Bernadette Schild from Salzburg has ended her active skiing career. The 31-year-old announced her decision on Sunday in the ORF program “Sport am Sonntag” and via ÖSV broadcast. The younger sister of the ex-slalom dominator Marlies Raich (formerly Schild) suffered a cruciate ligament and meniscus tear as well as a bone contusion during slalom training on December 27 and was out for the rest of the season. Now she drew a line behind her career.
It was Schild’s second cruciate ligament injury within 14 months, before that she was seriously injured at the World Cup opening in Sölden in October 2019. Schild was represented in the World Cup for 13 years. “I just had to ask myself whether I dared to go to the limit and beyond, and the honest answer to that is just ‘no’,” said Schild. “That’s why my decision to end my active ski racing career was made a few weeks ago.”
She has always pursued ski racing with a lot of joy, also with ambition and determination. “I am now taking these qualities with me into a completely new phase of my life and into a completely different professional field,” reported the two-time runner-up in slalom World Cups. In the future, Schild will work for a confectionery company based in Lofer – their first head sponsor – in marketing and media matters.
Seven podium places in the World Cup
In 2008 Schild was crowned junior world champion in slalom in Spain, and the following year she secured silver in this discipline at the Junior World Championships in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. In 2010/11, Schild won the European Slalom Cup, in 2013 she was second in the World Cup for the first time in Lenzerheide, and in 2018 in Flachau as well. Five more podium places in the World Cup complete their balance sheet. The technology specialist took part in two Olympic Games and three world championships.
“Bernadette Schild has played a decisive role in shaping our technical team for over a decade,” said Christian Mitter, the sporting director of the ÖSV women, about the Olympic seventh in the 2018 goal run. “She played an important role in the team and will affect everyone Cases are missing. I wish Bernadette all the best for her future, she will certainly master her new task with determination and enthusiasm, just like in ski racing. ” (apa)