From Kazakhstan to Austria and from New Zealand to Japan. Skier Maarten Meiners has made descents all over the world, but after 15 years of top sport he stops. “I’m 31 now and I’ve wondered this season if I can do even better. I noticed that my progression was slowing down and that certainly contributed to me stopping,” says Meiners.
Last year, Meiners participated in the winter games in China and so a dream came true for the North Hollander. “My big goal was to participate in the Olympic Games. As a skier from a small, flat country, that seemed impossible, but in the end I succeeded. I’ve worked hard for it all these years. Then you can go for a better ranking at the next winter games, but how realistic is that in three years.”
Descents you will never forget
Meiners talks passionately about his sport from his current home in Amsterdam. When asked which descent or event he will never forget, it is difficult for him to choose. “I can talk about that for hours. I thought New Zealand was a very beautiful country and I found the Japanese culture very special with a lot of nice people. In Kazakhstan they told me not to go too far off the track, because then I would go across the border and you shouldn’t do that.”
He does not yet know what Meiners will do next. The skier who grew up in Naarden has a bachelor’s degree in economics and business administration and has announced that he will consider his future in the coming months.