Stefania Belmondo

Stefania Belmondo (affectionately known as the Tiny Tornado,^[1] born 13 January 1969) is an Italian former cross-country skier,^[2][3] a two-time Olympic champion^[4] and four-time world champion.

Stefania Belmondo
Country	Italy
Born	(1969-01-13) 13 January 1969 (age 55) Vinadio, Cuneo, Italy
Height	158 cm (5 ft 2 in)
Ski club	G.S. Forestale
World Cup career
Seasons	14 – (1989–2002)
Indiv. starts	162
Indiv. podiums	66
Indiv. wins	23
Team starts	47
Team podiums	27
Team wins	4
Overall titles	0 – (2nd in 1991, 1992, 1997 & 1999)
Discipline titles	1 – (1 SP: 1997)
Medal record Women's cross-country skiing Representing  Italy Olympic Games 1992 Albertville 30 km freestyle 2002 Salt Lake City 15 km freestyle 1992 Albertville 5 km + 10 km combined pursuit 1998 Nagano 30 km freestyle 2002 Salt Lake City 30 km classical 1992 Albertville 4 × 5 km relay 1994 Lillehammer 5 km + 10 km combined pursuit 1994 Lillehammer 4 × 5 km relay 1998 Nagano 4 × 5 km relay 2002 Salt Lake City 10 km classical World Championships 1993 Falun 5 km + 10 km combined pursuit 1993 Falun 30 km freestyle 1999 Ramsau 5 km + 10 km combined pursuit 1999 Ramsau 15 km freestyle 1991 Val di Fiemme 4 × 5 km relay 1993 Falun 4  5 km relay 1997 Trondheim 5 km classical 1997 Trondheim 15 km freestyle 1997 Trondheim 30 km classical 1997 Trondheim 5 km + 10 km combined pursuit 1999 Ramsau 4 × 5 km relay 1991 Val di Fiemme 15 km classical 2001 Lahti 4 × 5 km relay Junior World Championships 1989 Vang 5 km classical 1989 Vang 15 km freestyle 1988 Saalfelden 5 km classical 1988 Saalfelden 3 × 5 km relay

Biography

Debut

Belmondo was born in Vinadio, in the province of Cuneo (Piedmont), the daughter of a housewife and an electric company employee. In her career she skied with the G.S. Forestale.

She started to ski at the age of three in the Piedmontese mountains of her native city. She made her debut at the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships in 1987. The next season she joined the main national team of Italy, and then participated at the 1988 Winter Olympics, held in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. In 1989, she won a World Cup event for her first time, in Salt Lake City,^[5] and ended that season second overall.

Early success, injury, return

At the 1991 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships, she won a bronze medal in the 15 km trial, and a silver in the 4 × 5 km relay. The 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville brought the first gold medal for Belmondo, in the 30 km specialty. At the 1993 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships, she won golds in the 5 km + 10 km combined pursuit and the 30 km, and a silver in the 4 × 5 km relay, before an injury to her right hallux required a surgery, and caused a 4-month absence from competition.

After a second operation, Belmondo participated to the 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer, gaining just two bronze medals; after this disappointing performance she decided to continue skiing, against the advice of her physician. The 1996–97 season was one of her best since the surgeries, when she won three silver medals (5 km, 15 km, 30 km), all were behind Russian Yelena Välbe though she tied with Välbe in the 5 km + 10 km combined pursuit event. In the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan, she won a third place with the 4 × 5 km relay, and an individual silver in the 30 km. The bronze medal in the relay was remarkable because the Italian team was ninth as Belmondo started the last leg. The 1999 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships saw Stefania Belmondo win two gold medals (5 km + 10 km combined pursuit, 15 km) and a silver (4 × 5 km relay).

In her final year of competition, 2002, she won a gold medal, as well as a silver and a bronze, in the Winter Olympics. She concluded that year's World Cup in third place.

Other career successes

• Belmondo also found success at the Holmenkollen ski festival, winning the 30 km women's event twice (1997, 2002).
• She is the one of only two women to ever win the 30 km Olympic, World Championship, and Holmenkollen events (Norway's Marit Bjørgen is the other).
• Belmondo earned the Holmenkollen medal in 1997 (shared with Bjarte Engen Vik and Bjørn Dæhlie).

1997 World Championships

In the 15 km (9 mi) pursuit event at the 1997 World Championships in Trondheim the organizers had to resort to Photo finish to determine who between Belmondo and Yelena Välbe had won the race. Eventually the gold medal is awarded to the Russian and the Italian Silver for just 2 cm (0.8 in),^[6] both athletes are still credited the same time.^[7]

2006 Winter Olympics

At the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, in her native region of Piedmont, she lit the Olympic Flame at the opening ceremony. During the 2006 Winter Olympics, Belmondo had a series of webpages on the 2006 Turin Winter Olympic Games website regarding her reaction and emotions during the games.

Personal life

Belmondo is a mother and has kids.^[8][9]

Cross-country skiing results

All results are sourced from the International Ski Federation (FIS).^[10]

Olympic Games

• 10 medals – (2 gold, 3 silver, 5 bronze)

Year	Age	5 km	10 km	15 km	Pursuit	20 km	30 km	Sprint	4 × 5 km   relay
1988	19	—	19	—	—	29	—	—	10
1992	23	4	—	5	Silver	—	Gold	—	Bronze
1994	25	13	—	4	Bronze	—	—	—	Bronze
1998	29	12	—	8	5	—	Silver	—	Bronze
2002	33	—	Bronze	Gold	11	—	Silver	—	6

World Championships

• 13 medals – (4 gold, 7 silver, 2 bronze)

Year	Age	5 km	10 km   classical	10 km   freestyle	15 km	Pursuit	30 km	Sprint	4 × 5 km   relay
1989	20	—	11	10	—	—	—	—	6
1991	22	10	—	7	Bronze	—	4	—	Silver
1993	24	5	—	—	6	Gold	Gold	—	Silver
1995	26	8	—	—	12	5	—	—	4
1997	28	Silver	—	—	Silver	Silver	Silver	—	4
1999	30	8	—	—	Gold	Gold	13	—	Silver
2001	32	—	4	—	4	8	CNX[a]	—	Bronze

a. ¹ Cancelled due to extremely cold weather.

World Cup

Season titles

• 1 title – (1 sprint)

Season
	Discipline
1997	Sprint

Season standings

Season	Age
		Overall	Long Distance	Middle Distance	Sprint
1989	20	13	—	—	—
1990	21	8	—	—	—
1991	22		—	—	—
1992	23		—	—	—
1993	24		—	—	—
1994	25	4	—	—	—
1995	26	7	—	—	—
1996	27	6	—	—	—
1997	28			—
1998	29			—
1999	30			—	5
2000	31	6	7		37
2001	32	4	—	—	7
2002	33		—	—	NC

Individual podiums

• 23 victories
• 66 podiums

No.	Season	Date	Location	Race	Level	Place
1	1989–90	10 December 1989	Soldier Hollow, United States	15 km Individual F	World Cup	1st
2	1990–91	8 December 1990	Tauplitzalm, Austria	10 km + 15 km Pursuit C/F	World Cup	1st
3		20 December 1990	Les Saisies, France	5 km + 10 km Pursuit C/F	World Cup	2nd
4		8 February 1991	Val di Fiemme, Italy	15 km Individual C	World Championships[1]	3rd
5	1991–92	7 December 1991	Silver Star, Canada	5 km Individual C	World Cup	2nd
6		8 December 1991		10 km Pursuit C	World Cup	1st
7		8 December 1991	Cogne, Italy	30 km Individual F	World Cup	1st
8		15 February 1992	Albertville, France	10 km Pursuit F	Olympic Games[1]	2nd
9		21 February 1992		30 km Individual F	Olympic Games[1]	1st
10		1 March 1992	Lahti, Finland	30 km Individual C	World Cup	1st
11		14 March 1992	Vang, Norway	15 km Individual F	World Cup	3rd
12	1992–93	9 January 1993	Ulrichen, Switzerland	10 km Individual C	World Cup	3rd
13		16 January 1993	Cogne, Italy	10 km Individual F	World Cup	1st
14		23 February 1993	Falun, Sweden	10 km Pursuit F	World Championships[1]	1st
15		27 February 1993		30 km Individual F	World Championships[1]	1st
16		6 March 1993	Lahti, Finland	5 km Individual F	World Cup	3rd
17	1993–94	11 December 1993	Santa Caterina, Italy	5 km Individual C	World Cup	3rd
18		18 December 1993	Davos, Switzerland	10 km Individual F	World Cup	2nd
19		17 February 1994	Lillehammer, Norway	10 km Pursuit F	Olympic Games[1]	3rd
20		6 March 1994	Lahti, Finland	30 km Individual F	World Cup	3rd
21	1994–95	7 January 1995	Östersund, Sweden	30 km Individual F	World Cup	2nd
22	1995–96	29 November 1995	Gällivare, Sweden	10 km Individual F	World Cup	1st
23		9 January 1996	Štrbské Pleso, Slovakia	30 km Individual F	World Cup	3rd
24		2 February 1996	Seefeld, Austria	5 km Individual F	World Cup	2nd
25		2 March 1996	Lahti, Finland	10 km Individual F	World Cup	2nd
26	1996–97	23 November 1996	Kiruna, Sweden	5 km Individual F	World Cup	2nd
27		7 December 1996	Davos, Switzerland	10 km Individual C	World Cup	1st
28		14 December 1996	Brusson, Italy	15 km Individual F	World Cup	1st
29		11 January 1997	Hakuba, Japan	5 km Individual C	World Cup	1st
30		12 January 1997		10 km Pursuit F	World Cup	1st
31		18 January 1997	Lahti, Finland	15 km Individual C	World Cup	3rd
32		21 February 1997	Trondheim, Norway	15 km Individual F	World Championships[1]	2nd
33		23 February 1997		5 km Individual C	World Championships[1]	2nd
34		24 February 1997		10 km Pursuit F	World Championships[1]	2nd
35		1 March 1997		30 km Individual C	World Championships[1]	2nd
36		8 March 1997	Falun, Sweden	5 km Individual F	World Cup	2nd
37		15 March 1997	Oslo, Norway	30 km Individual F	World Cup	1st
38	1997–98	16 December 1997	Val di Fiemme, Italy	15 km Individual F	World Cup	3rd
39		4 January 1998	Kavgolovo, Russia	10 km Individual F	World Cup	2nd
40		11 January 1998	Ramsau, Austria	10 km Pursuit F	World Cup	1st
41		7 March 1998	Lahti, Finland	15 km Individual F	World Cup	1st
42		11 March 1998	Falun, Sweden	5 km Individual F	World Cup	2nd
43	1998–99	28 November 1998	Muonio, Finland	5 km Individual F	World Cup	2nd
44		12 January 1999	Nové Město, Czech Republic	15 km Individual F	World Cup	2nd
45		14 February 1999	Seefeld, Austria	5 km Individual F	World Cup	3rd
46		19 February 1999	Ramsau, Austria	15 km Individual F	World Championships[1]	1st
47		23 February 1999		10 km Pursuit F	World Championships[1]	1st
48		20 March 1999	Oslo, Norway	30 km Individual C	World Cup	3rd
49	1999–00	2 February 2000	Trondheim, Norway	5 km Individual F	World Cup	1st
50		16 February 2000	Ulrichen, Switzerland	5 km Individual F	World Cup	2nd
51		20 February 2000	Transjurassienne, France	44 km Mass Start F	World Cup	1st
52		26 February 2000	Falun, Sweden	10 km Individual F	World Cup	2nd
53		18 March 2000	Bormio, Italy	10 km Pursuit F	World Cup	2nd
54	2000–01	25 November 2000	Beitostølen, Norway	10 km Individual C	World Cup	3rd
55		29 November 2000		5 km Individual F	World Cup	2nd
56		8 December 2000	Santa Caterina, Italy	10 km Individual F	World Cup	2nd
57		29 December 2000	Engelberg, Switzerland	1.0 km Sprint F	World Cup	3rd
58		10 January 2001	Soldier Hollow, United States	5 km + 5 km Pursuit	World Cup	3rd
59		4 March 2001	Kavgolovo, Russia	15 km Individual F	World Cup	3rd
60	2001–02	12 December 2001	Brusson, Italy	10 km Individual F	World Cup	2nd
61		15 December 2001	Davos, Switzerland	10 km Individual C	World Cup	3rd
62		22 December 2001	Ramsau, Austria	15 km Mass Start F	World Cup	2nd
63		12 January 2002	Nové Město, Czech Republic	5 km Individual F	World Cup	3rd
64		2 March 2002	Lahti, Finland	10 km Individual F	World Cup	2nd
65		9 March 2002	Falun, Sweden	5 km + 5 km Pursuit C/F	World Cup	1st
66		16 March 2002	Oslo, Norway	30 km Individual F	World Cup	1st

Team podiums

• 4 victories – (22 RL, 5 TS)
• 27 podiums – (24 RL, 4 TS)

No.	Season	Date	Location	Race	Level	Place	Teammate(s)
1	1990–91	15 February 1991	Val di Fiemme, Italy	4 × 5 km Relay C/F	World Championships[1]	2nd	Vanzetta / Di Centa / Paruzzi
2	1991–92	18 February 1992	Albertville, France	4 × 5 km Relay C/F	Olympic Games[1]	3rd	Vanzetta / Di Centa / Paruzzi
3	1992–93	26 February 1993	Falun, Sweden	4 × 5 km Relay C/F	World Championships[1]	2nd	Vanzetta / Di Centa / Paruzzi
4	1993–94	22 February 1994	Lillehammer, Norway	4 × 5 km Relay C/F	Olympic Games[1]	3rd	Vanzetta / Di Centa / Paruzzi
5	1994–95	7 February 1995	Hamar, Norway	4 × 3 km Relay F	World Cup	3rd	Valbusa / Dal Sasso / Paluselli
6	1995–96	17 December 1995	Santa Caterina, Italy	4 × 5 km Relay C	World Cup	2nd	Paluselli / Paruzzi / Di Centa
7		14 January 1996	Nové Město, Czech Republic	4 × 5 km Relay C	World Cup	3rd	Paluselli / Paruzzi / Di Centa
8		3 February 1996	Seefeld, Austria	6 × 1.5 km Team Sprint F	World Cup	1st	Di Centa
9		10 March 1996	Falun, Sweden	4 × 5 km Relay C/F	World Cup	3rd	Giacomuzzi / Di Centa / Dal Sasso
10	1996–97	15 December 1996	Brusson, Italy	4 × 5 km Relay F	World Cup	3rd	Paruzzi / Valbusa / Dal Sasso
11		19 January 1997	Lahti, Finland	8 × 1.5 km Team Sprint F	World Cup	1st	Valbusa
12		16 March 1997	Oslo, Norway	4 × 5 km Relay F	World Cup	3rd	Paruzzi / Peyrot / Valbusa
13	1997–98	23 November 1997	Beitostølen, Norway	4 × 5 km Relay C	World Cup	3rd	Moroder / Valbusa / Paruzzi
14		7 December 1997	Santa Caterina, Italy	4 × 5 km Relay F	World Cup	3rd	Paruzzi / Moroder / Valbusa
15		14 December 1997	Val di Fiemme, Italy	4 × 5 km Relay F	World Cup	2nd	Paruzzi / Di Centa / Valbusa
16	1998–99	29 November 1998	Muonio, Finland	4 × 5 km Relay F	World Cup	2nd	Moroder / Paruzzi / Valbusa
17		20 December 1998	Davos, Switzerland	4 × 5 km Relay C/F	World Cup	2nd	Paruzzi / Confortola / Valbusa
18		10 January 1999	Nové Město, Czech Republic	4 × 5 km Relay C/F	World Cup	3rd	Paruzzi / Confortola / Valbusa
19		26 February 1999	Ramsau, Austria	4 × 5 km Relay C/F	World Championships[1]	2nd	Valbusa / Paruzzi / Confortola
20		14 March 1999	Falun, Sweden	4 × 5 km Relay C/F	World Cup	3rd	Valbusa / Paruzzi / Confortola
21	1999–00	8 December 1999	Asiago, Italy	Team Sprint F	World Cup	2nd	Moroder
22		27 February 2000	Falun, Sweden	4 × 5 km Relay F	World Cup	3rd	Paruzzi / Valbusa / Confortola
23	2000–01	13 December 2000	Clusone, Italy	6 × 1.5 km Team Sprint F	World Cup	2nd	Valbusa
24		13 January 2001	Soldier Hollow, United States	4 × 5 km Relay C/F	World Cup	1st	Valbusa / Paruzzi / Paluselli
25	2001–02	16 December 2001	Davos, Switzerland	4 × 5 km Relay C/F	World Cup	3rd	Paluselli / Paruzzi / Follis
26		2 March 2002	Lahti, Finland	4 × 1.5 km Team Sprint F	World Cup	3rd	Philippot
27		10 March 2002	Falun, Sweden	4 × 5 km Relay C/F	World Cup	1st	Valbusa / Paruzzi / Paluselli

Note: ¹ Until the 1999 World Championships and the 1994 Olympics, World Championship and Olympic races were included in the World Cup scoring system.

See also

• List of multiple Winter Olympic medalists
• Italian sportswomen multiple medalists at Olympics and World Championships

References

1. "Belmondo bows out on a high". olympics.com. 9 February 2002. Retrieved 30 August 2024.
2. "Olympic flame lit over Turin as Winter Games begin". www.chinadaily.com.cn. Retrieved 2024-08-30.
3. "Meet Marit Bjoergen, now the most decorated female athlete in Winter Olympics history". USA TODAY. Retrieved 2024-08-30.
4. Hastings, Deborah. "Benvenuto!". The Herald-Times. Retrieved 2024-08-30.
5. "Belmondo opens Europe's medal rush". 2002-02-09. Retrieved 2024-08-30.
6. "Trondheim (NOR) 1997 World Ski Championships - Podium". fis-ski.com. Archived from the original on 23 January 2013. Retrieved 5 May 2012.
7. "Trondheim (NOR) 1997 World Ski Championships - Results". fis-ski.com. Archived from the original on 23 January 2013. Retrieved 5 May 2012.
8. "Games officially opened". www.eurosport.com. 2 October 2006. Retrieved 30 August 2024.
9. "Belmondo a no-go for Turin". www.eurosport.com. 15 September 2005. Retrieved 30 August 2024.
10. "BELMONDO Stefania". FIS-Ski. International Ski Federation. Archived from the original on 6 August 2024. Retrieved 21 December 2019.

External links

• Stefania Belmondo at FIS (alpine)
• Stefania Belmondo at FIS (cross-country)
• Stefania Belmondo at Olympics.com
• Stefania Belmondo at Olympedia
• Stefania Belmondo at the Chinese Olympic Committee (archived)
• Official website
• Holmenkollen medalists – click Holmenkollmedaljen for downloadable pdf file
• Holmenkollen winners since 1892 – click Vinnere for downloadable pdf file