Downhill star Hudec hangs up his boots
Calgary Olympian raced 16 years on the World Cup circuit, won bronze at Sochi
Most people will probably look at Jan Hudec’s competitive ski racing career and circle the 2014 Sochi Olympics as the top highlight.
That’s understandable. It was in Sochi, after all, where Hudec broke Canada’s 20-year alpine skiing podium drought when he barrelled across the finish line and claimed a bronze medal in the super- G.
Hudec, though, doesn’t want his entire career to be defined by that moment.
There were too many ups and downs, too many teammates and coaches who helped him along the way and, unfortunately, too many injuries that would have ended a weaker man’s career.
“Sochi was probably the crowning point, but before Sochi happened, I didn’t know it would happen, I hoped, but never knew,” Hudec said Thursday evening following a flight from Europe back home to Calgary. “Before that, I did have similar moments. At the world championships when I was 21 and (teammate Erik Guay) and I were there for our first races, there was the world championships in 2007 (where he won silver in the downhill), nobody expected that.
“It probably is possible (to put it all into words), but it would be a really long book. A tragi-comedy, but I’m extremely grateful for everything.”
Hudec, a Calgarian, is leaving competitive skiing with a resumé that puts him among the greatest Canadians ever to compete at the sport.
There was the Olympic bronze, of course, the world championship silver and five World Cup medals, including a gold in 2007 at Lake Louise, about as close to a hometown race as an Albertan was likely to get.
There were also injuries, though. So many injuries.
Hudec had 14 surgeries throughout his career and will need more now that his career was over. On some level, it felt like a miracle that he even competed for Canada in Sochi, and the fact that he managed to make it to this year’s Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang is, frankly, astounding.
In South Korea, Hudec was a member of the Czech Republic’s Olympic team and while there was no fairytale ending to his career, it’s clearly something of which the 36-year-old is proud.
“The joke is I retired three years ago and I just didn’t tell anybody about it,” Hudec said with a laugh. “I had to turn over every leaf and every stone before I actually stopped, so I knew I had tried everything. For me that was the most important thing and in the end, in a crazy, weird way, I made it to the Olympics and helped younger guys.
“We don’t always get to finish the way we envisioned. Some guys win every race of the season and then retire on a high note. It didn’t work that way for me, but everything has it’s time and place. For me, this is the story and there were plenty of highlights.”
With his time as a ski racer over, Hudec was planning on taking a weekend to celebrate in Banff before embarking on a new career in the “legal cannabis” business.
He’ll also continue working as a board member with the Czech Olympic team, helping up-and-
Some guys win every race of the season and then retire on a high note. It didn’t work that way for me, but everything has it’s time and place.
coming racers achieve their goals. If the opportunity arises to help Alpine Canada at some point, Hudec said he’d definitely like to give back, although nobody has approached him about any opportunities.
For now, though, Hudec is in a reflective mood.
“It’s crazy to think it’s over,” Hudec said. “I still feel like a kid who just started skiing, but it’s been 16 years on the World Cup (circuit).”