Long-time Suunto Ambassador Gerd Schönfelder has won four gold medals and one silver in the alpine skiing standing category at the Winter Paralympics in Vancouver, Canada.
Beaten only in the slalom by New Zealander Adam Hall, the German star also celebrated the birth of his son Leopold who was born as Schönfelder competed in the final event of the programme, the super-combined competition.
“This last paralympic race is for me the most golden of super, super combinations of my life and something that can’t be bettered!” Said Schönfelder afterwards.
In addition to the super-combined in which competitors’ times are added up over a super-giant and slalom race, Schönfelder’s gold gongs came in the giant slalom, super giant slalom and downhill disciplines.
“Now on my programme is some recovery time from the exertions of the Games and some time with my family,” Schönfelder said.
The 39-year-old has had an extremely successful career, picking up gold medals in every Winter Paralympics since Albertville in 1992.
He is currently World Champion in the downhill, giant and super giant slalom events.
Suunto supplies the German paralympic team with t6c heart rate monitors, Foot and Bike PODs and other training products to help the team get the maximum performance at key events such as the Paralympic Games.
On the team is Martin Braxenthaler who won three golds and one silver in the sitting category ski events. The women’s team performed well too, taking home two silvers and one bronze. Visually impaired skier Gerd Gradwohl won bronze in the men’s downhill.
Image by Gerd Schoenfelder