An Austrian skiing talent doesn't want to anymore.

Ski retirement: A youth Olympic champion has had enough

Even before the season is over, a former youth Olympic champion in Austria has announced his retirement at only 22 years of age.

March 11, 2025

From: det

Flashback to January 2020. Shortly before the corona pandemic turned the lives of the whole world upside down, the world of a young Austrian skier was turned upside down. Philip Hoffmann was 17 years old when he was crowned Youth Olympic Champion in the giant slalom in Lausanne (Switzerland), with a lead of more than two seconds. At the time, the Carinthian talent was even mentioned in the same breath as Marco Schwarz.

But now, five years later, Hoffmann’s career is coming to an end at the tender age of 22. “Yes, it’s over. I don’t want to do it anymore. The motivation and drive are gone,” the Austrian told Kleine Zeitung.

Philip Hoffmann during his victory in Lausanne. © OIS/IOC/AFP / BEN QUEENBOROUGH

After his triumph at the Youth Olympics, Hoffmann celebrated three more victories at FIS level, but then things went wrong. The skier struggled with health and sporting difficulties, and the final breakthrough to the top was denied to him.

A rocky road

"I didn't get any more assignments, although I didn't fully understand some of the arguments and then the fun just goes away. I knew that the road would be rocky, but I didn't imagine it would be this complicated," says Hoffmann, who describes the past few months as a "trouble".

Now the former youth Olympic champion wants to start a new life away from racing. It is quite possible that he will look for a job in the private sector. "I am going to take my life into my own hands now," says the young lad.