Maya Pedersen-Bieri
Encyclopedia
Maya Pedersen-Bieri (born 27 November 1972 in Spiez
) is a Swiss
skeleton racer
who has competed since 1995. She won the gold medal in the women's skeleton event at the 2006 Winter Olympics
in Turin
.
She is one of the most successful skeleton athletes in the world. Pedersen-Bieri won the FIBT World Championships
in the women's skeleton event in 2001
and 2005
, and earned two medals at the 2007 FIBT World Championships
in St. Moritz
with a silver in the women's skeleton and a bronze in the mixed bobsleigh-skeleton team event. Pedersen-Bieri also won a silver in the mixed team event at the 2009 championships
.
Pedersen-Bieri was also European champion in 2006 (in St. Moritz
). She won the women's overall Skeleton World Cup in 1997-8.
Pedersen-Bieri also finished fifth in the women's skeleton event at the 2002 Winter Olympics
in Salt Lake City.
Born in Spiez
, Switzerland, Pedersen-Bieri is married to Snorre Pedersen
(who is her trainer), has two children, one of whom is a daughter, and lives in Øyer
near Lillehammer
, Norway
. She returned to competition for the 2008-09 Skeleton World Cup after sitting out the 2007-08 season
to maternity leave. She finished third in her return at the 2008-09 event in Altenberg
, Germany
on December 5, 2008.
Pedersen-Bieri also qualified for the 2010 Winter Olympics
, finishing ninth.
Spiez
Spiez is a city in the Frutigen-Niedersimmental administrative district in the canton of Bern in Switzerland.-Geography:Spiez has an area of . Of this area, 38.5% is used for agricultural purposes, while 29.1% is forested...
) is a Swiss
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
skeleton racer
Skeleton (sport)
Skeleton is a fast winter sliding sport in which an individual person rides a small sled down a frozen track while lying face down, during which athletes experience forces up to 5g. It originated in St. Moritz, Switzerland as a spin-off from the popular British sport of Cresta Sledding...
who has competed since 1995. She won the gold medal in the women's skeleton event at the 2006 Winter Olympics
2006 Winter Olympics
The 2006 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XX Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated in Turin, Italy from February 10, 2006, through February 26, 2006. This marked the second time Italy hosted the Olympic Winter Games, the first being the VII Olympic Winter...
in Turin
Turin
Turin is a city and major business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River and surrounded by the Alpine arch. The population of the city proper is 909,193 while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat...
.
She is one of the most successful skeleton athletes in the world. Pedersen-Bieri won the FIBT World Championships
FIBT World Championships
The FIBT World Championships, part of the Fédération Internationale de Bobsleigh et de Tobogganing , have taken place on an annual basis in non-Winter Olympic years since 1930. A two-man event was included in 1931 with a combined championship occurring in 1947...
in the women's skeleton event in 2001
FIBT World Championships 2001
The FIBT World Championships 2001 took place in St. Moritz, Switzerland and Calgary, Alberta, Canada...
and 2005
FIBT World Championships 2005
The FIBT World Championships 2005 took place in Calgary, Alberta, Canada for the fourth time, doing so previously in 1992 , 1996, and 2001 .-Two man:-Four man:-Two woman:-Men:-Women:...
, and earned two medals at the 2007 FIBT World Championships
FIBT World Championships 2007
The FIBT World Championships 2007 took place in St. Moritz, Switzerland for the record twenty-first time, doing so previously in 1931 , 1935 , 1937 , 1938 , 1939 , 1947, 1955, 1957, 1959, 1965, 1970, 1974, 1977, 1982, 1987, 1989 , 1990 , 1997 , 1998 , and 2001...
in St. Moritz
St. Moritz
St. Moritz is a resort town in the Engadine valley in Switzerland. It is a municipality in the district of Maloja in the Swiss canton of Graubünden...
with a silver in the women's skeleton and a bronze in the mixed bobsleigh-skeleton team event. Pedersen-Bieri also won a silver in the mixed team event at the 2009 championships
FIBT World Championships 2009
The FIBT World Championships 2009, officially known as the Bauhaus FIBT Bobsleigh & Skeleton World Championships, 20 February to 1 March 2009 at the bobsleigh, luge, and skeleton track in Lake Placid, New York for the ninth time, doing so previously in 1949, 1961, 1969, 1973, 1978, 1983, 1997 , and...
.
Pedersen-Bieri was also European champion in 2006 (in St. Moritz
St. Moritz
St. Moritz is a resort town in the Engadine valley in Switzerland. It is a municipality in the district of Maloja in the Swiss canton of Graubünden...
). She won the women's overall Skeleton World Cup in 1997-8.
Pedersen-Bieri also finished fifth in the women's skeleton event at the 2002 Winter Olympics
2002 Winter Olympics
The 2002 Winter Olympics, officially the XIX Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event that was celebrated in February 2002 in and around Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. Approximately 2,400 athletes from 77 nations participated in 78 events in fifteen disciplines, held throughout...
in Salt Lake City.
Born in Spiez
Spiez
Spiez is a city in the Frutigen-Niedersimmental administrative district in the canton of Bern in Switzerland.-Geography:Spiez has an area of . Of this area, 38.5% is used for agricultural purposes, while 29.1% is forested...
, Switzerland, Pedersen-Bieri is married to Snorre Pedersen
Snorre Pedersen
Snorre Pedersen is a Norwegian skeleton racer who competed from 1997 to 2005. He finished 14th in the men's skeleton event at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City....
(who is her trainer), has two children, one of whom is a daughter, and lives in Øyer
Øyer
Øyer is a municipality in Oppland county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Gudbrandsdal. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Tingberg....
near Lillehammer
Lillehammer
is a town and municipality in Oppland county, Norway, globally known for hosting the 1994 Winter Olympics. It is part of the traditional region of Gudbrandsdal. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Lillehammer. As of May 2011, the population of the town of Lillehammer was...
, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
. She returned to competition for the 2008-09 Skeleton World Cup after sitting out the 2007-08 season
2007-08 Skeleton World Cup
The 2007–2008 Skeleton World Cup is a multi race tournament over a season for skeleton. The season started on 26 November 2007 and ended on 24 February 2008. The World Cup is organised by the FIBT who also run world cups and championships in bobsleigh....
to maternity leave. She finished third in her return at the 2008-09 event in Altenberg
Altenberg bobsleigh, luge, and skeleton track
The Altenberg bobsleigh, luge, and skeleton track is a venue for bobsleigh, luge and skeleton located in Altenberg, Germany.-History:Altenberg raced bobsleigh as early as 1908 on a natural track going downhill. By the late 1970s, the East Germans who were already successful in luge, began getting...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
on December 5, 2008.
Pedersen-Bieri also qualified for the 2010 Winter Olympics
2010 Winter Olympics
The 2010 Winter Olympics, officially the XXI Olympic Winter Games or the 21st Winter Olympics, were a major international multi-sport event held from February 12–28, 2010, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, with some events held in the suburbs of Richmond, West Vancouver and the University...
, finishing ninth.