WC Notebook: Schifferer retires; Minagawa hurt

Andreas Schifferer has phoned in his season.
 The Austrian 2002 Olympic bronze-medal winner in the super G and 1997 World Championships bronze-medal winner in GS, winner of eight World Cup races — seven in downhill and one in super G — called his coaches Tuesday, Dec. 12 and told them he was ending his World Cup career.


ANDREAS SCHIFFERER has phoned in his season.

    The Austrian 2002 Olympic bronze-medal winner in the super G and 1997 World Championships bronze-medal winner in GS, winner of eight World Cup races — seven in downhill and one in super G — called his coaches Tuesday, Dec. 12 and told them he was ending his World Cup career.
       
    Schifferer, 32 of Salzburg, finished last season 37th on the World Cup, 22nd in downhill and 20th in super G. An Austrian World Cup racer since 1995, he did not make last season’s Olympic squad and had yet to be entered in a race this season. According to reports in Austrian papers, he had taken time to consider his decision after failing to make the team participating in the North American races.

Minagawa injures knee
Japan’s Kentaro Minagawa is likely lost for the season after sustaining torn ligaments in his right knee while training in Kuehtai Dec. 12. He was to be flown back to Japan for surgery.
    Minagawa, 30, was the fourth-place finisher in the 2006 Olympic slalom and also the fourth-place finisher at the Wengen slalom last season.