Ski legend steps down

“Brought Lindsey Vonn to Fuschl when she was 19”

Robert Trenkwalder at his farewell party in Saalbach with his protégés Vonn (left) and Goggia(Bild: Christof Birbaumer)

He once led Günther Mader to success as a private coach, won countless gold medals as the ÖSV speed coach and joined Red Bull in 2004, where he became a formative figure in the World Cup with stars such as Lindsey Vonn and Marco Odermatt. Now Robert Trenkwalder (76) is retiring after 48 years in the ski circus.

"These are moments you never forget." Yes, Robert Trenkwalder reminisced during the "Krone" interview. Since 1976, the 76-year-old has been an integral part of the Ski World Cup - but on May 1, he will retire. "Just one step back, I'm not completely gone," laughs the busy Innsbruck native, who has been involved in countless gold medals in a wide variety of roles during his career.