The giant slalom specialist informed teammates and media representatives of this step on Sunday at the ÖSV team headquarters in Alta Badia. One last appearance at the home race in Schladming on January 23rd is still possible. The greatest success of the Salzburg native from St. Martin near Lofer was winning the silver medal at the 2017 Alpine World Championships in St. Moritz.
“After Val d’Isere I decided to end my career,” said Leitinger. “Everything feels right. I have problems on the physical side and the feeling that I’m no longer keeping up.” Knees and back would cause problems. “I just no longer feel 100 percent confident that I can seek the limit.” For the top level in giant slalom, “I have now honestly admitted that”, it is no longer enough.
There have been ups and downs in his career. “I am grateful for everything I was able to experience,” added Leitinger. He might imagine staying involved in skiing in the future. However, he did not want to make a clear commitment to aiming for a coaching job. Initially he will start working as a customs officer; he completed his training some time ago. There is no exact start date yet.
Image: GEPA pictures/Harald Steiner
On the World Cup podium for the first time in 2019
Leitinger also started at the World Championships in Aare 2019 and most recently in Cortina d’Ampezzo 2021. He competed in 72 races in the World Cup, the last one a week ago in Val d’Isere, where he was eliminated and missed the second round. In 2019 he was on the podium for the first time as third in the parallel giant slalom in Alta Badia, and in 2021 he was second at the season opener in Sölden.
The fact that the career of the now 32-year-old came to a halt was also due to some serious injuries, as Leitinger mentioned. Alta Badia also plays a special role in this regard, as he suffered a torn cruciate ligament here for the first time in December 2013. Two more knee injuries of this type followed.
In his private life, Leitinger is fortunate. After the wedding in spring 2022, the avowed Rapid supporter and his wife Simone are expecting their first offspring in March 2024. He was the first to inform her of his decision to end his career. “She noticed best that it was a tough fight at the end,” he said. There might be a kind of farewell within the World Cup family in Schladming in January. “But I’m definitely not the one who goes down in leather pants.”
Image: GEPA pictures/Harald Steiner
