Visually impaired Vivian Hoesch, Germany places on her headphones and prepares to shoot in biathlon.

Vivian Hosch

Nordic Skiing

Germany’s Vivian Hoesch is relishing the chance to compete on home snow in 2017 when the World Para Nordic Skiing Championships come to Finsterau.

Last season she reached the World Cup top three for the first time, following on from a successful World Championships in 2015 where she won her first medal.

Alongside guide Florian Schillinger, Hoesch has really come of age since making her international debut in the 2009-10 season.

In the early stages of her career she was named Sportswoman of the Year in Baden and Freiburg in 2008 and 2011 respectively.

Her idol is German tennis player Boris Becker and away from the trails, Hoesch enjoys playing piano, travelling and listening to music.

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Biography

Impairment information

Type of Impairment

Vision impairment

Origin of Impairment

Congenital

Classification

Guide

Florian Grimm

Further personal information

Residence

Freiburg, GER

Occupation

Administrator

Languages

English, French, German

Higher education

Psychology - SRH Riedlingen: Germany

Sport specific information

When and where did you begin this sport?

She took up the sport in 2006 in Freiburg, Germany.

Why this sport?

She was inspired after watching the 2006 Paralympic Winter Games in Turin. "It's fun to climb mountains and enjoy the descent afterwards. When you are training with teammates and enjoying nature, fresh air and the snow, it gives a wonderful feeling."

Club / Team

Ring der Korperbehinderten Freiburg: Germany

Name of coach

Ralf Rombach [national], GER

International debut

Year

2008

Competing for

Germany

Tournament

World Cup

Location

Oberstdorf, GER

General interest

Memorable sporting achievement

Winning a bronze medal at the 2015 World Championships in Cable, WI, United States of America. (Athlete, 08 Mar 2018)

Hero / Idol

German biathlete Magdalena Neuner. (Athlete, 08 Mar 2018)

Injuries

She underwent knee surgery before returning to competition in the 2019/20 season. (vivian-hoesch.de, 01 Jan 2020)

Persistent health problems kept her out of the 2016/17 season. (freiburger-wochenbericht.de, 20 Dec 2017; sportschau.de, 18 Dec 2017)

Sporting philosophy / motto

"Biathlon and cross-country skiing give me a sense of achievement and happiness, that I've accomplished something while being active. It also gives me the opportunity to show that despite a disability everything is possible." (ring-freiburg.de, 03 Dec 2012)

Awards and honours

She was named the 2011 Sportswoman of the Year in Freiburg, Germany. (badische-zeitung.de, 04 Mar 2012)

She was named the 2008 Sportswoman of the Year in Baden, Germany. (weg-freiburg.de, 03 Dec 2012)

Other sports

She competed in both biathlon and cross-country skiing at the 2014 Paralympic Winter Games in Sochi. (SportsDeskOnline, 25 Nov 2021)

Ambitions

To compete at the 2022 Paralympic Winter Games in Beijing. (Instagram team profile, 21 Nov 2021)

Impairment

She was born with a visual impairment that resulted in complete blindness from age nine. (Athlete, 08 Mar 2018; peterstaler.de, 01 Apr 2011)

Results

		Unit	Date	Rank

Paralympic Winter Games 2014 (Sochi, Russia)
Event	Unit	Date	Rank
Women's 6 km Visually Impaired	Final Round	2014-03-08	5
Women's 1 km Sprint Visually Impaired	Semifinal	2014-03-12	5
Women's 12.5 km Visually Impaired	Final Round	2014-03-14	9999
Women's 5 km Visually Impaired	Final Round	2014-03-16	6

2015 IPC Nordic Skiing World Championships Cable (Cable, United States of America)
Event	Unit	Date	Rank
Women's Short Distance VI	Race 1	2015-01-24	3
Women's Middle Distance VI	Race 1	2015-01-27	5
Women's Sprint - Classic VI	Race 1	2015-01-28	4
Women's Long Distance VI	Race 1	2015-01-30	5
Women's Middle Distance - Classic VI	Race 1	2015-01-31	7

Pyeongchang 2018 Paralympic Winter Games (Pyeongchang, South Korea)
Event	Medal	Unit	Date	Rank
Women's 6km Visual Impaired		Final	2018-03-10	7

Vivian Hosch

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