Zali STEGGALL

Although born in Australia Zali Steggall spent most of her childhood in France, was a member of the French junior ski team and won a European age-group championship.

After returning to Australia at the age of fifteen she became a part of the national team and made her Olympic debut at the age of seventeen in Albertville. Improving steadily she recorded her first FIS World Cup top ten finish in 1996 and in December 1997 in Park City, Utah, USA she posted her first victory which was the first World Cup victory by any Australian. Her form over the previous few races meant she was amongst the favourites for the Olympic slalom title and she did indeed become to first Australian to win an Olympic skiing medal placing third on Mount Yakebitai. The highlight of her career came in 1999 when she won the slalom at the World Championships in Vail, Colarado but her performances dipped in subsequent seasons and she retired after a disappointing 2002 Olympic Games.

Steggall came from a sporting family as her brother Zeke was Australia’s first Olympic snowboarder and her grandfather, Jack Steggal, represented Australia at rugby. She married fellow Olympic skier David Cameron but the marriage did not last.