A number of ski jumpers have announced their retirement this spring, among them former overall World Cup winners, World Champions and 4-Hills-Tournament winners.

Norway's Anders Bardal officially announced his retirement at the World Cup final in Planica (SLO). The 32-year-old won the overall World Cup 2011/12 and the World Championship title on the normal hill in 2013. All in all, he earned a total of 12 medals at the Olympic Winter Games and World Championships (including ski flying). His dream of winning team gold came true at the World Championships in Falun last winter. Bardal, who achieved 34 podium finishes in the World Cup, has started working in a bank, and wants to spend more time with his family.

Anders Bardal announced his decision: https://www.facebook.com/andersbardal/posts/651733404930802

Tom Hilde posted about the career end of Anders Bardal: https://www.facebook.com/tomhildeofficial/posts/880413028671079:0

The wish to spend more time with his wife and kids was also the main reason why Bardal’s teammate Anders Jacobsen decided to end his career as well. Jacobsen won the 4-Hills-Tournament in his first World Cup season 2006/07. He also won 11 medals at World Championships and Olympic Games and ten World Cup competitions.

Phillip Sjoeen posted a nice, old picture with Anders Jacobsen: https://www.facebook.com/PhillipSjoeen/posts/575453469263655:0

Norwegians Ole Marius Ingvaldsen, Vegard Sklett, Kim Rene Elverum Sorsell, Atle Pedersen Roensen and Johan Martin Brandt also decided to start a new chapter in their lives.

Another well-known athlete who retired this year is Wolfgang Loitzl (AUT). The 35-year-old, who won the 4-Hills-Tournament 2008/09 and is one of the most successful Austrian winter sports athletes with a total of eight gold medals at FIS Nordic World Ski Championships and Olympic Games, announced his retirement after 18 years on the World Cup during the ski flying event at Kulm in his hometown Bad Mitterndorf last January.

Among the other ski jumpers who called it quits after or during the 2014/15 season are Kazuya Yoshioka and Shusaku Hosoyama (both JPN), Pascal Egloff (SUI), Christoph Stauder (AUT) and Diego Dellasega (ITA).

Diego Dellasega on Instagram: https://instagram.com/p/1yYAJHDJ4l/

Anette Sagen (NOR), bronze medalist of the World Championships in Liberec 2009, and Anna Haefele (GER) are two key veterans of ladies' ski jumping who also announced their retirement.

Source: fis-ski.com