Tina Maze: I live for the moment, and this is the most important one

Maze’s 18-year-long career has brought many fond memories

“I won’t be able to quit skiing, I will remain connected to it my entire life," says Tina Maze. Foto: BoBo/Miloš Vujinović

Tina Maze has said goodbye to her spectacular career in alpine skiing, marked by winning practically everything that could be won. More than 15,000 spectators at Pohorje loudly greeted her last crossing of the finish line.

The best Slovenian female alpine skier competed in giant slalom at the 53rd Golden Fox competition in Maribor and was assigned number 34. Before setting off down the ski course, she waved to her fans. She then stopped in the middle of the run to hug her team led by Andrea Massi and continued down the hill, stopping once more right before the finish line to take off her skis and walk into the arena. A 15,000-strong crowd cheered and applauded enthusiastically. “I live for the moment, and this is the most important one,” pointed out Maze at the arena.

Tina: This is a lovely celebration of my career
“I won’t be able to quit skiing, I will remain connected to it my entire life. That’s why I’m not experiencing any real shock, unlike the past when things might have been a bit more difficult – without any media, the World Cup and other people. I feel honoured today. I’ve had some practice, but not like I used to. It’s a nice, emotional day today, a lovely celebration of my career,” told the skier from Črna in a statement for TV Slovenija. She also revealed that she had planned her last performance meticulously but that all depended on the current mood. If she had felt she could won, she would have tried to ski the best she could, but she did not get that feeling. When walking into the arena, Maze took off her start number and uncovered her famous sports bra with the “Not your business” slogan. Although the message has lifted quite a few eyebrows in the past, Maze argues: “One needs to be a bit cheeky in sports to be able to reach the top. One needs to be a bit wicked when necessary. This is a part of me, I’ve been known for the bra prank, so I couldn’t help re-living it,” added the two-twice Olympic champion.

She has very fond memories of her record career
Maze’s 18-year-long career has brought many fond memories. Tine admits that she particularly likes to think about her record season, when she won 2,414 points, as well as her 13 medals in the short span of 8 years. “That’s quite a big thing, considering I had not won much in the first part of my career. Well, I did, but it pales in comparison to what I achieved in the second part,” stressed Maze before pointing put how glad she was to start and finish her sports career at the same location – Pohorje.

Mitja Lisjak, MMC; translated by K. Z.