The “Herminator” calls it a day

14th October 2009, by Chris Gill

It's tough at the top

World Cup and Olympic ski champion Hermann Maier has announced his retirement from the sport, citing physical problems as the reason.

The Austrian broke the news at a press conference in Vienna, ending a remarkable 14-year career in competitive ski racing.

“I gave it a lot of thought but decided spontaneously that now is the best time for retirement. I am healthy now and that’s the way I want to live on,” said Maier 36.

A serious motorcycle accident almost cut short Maier’s career in 2001, but he made an astonishing comeback two years later and went on to clinch further victories on the World Cup circuit in super-G and downhill. His last win was the super-G in Lake Louise in November 2008.

With the new ski season just weeks away, the ‘Herminator’ will be sorely missed on the racing circuit.

Maier’s best:

• Two Olympic gold medals – won in Nagano, Japan (1998)

• Silver and bronze medals in Turin (2006)

• Four overall World Cup Champion crowns

• 54 World Cup titles

• world cup
• herminator
• maier

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