Paul Gerstgraser ends his career
May 11, 2020·Nordic Combined24-year-old Austrian Paul Gerstgraser has decided to end his career. Gerstgraser was known as one of the fastest cross-country skiers in the Continental and World Cup but always struggled with the ski jumping part. This was also the reason why he finally called it quits:
“I have the feeling that I will not be able to take the necessary step forward on the jumping hill to close the gap to the top athletes in the world. This is why I decided to end my career. I would like to thank the Austrian Ski Association, the coaching staff and my sponsors and partners for their support. My years as a Nordic Combined athlete were an absolutely enriching experience. From now on, I will focus on my studies, which I will hopefully finish in September. On top of that, I am looking forward to spending more time with my family”, Gerstgraser said.
The 24-year-old’s biggest successes were the overall Continental Cup win in 2019, a fifth place at the World Cup in Chaux-Neuve and the team bronze medal at his home World Ski Championships in Seefeld, as well as two silver and one gold medal at Nordic Junior World Ski Championships.