Michaela Kirchgasser

Michaela Kirchgasser (born 18 March 1985) is a retired Austrian alpine ski racer.

She raced in the technical events of slalom and giant slalom, and also the combined.

On 25 November 2006, Kirchgasser made her first World Cup podium with a third place in the giant slalom at Aspen, Colorado.

At the 2006 Winter Olympics, she finished fifth in the slalom and sixth in the combined, but failed to finish in the giant slalom.

Her first victory was on 24 February 2007, in a giant slalom at Sierra Nevada, Spain.

She has competed in three Olympics and six World Championships.

At the 2007 World Championships she won the gold medal with the Austrian team in the team event, and finished fourth in the giant slalom and ninth in the slalom.

She took a total of seven World Championship medals during her career.

Kirchgasser attained her first World Cup podium in slalom in January 2012 at Zagreb, Croatia.

Less than three weeks later, she won her first World Cup slalom at Kranjska Gora, Slovenia.

Kirchgasser won again in the slalom at the World Cup finals in Schladming to finish second in the slalom season standings, runner-up to compatriot Marlies Schild.

Michaela Kirchgasser married Sebastian Kirchgasser on 7 May 2016 - despite having the same last name they are not related.

She retired from competition in 2018, with her final World Cup start being in a slalom in Ofterschwang, which she raced whilst wearing a bright pink dress.