April 24th shocked the world
Marcel Hirscher is the world's strongest alpine racer, who has set a miraculous record of eight World Cup overall wins, seven World Championship wins, and two Olympic gold medals. He left the FIS racing scene in September 2019, leaving behind many legends, but he has now announced his return to active duty for the first time in five years.
"Marcel Hirscher returns to active duty!" was announced on April 24th. It was featured as top news in various European media, including the Kronen Zeitung, the most widely read newspaper in Marcel's home country of Austria, and the story quickly spread around the world.
The You tube video above is less than a minute long and was broadcast mainly in Vienna, Austria, but it's in German so it's difficult to understand in detail, but just watching the video gives you a sense of Marcel Hirscher's brilliant career. His presence as a superhero is conveyed, and you can feel how big an impact his return to active duty will have.
Here are some explanations of a news article posted on April 24th by web media...
“The information from the Kronen Zeitung and all Austrian media in the last few hours has been, needless to say, amazing. The eight-time World Cup winner is preparing to return to the racing stage (with his brand Van Deer, of course).
The 35-year-old Austrian Salzburg star intends to return to competition with a view to the 2025 World Cup in Saalbach, Germany. She moved to the Netherlands, where her mother is from, and became a Dutch athlete. Because he thinks Marcel doesn't want to take away the dreams of glory or spots from his former Austrian teammates. He must obtain permission from his federation to return with a different sports passport. According to ORF TV, Ski Austria is expected to announce its intentions later today. This will be explosive news.
Now let's take a look at the message he sent on Instagram!
[Translation]
Hello, this is Marcel. I thought I had to say something too. A lot of things have been reported in the media, but yeah, I'm going back to ski racing and I'm really happy to be able to do that. Why do it again? It's pretty clear to me, the joy of skiing guides me. I've been away from the racing scene for the past five years, but I'm back to the place I've always loved and just having fun. I'm really, really happy to be able to do that again, and I'm really looking forward to the future.
And the consultations with the Austrian Ski Association and the Dutch people were very good. We all think it would be good for the Dutch Ski Association to realize this project and it would not be difficult at all. And what is very important to me is not to take valuable resources away from Austria's young players. I want to cherish their dreams of glory and their positions. The future belongs to young people. At 35 years old, this decision is very clear to me and I believe it is necessary for the development of young players and the future of Austrian ski sport.
And I believe it can do a lot for the Dutch Ski Association. I'm also grateful that this project is possible thanks to my dual citizenship. So I'm really looking forward to the future, and especially since I started VAN DEER-Red Bull Sports two years ago, Henrik Kristoffersen *1 has been a huge success as a super winner Haug had a great season last year He could also take advantage of this great opportunity to train with Lucas Braathen I think it's a really cool and great opportunity to pursue your passion and bring out the best in yourself.
I have participated in 247 races so far, and I will continue to work quietly and passionately for my country and for my passion. I'm looking forward to sharing beautiful moments with everyone who supports me. Have a wonderful summer. See you until winter! Ciao!
Marcel Hirscher
*1 Henrik Kristoffersen: A Norwegian slalomer who has won numerous medals at the W-Cup and World Championships.
He signed with Hirscher's ``VAN DEER-Red Bull Sports'' in June 2022, and has been on the podium 11 times in SL/GS in the 22-23 season. *2 Timm Hermann Haug: A racer from Germany who participates in both high-speed and technical FIS races.
*3 Lucas Braathen: A young racer from Norway who has been participating in the W-Cup since 2019. From the '20/2021 season, he started winning GS races and frequently stands on the podium. He is also known as a cutting-edge racer whose techniques and competitiveness are attracting attention from around the world.
Hirscher's "VAN DEER-Red Bull Sports" skiing was a hot topic at STEEP!
At STEEP, Marcel Hirscher's hand-developed ski ``VAN DEER-Red Bull Sports'' landed in Japan for the first time in March 2024, so it was just a hot topic. We have reported on the news that ``Cleve Sports'', a pro shop in Yuzawa Town, Niigata Prefecture, has decided to handle official domestic sales, as well as the details of the user test drive event that was unveiled for the first time in Japan. Along with this ski, Marcel Filscher's movements will likely attract a lot of attention in Japan in the future.
