Paula Wiesinger

Who was Paula Wiesinger?

Paula Rosa Wiesinger was a pioneering Italian alpine skier and mountain climber.

Wiesinger was born in Bolzano. She won the 1932 women's Downhill world championship in Cortina d'Ampezzo, and competed in the 1936 Winter Olympics, finishing 16th in the alpine skiing combined event.

In 1935 Wiesinger was invited to view the Trofeo Mezzalama, a competition that was only intended for male ski mountaineers. Due to an injury leave of Giusto Gervasutti, she took his military uniform, covered her face with sunglasses and his cap, and took part instead of him, but the cheat was discovered at a check point of the race.

She died in Seiser Alm.