Tina Maze Races at Maribor One Last Time
6.1.2017 | Fiona Thompson
This weekend Tina Maze will bid a find farewell to her Slovenian fans as she competes for the last time in the Zlata Lisica (the Golden Fox) the skiing event held annually at Maribor and the one which Maze achieved some of her best results.
Born in Slovenj Gradec in 1983, Maze has received the award for Slovenian Sportswoman of the Year on no fewer than six occasions and is one of Slovenia’s best-known celebrities. In 2010 she was the flag-bearer for the Slovenian team at the Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Canada.
With 4 Winter Olympic medals -2 gold and 2 silver and 4 World Championship titles as well as 2 runner-up places, Tina is Slovenia’s most successful ever downhill skier. She has achieved championship wins in all five downhill disciplines (slalom, giant slalom, super giant slalom, combined and downhill) and is one of only six female skiers ever to pull off that feat – and what is more, she’s one of only three to have won in all five events in the same season.
January 7 and 8 2017 see Tina returning to Maribor where she has climbed onto the podium on three occasions. It will be her final time in front of home fans, although she has already taken a step into retirement, having spent last year completing her university studies and qualifying as a school teacher. Although Slovenian skiing will lose a major star, we are sure that some lucky Slovenian school children will be thrilled to get such an inspirational role model as their teacher if Tina decides that her career will take her into the classroom.