MARC GIRARDELLI, five times World Cup champion and winner of more Alpine skiing medals than any other man, confirmed his retirement at the World Championships in Sestriere yesterday.

The Austrian born all rounder, who represented Luxembourg, has suffered a series of injuries throughout his career and said doctors had told him he could spend the rest of his life on crutches' unless he stopped racing. "The only thing I have to do now is announce my retirement," he told a news conference.

Girardelli, who won a career total of 13 medals including four - World Championship golds, had not raced since December and was not competing in Sestriere due to injury.

The 33 year old, who decided as a teenager to represent Luxembourg after a disagreement with Austrian skiing officials, won 46 World Cup races in a career that started in 1980 when he was 18.