Heinrich Messner

Heinrich Messner

File:Heinrich Messner 1968.jpg
Personal information
Born	1 September 1939 (1939-09) (age 85) Obernberg am Brenner, Austria
Height	1.76 m (5 ft 9 in)
Weight	75 kg (165 lb)
Sport
Sport	Alpine skiing
Club	Sportverein Tirol
Medal record Representing Austria Olympic Games 1968 Grenoble Giant slalom 1972 Sapporo Downhill

Heinrich "Heini" Messner (born 1 September 1939) is a retired Austrian alpine skier. He competed at the 1964, 1968 and 1972 Olympics and won two bronze medals: in the giant slalom in 1968 and in the downhill in 1972.

On 5 January 1967 Messner won the first ever World Cup race, a slalom; he had 15 more World Cup podium finishes later in his career. In the 1970s he pioneered the use of short skis in the technical races. Messner retired in 1972 season and for two years trained the Austrian women’s team. He then moved to Steinach am Brenner where he ran a ski school, a boarding house, and a ski rental service.