Maze bids farewell to make room for new champion Štuhec
Ljubljana, 5 December - After taking a year off and de facto retiring in May 2015, Slovenia's most successful skier of all time, Tina Maze, officially ended her career at the World Cup race before a home crowd in Maribor in January.
Ljubljana
Slovenian skier Ilka Štuhec (pictured with best Slovenian skier to date Tina Maze) joins Milka Ski Stars team.
Photo: Bor Slana/STA
Maze did not actually cross the finish line, but stopped just before it with the skis in her hands, cheered on by the local fans. Apart from four world championship golds and one overall World Cup title, she retired as the most successful Slovenian athlete in the Winter Olympics, with two golds and two silvers, and as the second most successful Slovenian Olympian overall.
While many doubted that she would get a legitimate successor any time soon, this actually happened the very same year as Ilka Štuhec emerged as one of the most successful woman skiers in the past season. She first took downhill gold at the World Championships in St. Moritz in February, following it up with the small crystal globes for the downhill and the Alpine combined to finish second overall in the World Cup.
Unfortunately, she injured her knee during a training session just before the start of the new season, and had to undergo a season-ending surgery.
Meanwhile, Maze announced she and her long-time partner Andrea Massi are expecting a child.