Take pleasure in (perhaps) the last month in the career of the greatest Slovenian champion

By the number of medals Maze second only to Cranz and Pärson

16. februar 2015 ob 14.17 • Vail - MMC RTV SLO

Tina Maze won her first medal at a big competition in 2009 in Val d'Iser, at the age of 25. Now, six years later, she has 13 medals. Foto: Reuters

It was difficult to expect Tina Maze to repeat her outstanding Olympic performance in Vail. But the Slovenian champion excelled at the World Championship as well, and confirmed her status of the legend of the Alpine skiing.

Olympic games are indeed special, but two gold and one silver medal this World Championship the most successful great competition for the 31-year skier from Črna, at the peak of her career. Yet, ambitious as she is, Tina didn't settle for three medals in three disciplines – but she paid the price of exhaustion in giant slalom (5th place) and slalom (8th place). Tremendous motivation notwithstanding, she pushed her body over the edge of its capability.

Thanks to Tina Maze, Slovenia third on the list of medal winners at WC in Vail.

Six years of winning medals at world championships and Olympic games launched her among the best skiers of all times. Since 2009, 13 medals were slipped around her neck, nine at world championships, and four at Olympic games – six gold ones! By the number of medals she is second only to Christl Cranz from Germany, and Anja Pärson from Sweden.
The colour of her medals places Maze as second on the list of the most successful Slovenian athletes of all times, behind the famous gymnast Leon Štukelj with 17 medals, with two gold medals more than won by the skier from Koroška. Tina has six gold medals, the same number as the gymnast Miroslav Cerar. And she has won seven silver medals, which is more than any other Slovenian athletes won. We should count in 26 victories in World Cup, the fact that she stood 75 times on the winner podium, and won the record number of points (2,414) when winning the big Crystal Globe.

But the drama, and fight against milliseconds are not over yet. Already this weekend the home races at Pohorje are scheduled, while the competition with Anna Fenninger for the big Crystal Globe will continue till the end of the world cup season. There are still 13 races left until the end, and Tina is ahead by 184 points. Regardless of the end result of the duel of the best two female skiers in the world, you should make yourself comfortable in your armchair, and enjoy the performance of the best Slovenian athlete in history. Perhaps this will be the last month you will be able to do so.