Austrian alpine ski star Renate Goetschl announces retirement, says she’s pregnant

Austrian ski star Renate Goetschl is retiring

VIENNA — Austrian alpine ski star Renate Goetschl announced her retirement Wednesday, saying she’s pregnant and can’t properly prepare for the upcoming World Cup circuit or the 2010 Winter Olympics.

“I want to devote myself to my private life in the future,” said Goetschl, who is expecting her first child next spring.

Goetschl, 34, won three World Championships golds, two Olympic medals and has 46 World Cup victories, but she struggled the past two seasons to regain her form. She had been considering ending her career after a disappointing world championships in February.