Ilka Štuhec / GEPA pictures
Who is retiring from World Cup alpine skiing in 2026? From two-time world champion Ilka Štuhec to USA’s NCAA standout Zoe Zimmermann, this group of athletes reflects the full range of careers on the women’s World Cup tour. In this article, we break down the biggest retirements, highlight their achievements, and explore what their departures mean for the future of the sport.
🇸🇮 Ilka Štuhec (SLO, 1990)
At 35, Ilka Štuhec retires as one of the most accomplished speed skiers of her generation. The Slovenian built her career on strength, fearlessness, and the ability to push the limit on the sport’s most demanding downhill tracks.
Štuhec claimed the World Cup downhill title in 2017, anchoring a career that included seven downhill victories among 14 World Cup downhill podiums. In addition, she recorded three super-G victories and five super-G podiums. She also added a World Cup Super Combined victory, proving her versatility across both speed disciplines and events requiring excellence in downhill and slalom.
On the biggest stage, she became a two-time World Champion in downhill. Notably, Štuhec claimed her gold medals on the famous Corviglia track in St. Moritz in 2017. Then, two years later in Åre, Sweden, she defended her title, becoming one of only a handful of women to do so.
She represented Slovenia at three Olympic Games (2014, 2022, 2026). Her best result came in Sochi in 2014, where she finished 10th in the downhill.
Štuhec made her World Cup debut in Lenzerheide in March 2007 (slalom). Although she did not finish, it marked the beginning of a career that would grow into one of Slovenia’s most successful.
She enjoyed a poignant farewell in Kvitfjell at the World Cup Finals. Throughout the weekend, athletes and teams across the circuit paid tribute to her career.
Ahead of her final race, Štuhec said, “I am happy to be here and looking forward to finishing my career. I’ll go for a good result, a perfect result, and I’m looking forward to what my team has prepared.”
🇨🇭 Joana Haehlen (SUI, 1992)
After 167 World Cup starts, one Olympic appearance, and three World Championship appearances, Joana Haehlen retires at age 34.
She won super-G silver at the 2012 World Junior Championships. Later, she recorded five World Cup podiums across downhill and super-G. Most recently, she finished runner-up in Val d’Isère in 2023.
Haehlen represented Switzerland at the 2022 Olympic Games, finishing sixth in the downhill in Beijing.
In her final World Cup season, she recorded a best result of 13th in the Tarvisio super-G. Even so, she continued to show she could still compete at a high level late in her career.
🇦🇹 Christina Ager (AUT, 1995)
Christina Ager retires at age 30 after 100 World Cup starts. Throughout her career, she was a consistent presence for Austria across multiple disciplines.
She reached the podium once, finishing tied for third in Cortina d’Ampezzo in 2024.
That result was part of seven career top-10 finishes across downhill, super-G, slalom, and Alpine Combined. As a result, her versatility stood out across disciplines.
Ager represented Austria at the 2019 World Championships.
Her career was defined by consistency. In fact, she went more than three years without starting a race outside the top 30.
🇫🇷 Clara Direz (FRA, 1995)
At 30, Clara Direz retires after a strong career in giant slalom and parallel events. She made 96 World Cup starts, debuting in Maribor in January 2013.
Direz earned a World Cup victory in parallel. In addition, she secured one Team Parallel podium and one Parallel GS podium. She also recorded six top-10 finishes in giant slalom. Furthermore, she qualified for the World Cup Finals in 2020 and 2024.
She represented France at the 2022 and 2026 Olympic Games. At the same time, she competed at three World Championships, with a best finish of eighth in giant slalom in 2019.
Direz narrowly missed a GS podium, finishing fourth in Mont Tremblant in 2023. As a result, it stands as one of the closest calls of her career.
With the retirements of Tessa Worley and now Direz, the French giant slalom team enters a period of transition heading into next season. Looking ahead, younger athletes will take on larger roles.
Direz will now pursue a career as a pilot, a long-held goal beyond ski racing.
🇸🇮 Ana Bucik Jogan (SLO, 1993)
Ana Bucik Jogan retires at 32 after more than a decade as one of Slovenia’s most consistent technical skiers. She earned one World Cup podium in Alpine Combined.
She made her World Cup debut in 2010 in Maribor. From there, she built a career that included more than 200 starts.
Bucik Jogan competed at seven World Championships. Her best result came in 2017, when she finished seventh in slalom. She also represented Slovenia at three Olympic Games.
She qualified for the World Cup Finals in slalom five times and giant slalom three times. This further underscores her consistency at the highest level.
🇯🇵 Asa Ando (JPN, 1996)
Asa Ando retires at 29 after a long career representing Japan.
She recorded 18 World Cup slalom top-30 finishes. Her best result came in Semmering in 2020, where she finished 15th.
In her final season, she finished 29th in the slalom standings. As a result, it marked the strongest campaign of her career.
She represented Japan at three Olympic Games (2018, 2022, 2026). Throughout her career, she remained a consistent presence on the World Cup tour.
🇺🇸 Zoe Zimmermann (USA, 1999)
Zoe Zimmermann retires at 23 after balancing World Cup racing with a standout collegiate career at Dartmouth College.
She made 14 World Cup starts. Her best result came in Sestriere in 2022, where she finished 27th while competing for the Stifel U.S. Ski Team.
She achieved strong NorAm results. Specifically, she finished third in the slalom standings in 2021–22 and second in 2022–23.
At the collegiate level, Zimmermann was a decorated NCAA All-American. In fact, she earned First-Team honors in slalom (2024, 2025) and Second-Team honors in giant slalom (2025).
She concluded her career at the U.S. National Championships in Vail. There, she finished eighth in slalom in a stacked World Cup field.
A Lasting Impact Beyond Results
This group of retiring alpine skiers in 2026 reflects the full spectrum of women’s World Cup skiing—from globe winners and world champions to consistent contributors and rising talents.
While some careers are defined by victories, others are built on persistence, teamwork, and years spent competing at the highest level. Ultimately, these athletes have helped shape the current generation of women’s alpine skiing and have left a lasting impact on the sport of Alpine ski racing.
About the Author: Matt Garcka
