The Guss’ family has a long history in the Australian Alps. Marilla’s uncle Simon Brown became the first Olympian in the family when he competed in the Downhill event at Innsbruck 1964, paving the way for siblings Antony (Lake Placid 1980), Marilla and Alistair (Sarajevo 1984). 

Marilla’s father was head of the Victorian Ski Association and Mt Buller Race Club in the Seventies. Their parents’ involvement, dedication and effort to further local ski racing were crucial to the development of the Guss’ siblings.

Guss remembers a very informal atmosphere around ski racing and training when she was growing up. When her older brother Antony started gate training with Mt Buller Race Club, she and her younger brother Alistair used to often spend the day watching the ‘big kids’ training, then duck into the slalom or GS courses for fun. 

When training became more serious, American coach Mike Porter from Vail, Colorado, was amongst those who stood out the most in terms of providing support and technique education. Success in the Australian season soon became pretty consistent for Guss. One day at a FIS Giant Slalom race, in Thredbo, Guss managed to impress some foreign coaches who were visiting, putting herself on the map and leaving them wondering who that talented Australian teenager was. 

Guss went on a straight trajectory towards selection for the 1984 Australian Olympic team. After significant weather delays, the Women’s Downhill was eventually run under a slight snowfall and freezing temperatures. Guss managed to pull a blazing race before a protest by one of the favourites, who had crashed during their run, prompted the race jury to stop and restart the event. Guss had to produce a second run which didn’t produce equally stellar results. She eventually finished in 28th place, a result which didn’t take anything away from the unforgettable experience of being an Olympian and sharing such a special time with her brother. 

Guss always made a point of ‘leaving it all out there’ when racing, and was constantly seeking to learn from the best ski racers. One of them was two-time World Champion and Olympic medalist Steve Podborski from Canada - a friend who always took time to support Guss during difficult times.

Guss raced the Australian season for a year after the 1984 Olympics. She was then elated to experience her first summer after training and competing for 19 straight winters, between domestic and international seasons. She completed her studies and went off to work in London and New York in wholesale banking, finding time to give birth to beautiful twins, in 2000. She admits to being still besotted with skiing and whenever possible spends every weekend and holiday in the Australian Alps and beyond. After years of discipline, she confesses to be as much as a powder-hound as any other ‘ski nut’.