The double World Championships medallists endured a nasty fall three years ago and has made only a handful of appearances at major ski jumping events since.

Gräßler, winner of a World Championships silver medal in the individual normal hill competition in 2009 and who claimed bronze in the mixed team event four years later, revealed she would now focus on her career in the German Federal Police.

She was not selected on any of the German teams for the 2018-2019 campaign and decided now was the right time to bring her ski jumping career to an end.

"In this situation, I have decided that my time as an athlete is over," said Gräßler.

Gräßler, whose best result on the World Cup circuit was third in Zao in Japan and in the Italian resort of Val di Fiemme during the 2011-2012 season, was among the athletes who led calls for women's ski jumping to be included on the programme of the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver. 

The German was one of 14 ski jumpers who signed a letter to then International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Jacques Rogge urging the organisation to add the women's discipline in 2009.

Women's ski jumping eventually secured a place on the Olympic programme at Sochi 2014.

"Ulrike is a pioneer, who was working for the development of her sport from the first day of her career," German ski jumping head coach Andreas Bauer said.

"Beyond her own goals, she has fought for ladies' ski jumping and achieved a lot. 

"She was one of four outstanding female ski jumpers when we only had the Continental Cup, in the World Cup she was an important part of our team and represented us at the first World Championships and Olympic Games."