Baby ahoy: A Swiss man sweetens his skiing retirement

Just a few weeks ago, a Swiss technician announced his retirement from skiing, and now he has some joyful news to share.

June 20, 2026

From: det

These are exciting weeks for Swiss skier Livio Simonet. Not long ago, the giant slalom specialist made a life-changing decision: at the end of April, Simonet announced that he was ending his skiing career at the age of 27. After a difficult season in which he never qualified for the second run, the Swiss skier drew a line under his career.

One chapter closes, a new one opens: And so Simonet can now announce some joyful news. His wife Melanie is pregnant, and the couple will soon welcome their first child. They shared the news in an Instagram post. Hints of their impending arrival had already been circulating in recent weeks: During their Florida vacation, the former ski racer was seen frequently placing his hand on his wife's stomach.

Two podium finishes in the World Cup

Simonet is about to become a father for the first time, and his offspring will undoubtedly inherit plenty of skiing genes. The Swiss skier competed in 36 World Cup races during his career, reaching the podium twice: in 2022, Simonet won a team parallel race in Courchevel, and a year later he took second place in Soldeu.

Livio Simonet in action. © GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / CHRISTIAN PETERSEN

“From now on, I’m looking forward to a future where I can spend more time with my family and friends and do all the things I haven’t had time for before,” Simonet said after retiring from skiing. Perfect timing, then, for the arrival of their first child.

Keywords Winter sports Alpine skiing Toddler