He is one of the most famous personalities in alpine ski racing but for Rolex Testimonee, Hermann Maier the winning is a different form these days. Gone are the days that he looked to carve his way down hills with power and determination to post the fastest times. Now he looks to go up the hills with skins on and be the first to ski the deep snow and lay the first tracks down. Looking fit, toned and happy, this is Hermann Maier on Super G Friday at Kitzbuehel. He has given many interviews on Super G Friday in Kitzbuehel over the years as a five time winner of the Super G yet now he is looking back over his career. He may not have raced this year but he still has the appeal and people hang onto his words.

Many ex racers come back to Kitzbuehel to soak up the atmosphere in the Finish area and claim the adulation one more time. Not Hermann. For Maier he went back to watch the race with the fans that have followed him through the years. “I stood up by Hausbergkante and there were many old skiing friends there so it was great,” he admitted when asked where he had watched the race. Maier is enjoying life after racing. He cycles, he climbs hills on his skis and he still answers questions with grace and interest.

Last summer, Maier went to London to watch the tennis at Wimbledon for the second time. While there he managed to catch up with another Rolex Testimonee, Roger Federer. “I was more interested in the serve, so I was watching this, I love the tennis but I have trouble with the serve.” While Maier is a keen tennis fan, Federer is a keen skier and the two spent time talking about each others sport. “For sure I will go back again next year,” Maier announced.

After Killy there was Maier in the skiing world joining as a Rolex Testimonee. “It is wonderful for me and makes me very proud to be part of the Rolex family, there are great people there besides Federer.” World class ski racers like Lindsey Vonn and Lara Gut. Vonn is fast catching up with the 54 World Cup wins that Maier managed, but Maier feels that Vonn has to be compared with Annemarie Moser Proell, the most successful lady ever in the FIS Alpine Ski World Cup history. Vonn already has the most American female wins and with her five first places in downhill this season she now reached 30 wins in her career, and she is fast approaching the Austrian, being Moser Proell or Hermann Maier.

“I am very thankful to have this success,” Maier talks frankly when asked if he was proud of his career; “I am not proud just thankful.” Many athletes struggle to make the transformation from athlete in retirement but for Maier, he still trains hard but has not descended into despair, “If this is the black hole I am happy,” he laughs! Not a nervy laugh but a confident and sincere “I know what I am doing and what I am going to do” type of laugh.

As the talk goes from his thoughts on Kitzbuehel back to the winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan in 1998 where he won two gold medals after performing one of the most spectacular crashes, it was here that the legend of Hermann Maier was created. Following the infamous motorcycle accident in 2001, the fact that he came back to win the World Cup Overall title in 2004 and the Giant Slalom Gold in the World Championships of 2005 in Bormio, proved that the man was one of the sports endearing characters; Maier was almost speechless in the press conference after that win such was his humility.

While the ski racing part of his life is now over, Maier can enjoy the other things in his life that interest him. He will take time off to see what his next steps will be. And what of another major sporting star making a comeback: “No, I do not think so,” he explains. “I will decide in the spring or summer time what I will do.”

The ski racing career may have been brought to an end but still Hermann Maier's opinion is sought and his words listened to. His proudest moment he admits on his career was “when I had the press conference to say it was over and to be in good shape and be healthy, it was not the easiest moment but it was the right moment,” explained the Rolex Testimonee. “I do not miss anything from my career,” he added.

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Anna Maria Gregorini
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Sabrina Zumkehr
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Email: sabrina@kpms.com

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