Lizz Goergl's successful career is over

Already during the winter the Austrian speed skier gave signs that she may not be on the World Cup Tour next season, and today, at a press conference in Wien, the suspicion of a retirement was confirmed and Elisabeth Goergl announced that she will quit professional ski racing.

In the past season, she missed the qualification for the World Championships for the first time since St. Moritz 2003, and despite decent results in super-g (7th in Crans-Montana and 5th in Aspen) she got relegated to the A-Team of the Austrian Ski Federation, what probably influenced her decision to step back.

"I think it's time for something new, the youngsters are taking over" she said with tears in her eyes when she didn't make the cut for St. Moritz 2017. But Goergl needed time to think this important decision through, and now she can have a positive look back on a very successful career, characterised by a strong fighting spirit: "During my career, I never gave up and I could always find the motivation to go on."

After 15 years on the World Cup Tour, she has not less than 378 starts, 42 podiums and 7 victories under her belt. Her tenacity is crowned by the record of the oldest female World Cup winner thanks to a win in the 2014 super-g in Val d'Isère.

But the highlight of her career came at the World Championships in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, where besides starring the official song "Between Heaven and Hell", she also claimed two World Champion titles in the downhill and the super-g.

Another World Championship medal (bronze in the alpine combined in Val d'Isère 2009), two Olympic medals from Vancouver 2010 (bronze in the giant slalom and in the downhill) and a four podium placements in the season standings (2nd in super-g in 2008 and 2010, 2nd in giant slalom in 2008 and 3rd in downhill in2012) round up her impressive career performances.

The 36 year-old Elisabeth Goergl imagines her future in the fitness industry and is looking forward to this new chapter in her life.

Thankful for the fantastic performances and many emotional moments this cheerful and sympathic athlete offered us, we wish her all the best for this next step in her life.