Summer Roundup: Hannawald, Zurbriggen, Fiala, Neureuther, Bloom, Miller, Grandi, etc.

Summer Roundup: Hannawald, Zurbriggen, Fiala, Neureuther, Bloom, Miller, Grandi, etc.One of the most accomplished ski jumpers of the last decade, Sven Hannawald has decided to hang them up. The 30-year-old German announced the decision last week. Suffering from burnout, he had been skipping training all spring and summer, and his retirement was not surprising. “I held some conversations with Sven’ said coach Peter Rohwein. ‘I think it was correct and important that he could decide completely in peace, what was to be done. Sven was an outstanding athlete, and we won’t have another one like him soon.’

Silvan Zurbriggen, who is one of Switzerland’s top contenders for World Cup alpine wins and an Olympic medal this year, endured a bad crash last week while training super G in Zermatt and was transported to a hospital in Bern, where he was treated for a light concussion, abrasions to the face, bruising on his back and a broken rib. It is unclear at this time whether he will join his teammates for a training trip to Argentina.

Meanwhile, Germany’s top alpine man, Felix Neureuther, considered one of the sport’s future stars, is sitting out his team’s summer training to rest an injured ankle. “The injury is not so bad, fortunately’ said Neureuther. ‘I must rest the foot for a few days.’

According to an announcement on the IOC Web site, the International Olympic Committee and Coca-Cola have renewed their partnership for 12 more years. The two entities already had a contract through 2009. The new agreement will see Coca-Cola supporting the Olympics over a period which covers the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Games, the London 2012 Olympic Games, plus the Olympic Games of 2014, 2016, 2018 and 2020.

As some of his former teammates are arriving in New Zealand for August training, it looks like retired U.S. Ski Team downhiller Jake Fiala has found his way into a second career in real estate.

A golf tournament to raise money for the Canadian ski team is scheduled for Sept. 12 in Canmore, Alberta home of Thomas Grandi, who won back-to-back giant slaloms in December. Click here for the pdf invitation.

Here is a release from the company producing the video game that Bode Miller spent the winter playing last year. No explanation for why Hermann Maier’s name doesn’t seem to be attached to the game this time.

The Frejus tunnel, an essential link between France and Italy, has reopened. The tunnel, which ends at the site of the 2006 Olympic snowboarding venues, was closed earlier this year after a gruesome fire.

At least one New Hampshire newspaper is reporting that Bode Miller will be at Fenway Park on Aug. 28 for New Hampshire Day at the home of the Red Sox. Oh wait, make that two New Hampshire newspapers.

Here is an interesting Denver Post story on Jeremy Bloom.

Skiracing.com reminds its readers that the Aug. 15 deadline for FIS licenses is coming up quick. Get your paperwork to the USSA office quick to avoid the $100 late fee.