More athletes call an end to their careers

Additional World Cup athletes have made the hard decision to retire from active ski racing during the offseason. In addition to the athletes mentioned in the two previous articles (see here, and here), the following have recently announced their retirements. See the latest additions at the end of the list:

Edit Miklos (HUN, 1988)
88 World Cup starts, 2 World Cup podiums (3rd DH Lake Louise 2016, 3rd DH St.Moritz 2015)

The most successful alpine skier from Hungary made the decision to retire from active ski racing at the end of last week, due to a conflict with her national ski association. She announced in a long social media post that she would apply for the position of the president of the association. On Sunday, during an extraordinary assembly, she was elected as such, but it looks like the former president is contesting this decision and will go to court.

Whatever happens on the political side, Edit Miklos career has been a fantastic one. She claimed the two first ever World Cup podiums for Hungary, with two 3rd places in downhill, one in St. Moritz in 2015 and the other in Lake Louise in 2016. Her determination also brought her to the 7th place of the Olympic downhill in Sochi and into the Top 15 of the discipline in the 2015/16 season. A severe injury occurred in January 2017 slowed her down but her passion for ski racing is still intact.

Patrick Schweiger (AUT, 1990)
35 World Cup starts, best: 7th SG Hinterstoder 2016, winner of the Europa Cup standings in super-g in 2015

Philippe Schmid (GER, 1986)
41 World Cup starts - best: 10th SL Levi 2012

Manuel Pleisch (SUI. 1990)
37 World Cup starts - best: 16th GS Sölden 2014, winner of the Europa Cup standings in giant slalom in 2013

Beatrice Scalvedi (SUI, 1995)
1 World Cup start, 2nd in European Cup downhill standings in 2016, silver medalist in downhill at Junior World Championships 2016

Amaury Genoud (SUI, 1993)
8 World Cup starts - best: 33rd in SG Beaver Creek 2015

Nolan Kasper (USA, 1989)
The American slalom specialist who started in three Olympic Winter Games (Vancouver 2010, Sochi 2014, and PyeongChang 2018) battled injury over the past several years in order to return to the World Cup for one last season of competition in 2018. In his 47 World Cup starts, his best result was on the slalom podium in Kranjska Gora in 2011 where he finished in second place. He also won the European Cup slalom title in 2011.

Mirena Kueng (SUI, 1988)
43 World Cup starts - best: 14th in DH Garmisch-Partenkirchen 2013, 3rd in European Cup downhill standings in 2012

Bernhard Niederberger (SUI, 1993)
20 World Cup starts - best: 21st in SL Zagreb 2015, 3rd in European Cup slalom standings in 2015

Andrew Weibrecht (USA, 1986) 
157 World Cup starts, 2 World Cup podiums (Beaver Creek SG 2015 and Kitzbuehel SG 2016), 2 Olympic medals (3rd Vancouver 2010 SG, 2nd Sochi 2014 SG)

Julia Grünwald (AUT, 1991) 
29 World Cup starts - best: 10th SL Flachau 2016

Marcus Sandell (FIN, 1987)
95 World Cup starts - best: 4th GS Garmisch-Partenkirchen 2013

Cristian Deville (ITA, 1981)
125 World Cup starts, 4 World Cup podiums, 1 World Cup win (Kitzbuehel SL 2012)

Rok Perko (SLO, 1985)
The Slovenian speed specialist who had his best season in 2013 – including a surprise podium finish from bib 35 in the Val Gardena downhill – announced his retirement from the sport over the summer. Logging over 141 World Cup starts, he was a member of five World Championships teams and one Olympic team.

Stacey Cook (USA, 1984)
The American speed veteran who secured three podium results over her lengthy 14-year career on the World Cup circuit announced that she will pursue other interests moving forward. She finished in second place in the Lake Louise downhill three times, most recently in 2014, and amassed 244 World Cup starts during her time on the tour.

David Chodounsky (USA, 1984)
The American slalom skier who rose to the World Cup through the NCAA ranks competed in four World Championships and two Olympic Winter Games. Battling for the podium on a number of occasions, his best World Cup result fell just shy of that goal with a fourth-place finish in the Val d'Isere slalom in 2015.

Nicole Agnelli (ITA, 1992)
32 World Cup starts - best: 17th GS Kühtai in Tirol 2014

​Kajsa Kling (SWE, 1998)
Following 175 World Cup starts and two podiums (third in the 2016 Lake Louise downhill and second in the 2013 St. Moritz super-G), decade-long Swedish national team speed veteran Kajsa Kling announced her official retirement from the sport this summer. She sat out the 2017/18 season to physically and mentally recover from the stresses of professional competition and was hoping to return to the World Cup tour this winter. However, her motivation did not develop as she hoped it would and that signaled the end of her career as a competitive ski racer. She plans to stay involved in the sport as she pursues other passions moving forward.

This article was originally published on 19 April 2018 but will be updated throughout the offseason as new information is available.

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