‘Hardest decision’: Ski ace Marcel Hirscher mulls retirement

He’s accomplished “way, way more” than he ever dreamed possible and is arguably the greatest ski racer that ever lived, but Marcel Hirscher is contemplating retirement.

The Austrian ace has won skiing’s World Cup overall season title for an unprecedented eight years in a row alongside countless other honors in a glittering career.

But at just 30, Hirscher could hang up his race skis with the all-time record for World Cup wins tantalisingly within his grasp.

READ: Marcel Hirscher: Skiing’s greatest of all time?

Hirscher and wife Laura had their first child – a boy – last year, and priorities have changed.

“Ski racing is not the most important thing any more,” Hirscher told CNN’s Christina Macfarlane for Alpine Edge at the World Cup finals in Soldeu, Andorra.

Nonetheless, Hirscher is finding it hard to turn his back on a life that has given him so much.

“This is maybe the hardest decision in my life because I’m not saying, ‘OK, I’m going to jump into a new job,’ I’m going to end a part of my life which has been today, my life.

“If you have done this for 10 years with this intensity, with tears, sweat, success and suffering, all the ups and downs. It’s not easy to say ‘Ok, I’m done with it.’”

Marcel Hirscher (left) and Mikaela Shiffrin won the men's and women's World Cup overall titles for 2019.

‘The others are not sleeping’

Hirscher sits third on the list of most successful ski racers with 67 wins, just 15 short of Lindsey Vonn and 19 behind record-holder Ingemar Stenmark.

At an average of eight wins a year for the past eight years, he could surpass Stenmark and cement his legacy as the GOAT in a handful of seasons. That’s if American superstar Mikaela Shiffrin, who has already thundered to 60 World Cup wins, doesn’t pass him in the meantime.

But that’s at least two more years of pursuing the unrelenting goals of an elite athlete, trying to stay ahead of the chasing pack.

“The biggest challenge is to improve yourself year by year,” said Hirscher. “The others are not sleeping.”

The grind, travel and familiar rhythm of the ski circuit is another factor weighing heavily on Hirscher’s mind.

“Knowing on December 25 I’ll land in Denver, five steps, turn left and there is the parked car and go to Vail for four or five training runs, dinner at the same restaurant,” he says, reflecting on his routine.

“I’m used to those rituals during the season and this can be sometimes as well frustrating and is not always motivating, knowing what I’m going to do.”

READ: Mikaela Shiffrin seals stellar season with 60th career win

Winter wonderland —

Snow covers the mountains and the 2018-2019 ski racing season is under way. Here's some of the best photos from the circuit.

Taste of victory —

Marcel Hirscher shares his slalom victory in Levi, Finland, with a friend.

All in the landing —

Klaus Brandner looks to regain his balance as he races in Beaver Creek, Colorado.

Feeling the snow —

Mikaela Shiffrin gets low to the ground in St Moritz, where she won the parallel slalom and super-G events.

Shining light —

The giant slalom slope of Val d'Isère shines amid dark skies; the slalom was canceled because of bad weather.

Leap of faith —

France's Alexis Pinturault searches for speed en route to a third-placed finish in Alta Badia, Italy.

Poles apart —

Petra Vlhova in action at the women's slalom in Semmering, Austria.

Snowballing out of control —

Norway's Mina Fuerst Holtmann crashes out in Zagreb's women's slalom.

Leaving a trace —

US skier Thomas Biesemeyer leaves a spray of snow behind him as he cuts inside.

Crashing out —

Canada's Erin Mielzynski ends up on her back during the women's slalom in Zagreb.

The queen's coronation —

Mikaela Shiffrin celebrates with champagne and a crown after winning the women's slalom in Zagreb.

A winter's image —

Marcel Hirscher flies round a bend during a winning run at the picturesque Adelboden.

Flying the flag —

Austria's Marcel Hirscher is presented as the winner of the giant slalom race in Adelboden.

Snow distraction —

Mikaela Shiffrin closes her eyes as her runners-up celebrate by throwing snowballs at her in Kronplatz.

Posing for the camera —

Italy's Federica Brignone competes in the women's giant slalom at Kronplatz.

Balancing act —

Travis Ganong in super-G action on a hazy day.

Jumping for joy —

Austria's Vincent Kriechmayr flies through the Wengen air during his winning run in the men's downhill event.

The sky's the limit —

Matthias Mayer steadies himself before beginning his downhill, with the clouds above him mirroring the Wengen mountains.

A mountain to climb —

A female skier competes against the domineering backdrop of Cortina's rocky mountains.

Picture perfect —

Mikaela Shiffrin wins in Cortina as she dominates the super-G in the Italian mountains.

White as snow —

Jonathan Nordbotten slaloms towards the Kitzbuhel faithful on a snow-filled day in Austria.

Arnie —

"He's back...!" Muscleman, movie star and politician Arnold Schwarzenegger takes in the action during his regular visit to the Hahnenkamm races in Kitzbuhel.

Italian style —

Dominik Paris in action on his way to winning the men's downhill in Kitzbuhel, Austria.

Airborne —

Manuel Schmid takes an insect-like leap during his super-G run at Kitzbuehel.

Pick that one out —

Italy's Sofia Goggia celebrates finishing second in the women's downhill in Garmisch.

Lying low —

Swiss skier Luana Fluetsch appears almost flat on the snow as she competes in the super-G in Garmisch.

One of the World Cup circuit's most celebrated events is the night slalom in Schladming, Austria. Thousands of ski racing fans line the slope to watch the world's best compete under floodlights. Local hero Marcel Hirscher triumphed again this year.

Swerving all obstacles —

Marcel Hirscher focuses as he slides past the poles during the slalom.

Light in the darkness —

Alexis Pinturault takes second place at night during the men's slalom in Schladming.

Disturbing the surface —

Switzerland's Daniel Yule competes in Schladming

Black and white —

The silhouette of Gabriela Capova stands out as she competes in the slalom event in Maribor.

Snowed under —

Fans in Garmisch seek shelter as the men's competition is canceled due to weather conditions.

A World Championship view —

Are, the home of the 2019 World Ski Championships.

A moment of panic —

Lindsey Vonn is surrounded after a gruesome fall at the World Championships in Are.

Back on her feet —

Lindsey Vonn is helped after crashing out of the penultimate race of her career in the super-G event at the World Championships in Are.

A fairytale ending —

Despite crashing earlier in the week, Lindsey Vonn goes out in style at the World Championships in Are.

A legend's farewell —

Vonn celebrates winning World Championship bronze in the downhill in her final race before retirement.

This way and that —

Slovenia's Stefan Hadalin competes in the first run of the men's giant slalom at the World Championships in Are.

Pole position —

Henrik Kristoffersen of Norway steps out of long-time rival Marcel Hrischer's shadow to win gold in the giant slalom in Are.

Picture perfect —

Sweden's Anna Swenn-Larsson reacts after winning silver in the slalom at the World Ski Championships in Are.

Overcome with emotion —

Mikaela Shiffrin collapses to the ground in delight as she wins her fourth consecutive gold in the slalom at the World Ski Championships.

When perils of the slalom —

Mikaela Shiffrin finds herself in a tangle during the city event in Stockholm.

Grey —

The men's super-G is canceled due to a of heavy overnight snowfall.

Photographic perfection —

A racer's silhouette arches across a peerless landscape.

Child's play —

Switzerland's Wendy Holdener poses with a furry mascot during the combined event at Crans-Montana.

Taking the plaudits —

Italy's Federica Brignone celebrates her victory in the Alpine combined race at Crans-Montana.

When poles collide —

French racer Alexis Pinturault in action during the giant slalom in Bansko, Bulgaria.

Beaten by the elements —

The women's super-G falls victim to Sochi's curious weather patterns.

No-go zone —

The Rosa Khutor resort in Sochi looks a ghostly, isolated picture after competition is called off due to conditions.

Up in the canopies —

Switzerland's Priska Nufer leaps as she competes in the downhill at Crans-Montana.

Snow blue —

Slovenia's Ilka Stuhec leaves a path of turquoise in her trail at Crans-Montana.

Best photos from the 2019 ski season

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‘Toughest situation’

Talking in Soldeu, Hirscher admitted he was glad the season was over, but he said it wasn’t the right time to make a definitive decision on his future.

Zeppelin-skiing landscape, Austria

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“Today is the wrong day for this question,” he said. “At the moment I have no motivation. But it can change in one or two weeks.

“Right now I feel brilliant, my body, my mental side, we have so much experience, we are all getting better and better, the team is growing more together, we’re not at the peak, it’s really the toughest situation so far in my career.

“I don’t want to stop ski racing by saying I’m not anymore in the top 15 and now I have to stop. I want to stop because I’ve made the decision that I have no fun anymore or I’m tired of ski racing.”

‘Small dreams, live big’

Growing up in the small town of Annaberg in eastern Austria, Hirscher didn’t see himself as exactly on the fast track to greatness. When he joined the World Cup tour at 18, a single victory would have represented career success.

“Where I grew up nobody had done that before,” he said. “It would be something you can be proud of and maybe one medal at a world championship. Wow.

“I dreamed never too big. I hate to dream really big and at the end of your career have just reached one percent of big dreams. That’s not fun. Better to have small dreams and live it big.”

READ: How ski fitness can help unlock your ‘sixth sense’

Hirscher has lived it large, and to many he is already the best ever.

Whether he retires or carries on in search of the all-time record, it will be on his terms – and now those of his wife and son, too.

“It’s more important he’s doing good and everything with the family is good, then comes ski racing,” he said.