Eirik Brandsdal (NOR) announces retirement

Mar 24, 2020·Cross-Country

"It will be a new everyday life when I will no longer use all my energy to get the best skiing experience possible. I've been dreading to this day. Still, it feels right to have made that decision. I've almost always been hungry to get better. Now I do not feel the same hunger, and so I think younger forces deserve to get a go."– Eirik Brandsdal

The 33 year-old Norwegian announced his decision to step away from professional sport via his personal Instagram account this morning.

Det blir en ny hverdag når jeg ikke lengre skal bruke alle mine krefter på å bli best mulig på ski. Jeg har gruet meg til denne dagen. Allikevel føles det riktig å ha tatt denne avgjørelsen. Jeg har stort sett alltid vært sulten på å bli bedre. Nå kjenner jeg ikke på den samme sulten, og da synes jeg yngre krefter fortjener å få slippe til. Jeg er utrolig stolt over å ha fått vært en del av langrennslandslaget de siste 10 årene. Jeg har opplevd så mye og vært en del av et fantastisk prestasjonsmiljø, der jeg har fått utvikle meg. Sesongen i år fikk en spesiell avslutning og langrenn blir ubetydelig i denne sammenheng. Jeg er allikevel glad for at jeg fikk avsluttet sesongen med en skikkelig opptur under verdenscupen på Konnerud i mars. I tiden fremover kommer jeg fortsatt til å trene mye. Utover det gleder jeg meg til å ta fatt på nye utfordringer, hvor en av dem er å fullføre siste studieår innenfor industriell økonomi. Tusen takk alle sammen! 😊🙏🏻 I have decided to end my professional career now. It has been a tough decision after so many years doing the sport I love. Thank you all for all the support 💙

With Eirik Brandsdal's retirement, FIS Cross-Country sees a valuable and very professional member of the World Cup cirquit go. Eirik Brandsdal can proudly look back on a successful career as a Cross-Country skier. He joined the World Cup family in 2007 in Drammen for the first time for a Sprint in Classic technique where he earned World Cup point right away. The Sprinter soon joined the World Cup team on a regular basis and reached his first World Cup podium in the Sprint F in Düsseldorf (GER) in 2009. It was the first World Cup podium and 23 podium spots - including 9 victories would follow.

Eirik Brandsdal finished the Sprint World Cup ranking twice in second place in 2013/14 and 2014/15 as well as twice in the third position in 2011/12 and 2018/19.

His Cross-Country World Cup journey ends where it began. After 13 years in the World Cup, Eirik concluded his World Cup career on the third rank of the Sprint F in Drammen.

Thank you Eirik for bringing your kind and uncomplicated spirit into the World Cup family. We wish you many exciting adventures to come and all the best for the good times ahead!

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Eirik Brandsdal (NOR) announces retirement

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