‘Definitely’ the last season for Canada’s Guay
TORONTO — Erik Guay will miss his family for just one more winter.
The veteran Canadian skier said Thursday he plans to retire after the 2018-19 World Cup season in March. And a big reason for the decision is that it’s becoming more difficult to be away from his wife, Karen, and their four daughters who range in age from one to nine years old.
“I think it’s definitely my last year,” said Guay, who was in Toronto with the national ski team. “Nothing is 100 per cent, nothing is guaranteed but I just feel like at some point I have to be a full-time dad and I miss it.
“That’s actually one of the most challenging things right now, picking up and heading over to Europe for weeks on end. All I want to do is be at home.”
The 37-year-old Montreal native is a three-time Olympian and Canada’s most accomplished alpine skier. Guay has 25 World Cup podium finishes and three world championship medals (two gold, silver).
But Guay was forced to skip the ’18 Winter Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea with a back injury and seriously pondered retirement in the off-season.
“After all the injuries I’ve had and to sit out the Olympics last year and having four young kids at home, there were moments where I just thought it would be so easy to say, ’I’m done,’ and move on to something else,” Guay said. “But there’s that competitive nature that’s still in me that I’d miss and I think that’s the reason why I’m back.”
And also because Guay is feeling healthy and strong physically.
“If I was struggling with my health ... that would be kind of a clear sign it’s time to hang them up,” he said. “I’m coming back from injury so I’ve got to give myself a little time but I’m not here to finish 30th either.
“My attitude is I’m looking for podiums as I always have been. Those are the objectives.”
Guay admits he’s thought about life after skiing.
“This is kind of uncharted territory,” he said. “I don’t know what to expect.”