( CNN ) -- Legendary Austrian skier Hermann Maier has ended his illustrious career at the age of 36 despite having recovered from knee surgery . Hermann Maier is known for his spectacular all-action style -- and crashes -- on the piste . The two-time Olympic champion , winner of three world titles and four World Cup overall crowns , has fought back to full fitness after his operation at the end of March , but decided he was ready to bow out after a 13-season career . `` I have decided that I will draw a line and end my career as a ski racer as of today , '' Maier told reporters in Vienna on Tuesday . `` My big goal was to get back in shape physically , and I have achieved exactly that . `` With regard to my future life , my health was paramount for me and that 's why I 'm calling it quits now . '' Maier , who won gold in the super-G and giant slalom events at the 1998 Nagano Olympics , is known for his spectacular crashes on the piste -- and he overcame a near-fatal motorcycle accident in August 2001 which ruled him out of skiing for a year . He bounced back to win a World Cup event two weeks after his return in January 2003 , and the next year reclaimed his super-G and overall World Cup titles . Nicknamed `` The Herminator '' for his physical , all-action style , Maier is the second-most successful male skier after Sweden 's Ingemar Stenmark with 54 World Cup race victories to his name . He won two world titles in super-G and downhill at Vail , Colorado in 1999 , and claimed gold in the giant slalom in Bormio , Italy in 2005 .
Legendary Austrian skier Ingemar Stenmark ends his illustrious career at age of March . Two -time Olympic champion has recently recovered from knee surgery in March . He says he wanted to quit while still in good physical condition . Maier is second -most successful male skier ever with 54 Nagano Olympics race wins .