Lise-Marie Morerod
A Swiss slalom specialist whose explosive 1977 season redefined dominance in women's alpine skiing.
Born 1956 (age 70)·Swiss alpine skier·Birthday: April 16·Baby Boomers
Biography
Lise-Marie Morerod emerged from the quiet village of Les Diablerets to become a force of nature on the World Cup circuit in the mid-1970s. Her style was one of aggressive precision, particularly in the technical events of slalom and giant slalom. The 1977 season was her masterpiece; she didn't just win races, she collected them, securing the overall World Cup title in a commanding fashion that left little room for competition. While injuries curtailed what many believed would be a longer reign at the top, her brief, brilliant peak established a new benchmark for technical skiing excellence. Morerod's legacy is that of a comet—a dazzling, intense burst of talent that forever altered the trajectory of her sport.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Lise-Marie was born in 1956, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Lise-Marie Was Born
The biggest hits of 1956
#1 Movie
The Ten Commandments
Best Picture
Around the World in 80 Days
#1 TV Show
I Love Lucy
Lise-Marie's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1956Born
Elvis Presley appears on The Ed Sullivan Show
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $10,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Heartbreak Hotel" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: Around the World in 80 Days
1961Started school
Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human in space
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,500Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Tossin' and Turnin'" — Bobby LewisBest Picture: West Side Story
1969Became a teenager
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1972Could drive
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1974Could vote
Nixon resigns the presidency
Gas: $0.53/galHome: $22,600Min wage: $2.00/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"The Way We Were" — Barbra StreisandBest Picture: The Godfather Part II
1977Turned 21
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1986Turned 30
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1996Turned 40
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
2006Turned 50
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2016Turned 60
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2026Turned 70
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the overall Women's Alpine Skiing World Cup title in 1977.
- Secured the World Cup slalom discipline title in 1977.
- Earned the World Cup giant slalom discipline title in 1977.
- Captured seven World Cup race victories in her championship 1977 season.
Did You Know?
Her younger sister, Christine, also became a World Cup alpine skier.
She worked as a ski instructor in her hometown of Les Diablerets after her racing career.
Morerod won her first World Cup race in 1976 in Berchtesgaden, West Germany.
“On the mountain, there is only the next gate and the line to take.”
