Ottavio Compagnoni

Ottavio Compagnoni captured his only Italian national title in cross-country skiing in 1950, when he won the 50 kilometers. During the course of his career, however, he was runner-up five times: once in the 30 kilometers in 1959 and four times in the 15 kilometers in 1953, 1955, 1956, and 1958. He was also third in the latter event in 1957. He made his international début at the 1952 Oslo Olympics, where he was 36th in the 18 kilometers. His next stop was the 1954 World Championships, where he was fifth in the 4x10 kilometer relay, a feat that he would repeat at the 1958 edition.

Compagnoni attended two more Olympics, with his most successful being 1956 in Cortina d’Ampezzo, where he was 11th in the 15 kilometers and also competed in the 30 kilometers individually. He was again fifth in the 4x10 kilometers relay at those Games, alongside Pompeo Fattor, Innocenzo Chatrian, and Federico De Florian. He retired shortly from active competition after the 1960 Squaw Valley Olympics, where he was 17th in the 30 kilometers. His brother Severino represented Italy in cross-country skiing at the 1948 and 1952 Winter Games, while another brother, Aristide, took part in the military ski patrol demonstration event in 1948.