Maria Grazia Marchelli

Born in Genova, Maria Grazia Marchelli moved to Cortina d’Ampezzo where her family had taken refuge during World War II after the first air raids. A precocious talent, in 1950 she won the downhill in Grindelwald and also won her first Italian title. She twice competed at the Winter Olympics but finished only one race, the giant slalom in her hometown of Cortina. In the last seasons of her career, she struggled, apart from winning the 1953 Grindelwald.

After the retirement from racing, Marchelli became a journalist, collaborating with some newspapers and after founding and directed the magazines Sci, Sci fondo, and Jogging. She later left journalism and worked as a travel agent in Northern Africa (Libya and Egypt).