Facebook
Instagram
Twitter
Youtube
TikTok
Anna Schaffelhuber is one of Germany's most successful Para alpine skiers after winning two golds and one silver in the women’s sitting events at the PyeongChang 2018 Paralympic Winter Games.
She could not repeat her staggering performance from Sochi 2014, when she swept all five events, but still left once again as one of the most decorated Paralympians.
In the 2017/2018, Schaffelhuber also ended top of the downhill and super-G World Cup rankings, as well as finishing third in the overall standings.
The previous season had also been highly successful for her as she sealed gold in the slalom, super-combined and downhill at the 2017 World Championships. Her rivalry with Claudia Loesch was once again in the headlines with the Austrian collecting wins in the remaining events.
The 2015 World Championships was the competition where Schaffelhuber’s rivalry with Loesch really came to the fore. While Schaffelhuber was expected to reign supreme after her stunning performance in Sochi, she was beaten to the top of the podium twice by Loesch.
The German has been cruising down the slopes in a sit ski since age five, and in 2007 she made the national team for the first time.
Schaffelhuber made her Paralympic debut at Vancouver 2010, winning bronze in the super-G.
She was the world’s top ranked sit-skier in 2012-13, winning a gold medal in slalom at the 2013 World Championships. She also was the first female sit-skier to cross the line in the first downhill race at the World Cup Finals in Sochi, on the same course that was used for the Paralympic Winter Games.
She dominated the women's sitting class again on the 2013-14 World Cup circuit, hauling in the most victories of any competitor and winning the overall women's sitting trophy.
Biography
Impairment information
Further personal information
Sport specific information
International debut
General interest
In 2015 she was named Best Female Athlete by the International Paralympic Committee [IPC]. (IPC, 10 Feb 2018)
In 2014 she received the Silbernes Lorbeerblatt [Silver Laurel Leaf] in Germany. (bundespraesident.de, 05 May 2014)
She was named the 2014 Para Sportswoman of the Year by BVS Bayern in Germany. (dbs-npc.de, 01 Apr 2014)
She was flag bearer for Germany at the closing ceremony of the 2010 Paralympic Winter Games in Vancouver. (sport1.de, 2011)
She has been named Para Sportswoman of the Year by the German Paralympic Committee on five occasions. (IPC, 10 Feb 2018; dbs-npc.de, 28 Nov 2015, 29 Nov 2014)
In November 2019 she announced her retirement from Para alpine skiing. "Everything in life has its time. After careful thought, I decided to step down from active competitive sports. After 12 years it's time for me to open a new chapter. I am very grateful that I was able to celebrate great successes during this time, but also defeats have positively shaped my life. Sport also gave me the opportunity to meet many people from all over the world and to have gained exceptional friends. I realise a resignation at 26 years old appears early. Nevertheless, it feels 'complete' and I'm looking forward to new challenges. After my wedding and graduation from my teaching degree, a new phase of life begins." (Facebook page, 11 Nov 2019)
Results
| Unit | Date | Rank |
|---|
| Event | Medal | Unit | Date | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Women's Super-G Sitting | Final Round | 3 | ||
| Women's Super Combined Sitting | Final Round | 4 | ||
| Women's Giant Slalom Sitting | Final Round | 7 | ||
| Women's Slalom Sitting | Final Round | 4 |
| Event | Medal | Unit | Date | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Women's Downhill Sitting | Final | 2011-01-16 | 4 | |
| Women's Super-G Sitting | Final | 2011-01-18 | 4 | |
| Women's Super-Combined Sitting | Final | 2011-01-19 | 1 | |
| Women's Slalom Sitting | Final | 2011-01-20 | 1 | |
| Women's Giant Slalom Sitting | Final | 2011-01-21 | 1 | |
| Mixed Team Event VI/Sitting/Standing | Final | 2011-01-23 | 2 |
| Event | Medal | Unit | Date | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Women's Downhill Sitting | Race 1 | 2013-02-20 | 3 | |
| Women's Super-G Sitting | Race 1 | 2013-02-21 | 2 | |
| Women's Slalom Sitting | Race 1 | 2013-02-24 | 1 | |
| Women's Super-Combined Sitting | Race 1 | 2013-02-25 | 3 | |
| Women's Giant Slalom Sitting | Race 1 | 2013-02-26 | 2 |
| Event | Medal | Unit | Date | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Women's Downhill Sitting | Final Round | 2014-03-08 | 1 | |
| Women's Super-G Sitting | Final Round | 2014-03-10 | 1 | |
| Women's Slalom Sitting | Final Round | 2014-03-12 | 1 | |
| Women's Super Combined Sitting | Final Round | 2014-03-14 | 1 | |
| Women's Giant Slalom Sitting | Final Round | 2014-03-16 | 1 |
| Event | Medal | Unit | Date | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Women's Downhill Sitting | Race 1 | 2015-03-04 | 3 | |
| Women's Super-G Sitting | Race 1 | 2015-03-05 | 1 | |
| Women's Super-Combined Sitting | Race 1 | 2015-03-07 | 2 | |
| Women's Giant Slalom Sitting | Race 1 | 2015-03-08 | 1 | |
| Women's Slalom Sitting | Race 1 | 2015-03-10 | 2 |
| Event | Medal | Unit | Date | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Women's Downhill Sitting | Race 1 | 2017-01-25 | 1 | |
| Women's Super-G Sitting | Race 1 | 2017-01-26 | 2 | |
| Women's Super-Combined Sitting | Race 1 | 2017-01-28 | 1 | |
| Women's Giant Slalom Sitting | Race 1 | 2017-01-30 | 2 | |
| Women's Slalom Sitting | Race 1 | 2017-01-31 | 1 |
| Event | Medal | Unit | Date | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Women's Downhill Sitting | Final | 2018-03-10 | 1 | |
| Women's Super-G Sitting | Final | 2018-03-11 | 1 | |
| Women's Super Combined Sitting | Final | 2018-03-13 | 2 | |
| Women's Giant Slalom Sitting | Final | 2018-03-14 | 5 | |
| Women's Slalom Sitting | Final | 2018-03-18 | 4 |
| Event | Medal | Unit | Date | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Women's Giant Slalom Sitting | Race 1 | 2019-01-22 | 2 | |
| Women's Slalom Sitting | Race 1 | 2019-01-24 | 2 | |
| Women's Downhill Sitting | Race 1 | 2019-01-30 | 1 | |
| Women's Super-G Sitting | Race 1 (from SC) | 2019-01-31 | 1 | |
| Women's Super-Combined Sitting | Race 1 | 2019-01-31 | 2 |