Peter Fill Announces Retirement

Former Hahnenkamm Downhill winner, Peter Fill (37), confirms his retirement from alpine ski racing after his final race on the Streif.

“I have many fond memories, but winning here in Kitzbühel is, of course, one of the best", said the speed specialist, who has recently had to contend with back problems.

After his fall at the Hahnenkamm Downhill on Saturday, Fill has had to change his original plan for ending his career at the World Cup final in Cortina d'Ampezzo and bring it forward to the upcoming race weekend in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. The South Tyrolean was visibly moved at the press conference:

”Skiing has been my life and it is not easy to stop. I have always given my best and want to pass so much on to my younger colleagues and fight right up until the end."

"I will race at Garmisch and then stop my career," said Fill. "It's not possible to qualify for (the season-ending) finals at Cortina.

"The biggest problem was an injury to my back in 2009. I came back well from that, but for the last few years I have had big problems with my back.

"My head is hungry for more but my body says no to me."

Peter Fill is from northern Italy. Born in Brixen, South Tyrol, he formerly competed in all disciplines, and now focuses on the speed events of downhill, super-G, and combined. Fill won the World Cup season title in downhill in 2016 and in 2017, and the combined title in 2018.

Fill can look back on a very successful career. He became vice-champion in Super-G in 2009. He was the first and only Italian to win the Downhill World Cup in the 2015/16 and 2016/17 seasons. He also took the Combined title in 2017/2018. In the speed disciplines, Pill achieved 21 podium finishes, 3 of which were overall victories.