Karen Putzer superbly proved during the 1999/2000 season that she has the guts and the talent to become one the leaders of the next generation of Italian skiers in giant slalom and Super-G. A four-time junior World Champion in 1996 and 1997 in GS, Super-G and combined, Karen reached her first podium in January 1998 when she was 3rd in Super-G at Cortina d'Ampezzo. It's also in this specialty that she won her first World Cup race, at St Moritz but she showed more consistency in GS. Finishing 9 times among the top-15, she was twice 2nd on gliding courses in Copper Mountain and Berchtesgaden. In Germany, she missed another success by only 2/100 of a second against Austria's Michaela Dorfmeister after a clear domination in the first leg of the race.

At the end of the season, she was a encouraging 6th in the finals GS standings. In Super-G she reached the 13th place.

A rather quiet person off course, she remains very much under control on the slopes, training to gain time with her very fluid and precise style. Trained by her father Adolf a ski instructor, until 1993, she was afterwards inspired by the models of great stars such as her teammates Deborah Compagnoni and Alberto Tomba or the great Marc Girardelli.

In fact, as Marc, Karen likes to compete in all events but she hasn't scored top-results in downhill and slalom. It's part of her plans for the coming seasons.