Alpine skiing-Austrian ski legend Hirscher confirms comeback at World Cup opener after five years

25.10.2024 - 19:47 channelnewsasia.com

Alpine skier Marcel Hirscher announced on Friday he will come out of his retirement to compete at the World Cup opener in Soelden, Austria on Sunday after a five-year absence.Hirscher, 35, retired in September 2019 as one of Austria's most successful skiers, winning a record eight consecutive overall World Cup titles from 2012 to 2019, along with seven World Championship gold medals and two Olympic titles.In July the International Ski Federation (FIS) added a wild card option in the FIS Alpine Ski World Cup rules, which allowed retired champion skiers to compete in the tournament."It was clear to me that I would be racing in FIS races.

Then the great option came up and since then we have tried everything to make it possible," Hirscher said in a statement."...

I'm extremely happy and I'm also really excited. That's why, as I've always said, I only decided at such short notice."I'm happy with my physical fitness, I feel younger than when I stopped my career."The fact that I don't have as much snow training as I need, that's just because I live a completely different life now, where I have more responsibility."Earlier in April, Hirscher made an unexpected comeback to the slopes by deciding to represent his mother native's country, the Netherlands, instead of Austria.

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