Say goodbye

World Cup

Fri, May  1, 2009 - By FIS

Shortly before training for the new season starts, we have put together a summary of top athletes who have announced their retirement.

Relatively few athletes have chosen to shift gears ahead of the 2010 Olympic season which will be followed by another FIS World Championships winter in 2011. In Cross-Country, we will miss two great male skiers: Tor Arne Hetland (NOR) and Gion-Andrea Bundi (SUI).

The 35-year-old veteran Hetland retired because of a lingering knee injury and asthma."I feel like I am quitting while I am at the top," he said. Hetland made significant sprint history, being the first sprint world champion in 2001, the first Olympic champion in sprint in 2002 as well as the first world champion in team sprint in 2005.

32-year-old Bundi represented Switzerland in five FIS Nordic World Ski Championships since 1999 and will best be remembered for his victory in the Engadin Ski Marathon in 2005.