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Marcel Hirscher, one of the most successful ski racers of all time, is planning to return next season after five years in retirement. And the record eight-time overall World Cup champion is going to compete for the Netherlands — his mother’s country — instead of his native Austria.
The Austrian winter sports federation, known as the OSV, announced Wednesday that it had released the 35-year-old Hirscher and endorsed his nation change.
“For people asking, why are you doing this, for me it’s clear — because the joy of skiing never left, it’s just so much fun for me,” Hirscher said on Instagram.
While there have been Dutch skiers who have competed on the elite level, never has the Netherlands — a country with no mountains — had a top racer anywhere near Hirscher’s caliber.
The nation change allows Hirscher to compete on Van Deer skis — the brand he helped …
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