Francisco Fernández Ochoa

Francisco "Paquito" Fernández Ochoa (February 25, 1950 – November 6, 2006) was a World Cup alpine ski racer from Spain. Born in Madrid and raised north of the city in Cercedilla, he was the eldest of eight children whose father ran a ski school. Paquito raced in all of the alpine disciplines and specialized in slalom.[1]

Francisco Fernández Ochoa
Alpine skier
Fernández Ochoa in October 2006
DisciplinesDownhill, Giant Slalom,
Slalom, Combined
ClubClub de Esquí Arroyomolinos, Madrid
Born(1950-02-25)February 25, 1950
Madrid, Spain
DiedNovember 6, 2006(2006-11-06) (aged 56)
Cercedilla, Spain
Height5 ft 7 in (1.70 m)
World Cup debutJanuary 26, 1969 - (age 18)
RetiredApril 1980 - (age 30)
Olympics
Teams4 – (1968, 1972, 1976, 1980)
Medals1 (1 gold)
World Championships
Teams7 – (1968-1980)
    includes 4 Olympics
Medals2 (1 gold)
World Cup
Seasons12 – (1969–1980)
Wins1 – (1 SL)
Podiums4 – (2 SL, 2 K)
Overall titles0 – (9th in 1975)
Discipline titles0 - (7th in 1975, slalom)
Medal record
Men's alpine skiing
Representing  Spain
Winter Olympics
1972 SapporoSlalom
World Championships
1974 St. MoritzSlalom
This article uses Spanish naming customs: the first or paternal family name is Fernández and the second or maternal family name is Ochoa.

At the age of 21, he won an Olympic gold medal in the slalom at the 1972 Winter Olympics in Sapporo, Japan.[2] He is known for being the first (& only) Spaniard to win a gold medal at the Winter Olympics.[3]

Thirty years later, German-born Johann Mühlegg won three gold medals in cross-country skiing for Spain in 2002, but was later stripped of his gold medals for doping offenses.

Career

Fernández Ochoa made his international debut at age 17 at the 1968 Winter Olympics, where he finished 38th in the downhill and giant slalom, and 23rd in the slalom. His first top ten finish on the World Cup circuit was the following season, a sixth-place finish in the slalom at Megève, France, on January 26, 1969.

He was one of five siblings that raced for the Spanish alpine ski team and competed at the Winter Olympics (brothers Luís and Juan Manuel and sisters Dolores and Blanca). Blanca was the only other Spanish skier to win a medal at the Winter Olympics; she won the bronze in the women's slalom at the 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville, France.

Statue of Fernández Ochoa
in Cercedilla, Spain

Fernández Ochoa competed in four Winter Olympics (1968-80). He won only one World Cup race, a slalom in 1974 in Zakopane, Poland. Both of his career wins came over Gustav Thöni of Italy, the dominant technical ski racer of the early 1970s.

At the 1974 World Championships, Fernández Ochoa won a bronze medal in the slalom. His best season was 1975; he finished 9th in the overall standings and 7th in the slalom standings. He finished ninth in the slalom at the 1976 Winter Olympics.

Fernández Ochoa retired from international competition at age 30, following the 1980 World Cup season, and finished with four World Cup podiums (top 3) and 30 top ten finishes. He then raced for several seasons on the pro tour in North America.

Fernández Ochoa died of lymphatic cancer at age 56 in Cercedilla, Community of Madrid in November 2006. Less than two weeks before his death, a statue of him was erected in Cercedilla. He was survived by his wife María Jesús Vargas (m. 1973) and their three children: Bárbara, Paula, and Francisco.
Francisco Fernández Ochoa City Ice Rink in Valdemoro, Madrid and Francisco Fernández Ochoa City Sports Center in Carabanchel, Madrid were named in his honor.

World Cup results

Season standings
SeasonAgeOverall Slalom Giant
 Slalom 		Super-GDownhillCombined
1969183820—not run—not
awarded
1970195534——
1971203919——
197221————
197322341827—
197423158——
19752497——
197625—————
197726—————
19782763———19
19792891————
1980293833——5

Points were only awarded for top ten finishes thru 1979, top 15 thru 1991 (see scoring system).

Race podiums
  • 1 win (1 SL)
  • 4 podiums (2 SL, 2 K)
SeasonDateLocationDisciplinePlace
1974March 6, 1974 Zakopane, PolandSlalom1st
March 10, 1974 Vysoké Tatry, CzechoslovakiaSlalom3rd
1975January 19, 1975 Kitzbühel, AustriaCombined2nd
February 1, 1975 Megève, FranceCombined2nd

World Championship results
  Year   Location  Age  Slalom Giant
 Slalom 		Super-GDownhillCombined
1968Grenoble, France172338not
run		38
1970Val Gardena, Italy1999
1972Sapporo, Japan211DSQ1——
1974St. Moritz, Switzerland233
1976Innsbruck, Austria  25924356
1978Garmisch, W. Germany27
1980Lake Placid, USA292222275

From 1948 through 1980, the Winter Olympics were also the World Championships for alpine skiing.
At the World Championships from 1954 through 1980, the combined was a "paper race" using the results of the three events (DH, GS, SL).

Olympic results

  Year   Location  Age  Slalom Giant
 Slalom 		Super-GDownhillCombined
1968Grenoble, France172338not
run		38not
run
1972Sapporo, Japan211DSQ1—
1976Innsbruck, Austria  2592435
1980Lake Placid, USA29222227

See also

References
  1. Lang, Patrick (November 6, 2006). "Spanish gold medalist Fernandez Ochoa dies at 56". Ski Racing. Retrieved January 27, 2015.
  2. "Spaniard wins Slalom as Winter Games close". Spokesman-Review. Associated Press. February 13, 1972. p. 1, sports.
  3. "Gold medal in slalom was first ever won by Spain". Spartanburg Herald. South Carolina. Associated Press. February 14, 1972. p. B1.
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