King of the hill returns — to ski for famously flat nation

Marcel Hirscher, one of the most successful ski racers of all time, is planning to return next season after five years in retirement. And, surprisingly, the record eight-time overall World Cup champion is going to compete for the Netherlands — his mother's country — instead of his native Austria.

The Austrian winter sports federation, known as the OSV, announced recently that it had released the 35-year-old Hirscher and endorsed his change of national representation.

"For people asking why I am doing this, for me it's clear — because the joy of skiing never left, it's just so much fun for me," Hirscher said on Instagram.