Austrian slalom ace Alexandra Daum retires

Retirement announcements continue as Austrian slalom specialist Alexandra Daum announced the end of it ski racing career on Wednesday. The 28-year-old Tyrolean had been a member of the Austrian team since 2004 and started in 91 European Cup and 47 World Cup races. She found the podium just twice on the Europa Cup circuit, in Zakopane, Poland, and again in Lenggries, Germany, and she recorded three top-10 finishes on the World Cup tour, twice in Levi and once in Courchevel.

“After careful consideration, the time has come for me to end my career in alpine ski racing. In my time as a ski racer I have experienced many beautiful moments and gained important experiences. The way to the top was sometimes rocky and marked by many injuries, but I could always fight back. Ultimately, I had to realize that the resulting training restrictions negatively affect me both physically and mentally,” Daum said of her decision.

In the 2014-15 season, Daum had solid performances in training but many failures in competitions which ultimately facilitated her decision making. She finished 10th in Levi in November and then failed to complete five races over the rest of the season, finishing Zagreb in 16th and Are 26th as her only other results for the year. She finished 28th in the slalom standings, just four places off her career best of 24th in the 2013-14 season.

“It is my strong desire to thank all companions, the Austrians, the coaches, doctors and physiotherapists. A special thanks goes to my family and sponsors, their years of support was the foundation for my career. I want to thank my loyal fans who have always supported me, so numerously and actively, at the races,” said Daum.

What Daum plans to do with her future in the coming months and years is yet to be determined.

Release courtesy of OSV