Latest news with #Hirscher
The Star
4 hours ago
- Sport
- The Star
Alpine skiing-Hirscher cleared for another World Cup comeback at 36
FILE PHOTO: Alpine Skiing - FIS Alpine World Ski Championships - Men's Giant Slalom - Saalbach, Austria - February 14, 2025 Austria's Marcel Hirscher is pictured REUTERS/Lisi Niesner/File Photo (Reuters) -Alpine ski great Marcel Hirscher could be on for an Olympic comeback at the age of 36 after being cleared to return to the World Cup as a wildcard following his recovery from a serious knee injury. The 2018 double Olympic gold medallist, and winner of a record eight overall World Cups as an Austrian, last October ended five years of retirement to compete for his mother's country the Netherlands. He suffered a cruciate ligament tear in December and underwent surgery but announced in a video on his Instagram account on Wednesday that, 197 days later, he was ready to go again. "Rehab was going on quite well, and now we are back in athletic training. This is super fun, being back a professional athlete again," he said. "I heard FIS made a decision that I am allowed to take my 17 (unused) starts from last year's season into the upcoming season. So that means I'm ready for another season (of) ski racing. And I think now you can call it a comeback." While Hirscher would have no chance of making the Austrian Olympic team, a superpower in the sport, the Netherlands offers a far easier route to Milan-Cortina 2026 if he can stay clear of injury. He entered only three races last year, with a best result of 23rd in a giant slalom in Soelden, Austria, leaving him 17 unused wildcards. The World Cup allows former top skiers to return as wildcards without having to secure qualifying points. U.S. skier Lindsey Vonn, now 40, is also hoping to ski at the Olympics after returning to the World Cup as a wildcard last season. "In the end, two questions remained: What do I want from life? What does life want from me?" said Hirscher, winner of 67 World Cup races. "Even in difficult moments, my answer never changed: I want to race again." Hirscher, who plans to return to snow training in September, said he also wanted to compete again as an athlete to help his ski equipment company improve their racing skis and boots. The World Cup men's season starts on October 26 with a giant slalom in Soelden. The Olympics start on February 6, with the men's Alpine ski races in the resort of Bormio. (Reporting by Alan Baldwin, editing by Christian Radnedge)
Reuters
4 hours ago
- Sport
- Reuters
Hirscher cleared for another World Cup comeback at 36
June 18 (Reuters) - Alpine ski great Marcel Hirscher could be on for an Olympic comeback at the age of 36 after being cleared to return to the World Cup as a wildcard following his recovery from a serious knee injury. The 2018 double Olympic gold medallist, and winner of a record eight overall World Cups as an Austrian, last October ended five years of retirement to compete for his mother's country the Netherlands. He suffered a cruciate ligament tear in December and underwent surgery but announced in a video on his Instagram account on Wednesday that, 197 days later, he was ready to go again. "Rehab was going on quite well, and now we are back in athletic training. This is super fun, being back a professional athlete again," he said. "I heard FIS made a decision that I am allowed to take my 17 (unused) starts from last year's season into the upcoming season. So that means I'm ready for another season (of) ski racing. And I think now you can call it a comeback." While Hirscher would have no chance of making the Austrian Olympic team, a superpower in the sport, the Netherlands offers a far easier route to Milan-Cortina 2026 if he can stay clear of injury. He entered only three races last year, with a best result of 23rd in a giant slalom in Soelden, Austria, leaving him 17 unused wildcards. The World Cup allows former top skiers to return as wildcards without having to secure qualifying points. U.S. skier Lindsey Vonn, now 40, is also hoping to ski at the Olympics after returning to the World Cup as a wildcard last season. "In the end, two questions remained: What do I want from life? What does life want from me?" said Hirscher, winner of 67 World Cup races. "Even in difficult moments, my answer never changed: I want to race again." Hirscher, who plans to return to snow training in September, said he also wanted to compete again as an athlete to help his ski equipment company improve their racing skis and boots. The World Cup men's season starts on October 26 with a giant slalom in Soelden. The Olympics start on February 6, with the men's Alpine ski races in the resort of Bormio.
Toronto Star
6 hours ago
- Sport
- Toronto Star
Skiing standout Marcel Hirscher eyes the Olympic season in return from injury and retirement
Skiing standout Marcel Hirscher will have a chance to race in the upcoming Milan-Cortina Olympics after recovering from injury and receiving clearance to compete in the next World Cup season under the new wild card rule. The record eight-time overall World Cup champion had his return last season from five years of retirement cut short when he was injured in December with a torn ACL in his left knee after a fall in training. 'Rehab was going on quite well and now we are back in athletic training. This is super fun, being back a professional athlete again,' Hirscher said on Instagram on Wednesday. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW 'FIS (the International Ski and Snowboard Federation) made a decision that I am allowed to take my 17 starts from last year's season into the upcoming season. So that means I'm ready for another season ski racing. And I think now you can call it a comeback,' Hirscher added. While the 36-year-old Hirscher competed for Austria in his earlier career, he came back representing the Netherlands. He has an Austrian father and a Dutch mother. That means that if he decides to compete in the Olympics next year, he won't have to qualify for one of the four starting spots that the powerful Austrian team has for each race. Whereas the Netherlands doesn't have any other skiers of Hirscher's caliber. The wild card rule allows former champions to return to the World Cup without the necessary qualifying points. Lindsey Vonn also returned under the wild card rule last season with a new titanium knee and plans on competing in the Feb. 6-22 Olympics. Hirscher only completed one of his three races last season, placing 23rd in the giant slalom at Sölden, Austria. After the injury and ensuing surgery, Hirscher completed 1,000 hours of rehab. 'In the end, two questions remained: What do I want from life? What does life want from me?' Hirscher said. 'Even in difficult moments, my answer never changed: I want to race again.' ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW Hirscher plans to return to snow training in September. 'At the moment, I'm shifting from the rehabilitation phase into full athlete mode, with more extensive sessions and higher intensity,' Hirscher said. 'Training hard again is bringing me a lot of joy. It's shaping up to be a very athletic summer.' Hirscher's 67 World Cup wins put him second on the all-time men's list behind only Ingemar Stenmark's 86 victories. He also won two Olympic golds, in combined and giant slalom at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games; plus a silver in slalom at the 2014 Sochi Games. The World Cup seasons opens in Sölden in October. Men's skiing at the Milan-Cortina Games will be held in Bormio, while the women's events will be held in Cortina d'Ampezzo. ___ AP skiing: Read more skiing news at
San Francisco Chronicle
7 hours ago
- Sport
- San Francisco Chronicle
Skiing standout Marcel Hirscher eyes the Olympic season in return from injury and retirement
Skiing standout Marcel Hirscher will have a chance to race in the upcoming Milan-Cortina Olympics after recovering from injury and receiving clearance to compete in the next World Cup season under the new wild card rule. The record eight-time overall World Cup champion had his return last season from five years of retirement cut short when he was injured in December with a torn ACL in his left knee after a fall in training. 'Rehab was going on quite well and now we are back in athletic training. This is super fun, being back a professional athlete again,' Hirscher said on Instagram on Wednesday. 'FIS (the International Ski and Snowboard Federation) made a decision that I am allowed to take my 17 starts from last year's season into the upcoming season. So that means I'm ready for another season ski racing. And I think now you can call it a comeback,' Hirscher added. While the 36-year-old Hirscher competed for Austria in his earlier career, he came back representing the Netherlands. He has an Austrian father and a Dutch mother. That means that if he decides to compete in the Olympics next year, he won't have to qualify for one of the four starting spots that the powerful Austrian team has for each race. Whereas the Netherlands doesn't have any other skiers of Hirscher's caliber. The wild card rule allows former champions to return to the World Cup without the necessary qualifying points. Lindsey Vonn also returned under the wild card rule last season with a new titanium knee and plans on competing in the Feb. 6-22 Olympics. After the injury and ensuing surgery, Hirscher completed 1,000 hours of rehab. 'In the end, two questions remained: What do I want from life? What does life want from me?' Hirscher said. 'Even in difficult moments, my answer never changed: I want to race again.' Hirscher plans to return to snow training in September. 'At the moment, I'm shifting from the rehabilitation phase into full athlete mode, with more extensive sessions and higher intensity,' Hirscher said. 'Training hard again is bringing me a lot of joy. It's shaping up to be a very athletic summer.' Hirscher's 67 World Cup wins put him second on the all-time men's list behind only Ingemar Stenmark's 86 victories. He also won two Olympic golds, in combined and giant slalom at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games; plus a silver in slalom at the 2014 Sochi Games. ___
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Ski star Hirscher to continue career after ACL tear
Marcel Hirscher from Austria in the 1st round on the course as he competes in men's giant slalom competition in the Alpine skiing world championship. Hirscher plans to continue his comeback next season despite a severe knee injury that has sidelined him since December. Michael Kappeler/dpa Veteran Austrian ski star Marcel Hirscher plans to continue his comeback next season despite a severe knee injury that has sidelined him since December. The record eight-time overall World Cup winner came out of retirement last season, competing for his mother's home country of the Netherlands, but tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his knee early December in a training accident. Advertisement Hirscher, 36, left his future open after the big setback, but said in an Instagram video on Wednesday that he was back in athletic training and that he will continue. "I want to ski race. I want to keep going. And that's exactly what I am going to do now," he said. "I am ready for another season of ski racing and I think now you can call it a comeback." Twice Olympic and seven-time world champion Hirscher returned to action last October after five years of retirement. He placed a credible 23rd in the season-opening giant slalom in Sölden, Austria, and also competed in two slaloms before the injury. Hirscher said that the ruling body FIS has agreed to award him the remaining 17 wild card entries from the past season for the next campaign, which also contributed to his decision to continue.
