Alpine Skiing: Canadian skier Simard retires
Montréal (AFP) – Genevieve Simard, a two-time Canadian Olympic Alpine skier, retired Wednesday from competitive ski racing after battling the past two seasons to recover from left knee surgery.
Simard, 29, won her only World Cup race at a 2004 super-G in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, and also reached four podiums in the giant slalom during a career that began in 1996.
Simard, the reigning Canadian giant slalom champion, has worked through extensive rehabilitation after surgery to realign her left knee in 2007.
“I can retire now with the conviction that I’ve tried everything I possibly could,” she said.
Simard was a career-best fifth in the World Cup giant slalom standings in 2005 and 2006. She was fifth in the giant slalom at the 2006 Torino Olympic Winter Games and fourth in the super-G at the 2003 world championships.
“I am proud of what I accomplished,” Simard said. “I would have liked to end my career with a medal at the Vancouver Olympics and I will miss the chance to compete in front of Canadians, fans, my friends and family.”
