“Equally beautiful and cruel”: A wistful retirement from skiing

Valentin Giraud Moine has had a remarkable career. The speed specialist was one of the top French talents who also made it onto the World Cup podium twice. But a serious fall in Garmisch-Partenkirchen changed everything. Now the 29-year-old has ended his career with a heavy heart. “It’s time for me,” the Frenchman wrote on social media, “to announce the end of my ski racing career. The reason I'm announcing it so late is because the decision was very complicated. Deep down, of course, I would have preferred to continue skiing down the most beautiful downhill slopes in the world. But it’s no use, this sport is as beautiful as it is cruel.”

Giraud Moine is alluding to the many injuries he has suffered over the years. The most brutal was without a doubt the one in Garmisch-Partenkirchen in 2017, where he suffered dislocations of both knee joints and ligament injuries after a serious fall. Nevertheless, he came back and won the downhill ranking in the 2019/20 European Cup. But now it's over. He prevented a South Tyrolean sensational podium Giraud Moine also has a special connection to South Tyrol. In Kitzbühel in 2017 (and tragically just one race before the serious crash in Bavaria) he sensationally took second place in the downhill - even though he started the race with the high start number 24. As a result, Giraud Moine prevented a historic South Tyrolean result in the most legendary ski ride in the world: Victory went to Dominik Paris and in third place - until the Frenchman's sensational ride - was Peter Fill, who was then pushed off the podium.

Giraud Moine (left) celebrates the Kitzbühel result with Dominik Paris (middle) and Johan Clarey (right). © APA / EXPA/JOHANN GRODER

This was the highlight of the career of the French speed specialist, who never quite returned to his old self after the Garmisch crash. That was also the reason why he stopped. “In recent seasons, despite all my patience and efforts, I have never been able to regain the physical and mental abilities that allow me to play a leading role. The ambitious athlete I have become is naturally bitter about the fate that has been bestowed on him and will always wonder what it could have been like without Garmisch. But that's my story. I am very proud that I managed to return on skis, win the European Cup and achieve a top 15 placement in the World Cup again. But most of all, I’m happy to have had fun again.”

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“Equally beautiful and cruel”: A wistful retirement from skiing

Shortly before the start of the season, a special ski career came to a surprising end. The farewell words are emotional.

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