Ciril Praček

Slovenian Alpine skier Ciril Praček represented Yugoslavia at two Olympic Games on either side of World War II. Praček was a multi-time national skiing champion and a skilled mountaineer. After graduating from the Faculty of Philosophy and Economics in Ljubljana he became a bookkeeper, a job he did until he retired many years later. After winning multiple skiing titles he became a member of the Yugoslav national skiing team in 1931, which saw him compete at five world championships from 1933 to 1939. In 1936 Praček competed in the combined event at the Garmisch-Partenkirchen Olympics, finishing 15th. After the war he returned to the Olympics for the 1948 Games in St. Moritz but only managed to finish 71st in the downhill.

Praček retired from competitions but remained active in the sport as a coach. As a member of the Association of Ski Trainers, Teachers and Trainers he was still coaching athletes well into his later life, including Alenka Dovžan, who won bronze at the 1994 Lillehammer Olympics. As a mountaineer Praček made more than 300 successful ascents and worked for the Mountain Rescue Service for more than 50 years.