Only true ‘Ski Legends’ starting with the Goitschel sisters in 1964 were named by the most established ski reporters since the start of that award in 1963 – Egon Zimmermann from Lech am Arlberg being the first recipient of the celebrated AIJS Trophy. 

One of the most promising junior competitors a few years ago, Anna Fenninger fully confirmed her huge potential last winter three years after capturing an unexpected gold medal in Super-Combined at the 2011 World Championships. The attractive champion from south of Salzburg, who made her World Cup debut at the 2006 Finals in Are, Sweden, as a new junior World Champion, celebrated a sensational triumph in the 2014 overall World Cup standings at Lenzerheide a few weeks after enjoying a superb Olympic gold medal in Super-G at Sochi. 

A very complete skier excelling in the speed events and in giant slalom, Anna definitely is a great fighter on snow. Yet she also proved her generosity and her good heart a few years ago when she decided to defend the cause of cheetahs in Namibia thru the organization of #savethecheetah (www.cheetah.org)… She participates in many promotional activities each years to help the cause of these superb wild animals, including producing a very nice calendar successfully sold on internet. 

The reporters from the ‘White Circus’ greatly enjoy discussing with her before or after the races and record her mostly interesting comments on her life or her career. Anna fully deserves that ‘AIJS-Skieur d’Or’ award as a charismatic role-model and a mostly accessible athlete who surely still has a lot more to achieve in the coming seasons. 

A total of 16 racers received votes from members of the AIJS this fall including USA’s Mikaela Shiffrin or Marcel Hirscher who tied for second place in this year’s election. Also nominated were Ted Ligety (USA), Matthias Mayer (AUT) Mario Matt (AUT), Felix Neureuther (GER), Tina Maze (SLO), Aksel Lund Svindal (NOR), Marlies Schild (AUT), Patrick Küng (SUI), Tina Weirather (LIC), Dominique (SUI), Jan Hudec (CAN), Bode Miller (USA), Maria Hoefl-Riesch (GER). 

The presentation of the ‘Joska Trophy’ gracefully handed out by FIS took place at Soelden, inside the Hotel Bergland, during the now traditional Milka Ski Girls party. 

Source: fis-ski.com