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Blanca Fernandes-OchoaSpanish skier
Date of Birth: 22.04.1963
Country:  Spain |
Content:
Biography of Blanca Fernandez-Ochoa
Blanca Fernandez-Ochoa is a Spanish alpine skier and the only medalist in the Winter Olympics in the history of Spain. She is the younger sister of Olympic champion Francisco Fernandez-Ochoa, who won gold in 1972.
Debut in the World Cup
Blanca made her debut in the World Cup in 1981. In March 1985, she achieved her first of four victories in stages. In the 1987/88 season, she achieved her best overall result, finishing fourth, just behind the Swiss skiers Michela Figini and Brigitte Oertli, and the Austrian Anita Wachter. In the same season, Blanca finished third in the super-G standings, fifth in the giant slalom standings, and fourth in the slalom standings. Throughout her career, she also finished third in the giant slalom standings in the 1986/87 season and third in the slalom standings in the 1990/91 and 1991/92 seasons.
Olympic Achievements
Blanca made her Olympic debut in 1984 in Sarajevo, where she finished sixth in the giant slalom. Four years later in Calgary, she finished fifth in the slalom. Her most successful Olympic performance came in 1992 in Albertville. While she was only 12th in the giant slalom, she excelled in the slalom, bringing Spain its second-ever medal in the history of the Winter Olympics. The first medal was won by her brother Francisco Fernandez-Ochoa in the same slalom event in 1972 in Sapporo. In Albertville, Blanca was only surpassed by Petra Kronberger from Austria and Annelise Coberger from New Zealand.
Retirement
In the same year, 1992, Blanca ended her sports career. In her final race in the World Cup, she finished second in the giant slalom in Crans-Montana, Switzerland.
