Vivien Insam says goodbye to the ski stage.

“It hurts a lot”: A South Tyrolean woman’s ski farewell

Once considered one of the country's top ski talents, she ended her career in April at just 27 years old. In an interview with SportNews, Vivien Insam discusses the reasons for her drastic decision, reveals how difficult the last few seasons have been, and also looks to the future.

09 May 2025

Talent, ambition, and, above all, luck are essential to launching a successful athletic career. Insam possessed the first two qualities – but luck was often not on her side. She tore her right cruciate ligament at the age of 17, but worked her way back and celebrated her World Cup debut in Flachau three years later. Exactly two months later, on March 8, 2018, she also damaged the cruciate ligament in her left knee.

The injury threw Insam off course, but she didn't consider giving up. Around two years later, she returned to the World Cup despite having to overcome many hurdles. However, the now 27-year-old was never able to achieve her breakthrough—which is only too understandable given her seemingly endless history of suffering. Now a new chapter begins for Insam – far away from the ski slopes.


You made your World Cup debut in January 2018, at just 20 years old. Shortly thereafter, you suffered your second cruciate ligament injury. How do you look back on that time?

"That was a hard blow because I knew from my first cruciate ligament injury what I was facing in the coming months. It happened at the European Cup in La Molina, Spain. I flew home immediately and underwent surgery at the Hochrum Clinic. I had to use crutches for two months and could barely bear any weight on my leg. Because the meniscus took a long time to heal, the process took a very long time. But I always had one goal in mind: to return to the World Cup. That's why I never lacked motivation."

A new phase of life begins for Vivien Insam.

Two years later, after the 2020 season, you were kicked out of the national team. What were the last five years like, when you had to fight your way through it on your own?

"It's a huge organization that you have to manage yourself. Fortunately, my sports group, the police, always supported me. In the early years, my father often came along to the races. The journeys are long and everything is very costly and time-consuming. It's certainly not fair, but the bottom line is that you have no other choice. And you enjoy doing it because it's about racing."


Have you ever lost the joy of skiing during these five years?

"No, the passion for skiing has always remained. It's more like I eventually got tired of that environment. The sport is wonderful. But when you find yourself in a difficult situation—as I have been in the last few years—it can be cruel. Perhaps that's also due to my character, because I'm sensitive and take things to heart."

“I fainted five times after a race.” Vivien Insam

After your second cruciate ligament tear, you were set back by further injuries. Last season, it was mononucleosis that ultimately took its toll on you.

"Yes, exactly. I had actually done a good preparation and felt in shape. But over the course of the winter, I fainted five times after a race. Once, it even happened in the car. I didn't understand why until I was diagnosed with mononucleosis. From that point on, I had to listen to my body. I could train for a day or two, then I had to take another break. It's hard to maintain consistency like that. I was suffering from it until a few weeks ago. A two-week vacation in the USA did me a lot of good in that regard."


When did you decide to stop skiing?

"Before the season, I set myself the goal of competing in European Cup and World Cup races. If I didn't manage that, it would be my last year. After my poor performance in the European Cup slaloms in the Ahrntal Valley, the winter was practically over. It was a difficult moment. I thought about how I could put myself in the spotlight so that the coaches would notice me and consider me for World Cup nominations. I had some pretty good races at FIS level—especially considering my health. But I realized the train had left the station. At some point, I realized that was it."

Vivien Insam on the World Cup stage. © Pentaphoto

What was the main reason for your resignation?

"It's simply impossible to pursue this sport professionally if you're not physically at 100 percent. In recent years, there's always been something wrong. It's very difficult to catch up and achieve results. My goal has always been to compete in World Cup races, not FIS races, because I know what it feels like to be at the top. In recent years, I've felt a lot of pressure to deliver results because I've often been told I'm too old. That's one of the reasons why I've decided to retire—even though it hurts a lot."


What was the best memory of all these years?

"There were many beautiful moments. Every goal achieved brought great satisfaction and contentment. You think back on these moments. Humans are wired to forget the difficult moments and remember the good ones. One of them was my World Cup debut in Flachau. It was a childhood dream come true."


Do you already have an idea of ​​what your future will look like?

"I'm studying sports online and hope to graduate with my bachelor's degree in September. After that, I also want to complete a master's degree. In the meantime, I've volunteered to work as an athletic trainer at the police station in Moena."