Austrian Ski Great Hermann Maier Retires
The 2010 Winter Olympics Will Miss the 14 Year Ski Veteran
Oct 13, 2009
The sudden retirement of Hermann Maier just months before the 2010 Winter Olympics leaves a void in the skiing disciplines. The 'Herminator' announced his decision at a press conference in Vienna, Austria. Maier had been a late bloomer in the world of skiing, only making the Austrian team at age 23. But once he got there, he was unstoppable. His last victory came on Canadian soil in a super-G at Lake Louise in November 2008.
Maier's career victories are surpassed only by Swedish ski legend, Ingemar Stenmark, and his resilience and courage perhaps unsurpassed. A motorcycle accident in 2001 almost resulted in a lower limb amputation. Doctors inserted a foot-long titanium rod and screws to hold the leg together. The two year recovery process did not phase Maier and he came back to win the overall and Super-G World Cup titles in 2004. That comeback earned him the Laureus World Sports Award for 'Comeback of the Year'. The accident was also the principal inspiration for his book, 'Hermann Maier: The Race of My Life'.
His courage to come back after the motorcyle was a good example of Maier's ability to return to his best after a setback. In the 1998 Nagano Olympics, he went off course during the downhill and went through two safety fences. He came back to win gold in both the super-G and giant slalom events.
His overall victories are too numerous to list. Maier had a total of 54 World Cup victories and four overall World Cup titles - here are some of the highlights in major competitions.
Maier's Record in Olympics
- 1998 Nagano Olympics Men's Super-G - Gold
- 1998 Nagano Olympics Men's Giant Slalom - Gold
- 2006 Torino Olympics Men's Super-G - Silver
- 2006 Torino Olympics Giant Slalom - Silver
Maier's World Championship Results
- 1999 Vail Downhill - Gold
- 1999 Vail Super-G - Gold
- 2001 St. Anton Downhill - Silver
- 2001 St. Anton Super-G - Bronze
- 2003 St. Moritz Super-G - Silver
- 2005 Bormio Giant Slalom - Gold
Austrian Ski Team Without Maier and Goetschl
Maier's retirement announcement was preceded in August by the retirement of Renate Goetschl, another Austrian medal hope for the 2010 Games. She retired due to pregnancy and creates another void in the Olympic aspirations of the Austrians. Goetschl won a silver and a bronze medal in the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics. She is third all-time among women in World Cup wins and in her career she totalled over 100 podium finishes.
Austrian Ski Team Trains at Sun Peaks
The Austrian Ski team recently arrived at Sun Peaks Resort in Kamloops, British Columbia to prepare for the 2010 Winter Olympics. The team has been using this resort as a training base since 2005. Even without the two retired greats, the team practicing at Sun Peaks has a number of Olympic contenders.
2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics
Benjamin Raich, Nicole Hosp and Michael Walchhofer will be among the Austrians hoping to make the podium in 2010. Raich and Walchhofer both finished in the top ten World Cup standings in 2008-09. The Austrian women held three of the top ten spots in the final 2009 World Cup standings. The ski team took home 22 of the 23 medals won by the Austrian Olympic contingent in Torino 2006. Without Maier and Goetschl that statistic may be tough to beat.
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