Two-time Olympic medalist Ragnhild Mowinckel will end her career at the end of the season

Two-time Olympic medalist in Alpine skiing Ragnhild Mowinckel will end her career at the end of the season.

“I think 8-year-old Ragnhild would be very proud of 31-year-old Ragnhild. She had dreams that I feel like we dreamed together”, said the Norwegian alpione skier in a video message on her Instagram account.

Ragnhild Mowinckel won silver medals at the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympics in the downhill and giant slalom. Her career was then cut short as she tore cruciate ligaments in her right knee twice in 2019, forcing her to miss the 2019/2020 season.

The Norwegian returned to the top level, claiming three more wins in her four career World Cup starts and picking up a second bronze medal at the 2023 Giant Slalom World Championships. She also placed third in the combined at the 2019 Planet Championships, a month before her first knee injury.

Ragnhild Mowinckel said the decision to withdraw was made before her victory last month in the women’s downhill in Cortina d’Ampezzo, the legendary Italian track that will host the events at the Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics.

“I’m happy to leave on my terms”, said Ragnhild Mowinckel, adding in the video that the feeling of stepping down was “strange but nice”.

She will compete in front of her home fans this weekend in Kvitfjell, where she has downhill and super-G slalom, and plans to finish the season at the World Cup Finals March 16-24 in Austria.