8 Years After World Cup Debut, Sara Marita Kramer Announces Retirement
Sara Marita Kramer has decided to end her active career as a ski jumper today.
"Drawing a line under it is not easy, but it is the right step for me," explains the Salzburg native, who has celebrated 15 World Cup victories, the team gold medal at the 2021 World Championships in Oberstdorf, and the overall World Cup victory in the 2021/2022 season. "I have consciously withdrawn recently to give myself enough space to reflect on the last few years and experiences. The sporting path requires full commitment. I have realized that success and everyday life as a competitive athlete no longer fulfill me as they once did. As a result, I also lack the willingness to commit myself to it with full dedication. I am proud of listening to myself and my feelings, and I want to show that it is strong to make a conscious decision for yourself," says Sara Marita Kramer on ending her career after eight years in the Ski Jumping World Cup.
On February 4, 2017, the jumper from Maria Alm made her World Cup debut at the home World Cup in Hinzenbach. There, she collected her first World Cup points with a 29th-place finish. In January 2020, the then 18-year-old secured the first of a total of 15 World Cup victories in Sapporo (JPN). Another 14 victories and countless podium finishes followed in the years to come. She left the 2021 Nordic World Ski Championships in Oberstdorf with a gold medal (team event) and a bronze medal (mixed team event). The 2021/2022 World Cup season marked the greatest career highlight for Sara Marita Kramer as overall World Cup winner. This season, she competed in 18 individual competitions and made eleven podium finishes. That same winter, the Salzburg native also faced her greatest challenge. Due to a coronavirus infection, she missed the Winter Olympics in Beijing and thus the chance to win a medal.
The Salzburg native had to end last season early due to shingles. After a long recovery break, the jumper from Maria Alm returned to the ski jump and began preparing for the upcoming Olympic season: "My big dream was always to win a medal at the Olympic Games. When I missed the last Games due to the coronavirus infection, it hit me harder than I expected. Nevertheless, I tried to pull myself together and keep working towards my goal – to win a medal – and thus finish my story," explains Kramer .
The decision to retire marks the end of an important chapter in the 23-year-old's life and, at the same time, a conscious step into a new phase of her life. "It's not the end of the story I dreamed of as a little girl. But goals and dreams can change. I am grateful for all the experiences I have gained and would like to thank my family, friends, sponsors, fans, coaches, the entire team, and the Austrian Ski Association for their support," adds the jumper from Maria Alm .
For Florian Liegl, the sporting director of the ski jumping division of the Austrian Ski Federation (ÖSV), Sara Marita Kramer's retirement is a bitter loss for women's ski jumping: "It's obviously a great shame that one of our most successful ski jumpers is ending her career. At just 23 years old, she has already celebrated great successes, such as winning the overall World Cup and 15 World Cup victories. All doors are always open for Sara – we wish her all the best for her future."
