:...
victory in Åre, finishing second in the overall
super-GThe Super Giant Slalom is an Alpine skiing discipline. It is usually referred to as Super G and is a "speed" event, along with the faster Downhill event; the Giant Slalom and Slalom events are known as the "technical" disciplines.-History:...
world cup.
Heel races on
HeadHead N.V. is a sports equipment and clothing company, known mainly for their alpine skis and tennis racquets. Founded as a ski company in Baltimore, Maryland, the company is currently headquartered in Amsterdam, Netherlands, and Kennelbach, Austria...
skis.
Race victories
| Date |
Location |
Race |
| 29 February 2008 |
 KvitfjellKvitfjell is a ski resort in the municipality of Ringebu, Norway. Kvitfjell is one of the most modern resorts in the world, with 85% of the alpine skiing pistes covered in artificial snow. Based near the river Gudbrandsdalslågen, the resort offers 23 pistes: 5 green , 9 blue , 6 red , and 3 black...
|
Downhill |
| 19 December 2008 |
 Val Gardena |
Super-G The Super Giant Slalom is an Alpine skiing discipline. It is usually referred to as Super G and is a "speed" event, along with the faster Downhill event; the Giant Slalom and Slalom events are known as the "technical" disciplines.-History:...
|
| March 12, 2009 |
 ÅreÅre is a locality and one of the leading Scandinavian ski resorts situated in Åre Municipality, Jämtland County, Sweden with 1,260 inhabitants in 2005. It is however, not the seat of the municipality, which is Järpen. 25% of the municipal industry is based on tourism, most notably the downhill...
|
Super-G The Super Giant Slalom is an Alpine skiing discipline. It is usually referred to as Super G and is a "speed" event, along with the faster Downhill event; the Giant Slalom and Slalom events are known as the "technical" disciplines.-History:...
|
External links