Austria's Peter Rzehak retires from World Cup at age 34

Austria’s Peter Rzehak retires from World Cup at age 34{mosimage}Peter Rzehak, the 34-year-old Austrian downhiller, retired from ski racing in an Innsbruck press conference this Tuesday.

“I had a beautiful time with the [Austrian Ski Federation] with some lows because of my injuries,” he said, listing four second-place World Cup finishes as among his career highlights.

Rzehak was injured many times in his 15-year World Cup career, including three ACL injuries (in 1992, 1993 and 2000). He had to stop skiing in the middle of the 2003-04 season because of lingering knee damage.

The season had been going well, with Rzehak turning in fast training run times at World Cups, but not winning many race-day start positions because he specialized in speed events, and the Austrian team favors all-rounders.

“I felt now that it is the correct time for me to terminate my career,” said the Tiroler. “Naturally I would have won gladly a race, but at least I won two training runs.”

At his departing press conference, Rzehak said he plans to teach and coach skiing. “I would be pleased, if your way leads you back to the [team],” said the Austrian federation’s secretary-general Klaus Leistner.

— from www.kurier.at