Montafon based snowboard cross racer Michael Haemmerle has officially announced his career's end.

'Gino' is looking back on a decade of active racing in which he not only competed in 32 World Cups with the best result being an eighth place finish in Valmalenco, Italy back in 2011 but also represented Austria at two world championships.

“It's not been a well-kept secret but today I 'm officially announcing the end of my snowboard career”, the 24-year-old athlete said in a press conference yesterday.

“I have always given everything to achieve my goals. I wasn't always as successful as I hoped to be but in the end, I'm more than pleased with how my career turned out” - although he missed the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Winter Games by inches.

However, it's time for something new for the 2009 junior world championships silver medallist.

The oldest of the Haemmerle brothers (Michael, Alessandro and Luca) who all have impressed with medals at junior worlds has been studying medicine since one year and will keep on focusing on his academic career from now on which is – by the way – a nice twist of fate as Haemmerle has been struggling with several injuries over the course of his career. 

Source: fis-ski.com