Austrian ski racer Stephan Eberharter will be a key speaker at the 10th-annual wellness+Summit'>Global Wellness Summit being held in Kitzbühel, Tyrol, Austria from October 17-19.

Born in Brixlegg, Tyrol, Eberharter is a four-time Olympic medalist (a gold, two silvers, and a bronze at Nagano, 1998 and Salt Lake City, 2002); three-time world champion in the Super-G and Combined (1991, 2003); and overall World Cup winner (i.e., the “best ski racer in the world”) for both 2002 and 2003. Across his 14-year career he accumulated the 5th-most medals for Alpine Skiing in Olympic history, and won 29 World Cup races. And he brings a personal connection to the GWS: 2016 Summit Co-Chair Dr Franz Linser was his coach from 1989-2002, when he became champion of the world.

Eberharter will lead Summit delegates to the top of Kitzbühel’s Hahnenkamm mountain for lunch and a unique networking event on Tuesday, October 18. Hahnenkamm, a stop on the annual World Cup ski races (the Hahnenkammrennen), is also home to the most challenging downhill slope (the Streif) on the entire circuit, where Eberharter flew to one of the most impressive victories in skiing history: destroying the course record (and his opponents) in 2004, with a perfect 80-mile-per-hour ride.

Eberharter overcame many obstacles, with a career that was essentially “written twice”: after becoming world champion at age 21, he then suffered five disappointing years, but refused to give up, staging an amazing comeback in 1997.

His keynote will focus on how to “think like a winner” by cultivating mental toughness, from why the "fun factor" needs to be a key element in professional motivation, to the crucial questions you need to ask in times of crisis, to why resilience and openness to change is the path to success.

“It’s hard to comprehend just how dominant Austria is in ski racing (their 114 Olympic medals represent twice as many as their closest rival, Switzerland, with 59) – and we’re thrilled to have Stephan, one of skiing’s true giants and a lifelong wellness advocate, inspire our delegates,” said Susie Ellis, GWS chairman and CEO. “The afternoon spent with him on top of Hahnenkamm mountain, where delegates will take in fresh Alpine air and fresh ideas through a networking event, is an example of just how unique our conference is: we aim for keynotes that excite, and we give our delegates access to the speakers whenever possible. Being able to talk with Stephan atop the mountain he conquered will be a real thrill for us all.”

Delegates to the Summit will also hear from numerous pioneers in medical wellness, including Henri Chenot, founder of the Chenot Group, which operates wellness centres around the world based on the Chenot Method, and is the author of several books on health and wellness; Dr. Christian Harisch, CEO and owner of Lanserhof Group in Austria; Dr. Harald Stossier, Director of the Viva Mayr Medical Clinic in Austria; and Dr. Harald F. König from Brenners Park Hotel and spa.