Vienna  - Austrian skiing icon Hermann Maier said Tuesday that he would retire immediately, ending his career as one of the sports most successful athletes.

The visibly moved 36-year-old racer announced his decision after having won two Olympic golds, three world titles, four overall World Cup wins and 54 race wins.

In the history of alpine skiing, only Sweden's Ingemar Stenmark was more successful in the World Cup.

Maier made a spectacular comeback after a serious motorcycle accident in 2001, but the long-term effects of his injuries hampered him in recent seasons.(dpa)

Are, Sweden - Austrian ski veteran Hermann Maier missed a 15th World Cup trophy on Thursday, but said shortly after the day's super-g race that he may continue his skiing career until the 2010 Vancouver Olympics.

Maier, 36, even suggested he may still be around for the 2011 world championships in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, where he won the first of his 54 World Cup races back in 1997.

"Everything is possible in theory. There is a tendency to continue. Olympic Games naturally are a big goal," Maier said.

Vienna - Austrian ski hero Hermann Maier may have to to miss upcoming World Cup races in North America due to a back injury, the Austrian ski federation said on Thursday.

Maier, 35, injured his back in mid-October, but the exact nature of the disc injury was not determined until recently.