Quick Facts
Biography
Ernst Hinterseer (born 27 February 1932 in Kitzbühel) is a former alpine skier from Austria.
He participated in the 1956 Winter Olympics in Cortina d'Ampezzo, ranking 6th in the giant slalom.
At the 1960 Winter Olympics of Squaw Valley, United States he won gold in the slalom, and bronze in the giant slalom competition. Following his career as a ski racer he became national trainer for slalom and giant slalom in the early 1970s. Regarding reports in the newspaper "Sport Zurich" of that time, he was only nominated as a substitute for the slalom at the 1960 Winter Olympics but he did get the nod over Karl Schranz or Andreas Molterer because no one of them was selected for that event. After the first leg he was 5th (in the lead was Willy Bogner but Bogner didn't finish the second leg).
He was twice Austrian Champion (Giant Slalom 1954, Combined 1956) and became an "Austrian sportsman of the Year 1960" and was awarded with the "Goldenes Ehrenzeichen für Verdienste um die Republik Österreich (1997)" ("order in gold of merit for services rendered to the Republic of Austria, 1997").
Just after the Second World War he started an apprenticeship as a carpenter, in 1946 he became a member of the ski club of Kitzbühel.
His sons Ernst, Georg, and Hansi also became ski racers. He is the grandfather of Lukas Hinterseer.