Mcivor reaches ‘ finished’ line on top
With bright future ahead, Olympic medallist decides not to risk further knee damage
Ashleigh McIvor says there are no regrets calling it quits on a successful ski cross career that included Olympic glory and a mountain- full of great memories and future opportunities.
Through her relatively short, but electrifying ski cross career, Olympic gold medallist Ashleigh McIvor always projected the kind of vibrant, confident personality that would serve her well beyond a competitive career.
The girl, who grew up ripping down Whistler Mountain with her friends — off any cliff and over any jump or gully they could find — and who exuded mountain culture reinforced that thought Friday when she confirmed her retirement at age 29.
With family and former teammates looking on at a downtown hotel, she played a fiveminute video she herself had put together.
It was an artsy, creative effort that highlighted the skiing and mountain biking at the resort she so passionately loves and was a revealing look into her decision to call it quits.
A serious knee injury in January of 2011, while training in Aspen, Colo., for the X Games has kept her on the sidelines for a season- and- a- half and it has caused her to question the risk of further damage that might impact her ability to ski recreationally.
“I’m pretty obsessed with skiing in its true essence, skiing powder and ripping around with my friends.”
Still, she has wavered over the decision to retire for months, saying she felt a responsibility at times to be a leader for younger teammates.
In August, during an off- season camp at Mount Hood in Oregon, the knee finally felt solid enough and she was leaning toward returning to the World Cup circuit this season with an eye to defending her gold medal in Sochi in 2014.
But then some new opportunities presented themselves and, ultimately, she decided her heart just wasn’t in racing any more.
“There are many good reasons to continue racing,” she said. “I have to do what’s right for me.”
CBC wanted her to be an analyst on its ski cross coverage. Some of her sponsors, like Stockli skis and Oakley sunglasses, were keen for her to do free- skiing and backcountry film and photo shoots. And she and a sponsor have shot the pilot for a TV show McIvor would host and which is currently being pitched to networks.
“It was a few weeks after [ the camp at Mount Hood] where I just started exploring other avenues and opportunities and decided that they sound more appealing at this point of my life. You get to the point where other things are more important to you.
“I’ve learned how to take challenges on and I’ve learned what I’m capable of. And I’ve realized that I don’t need to be racing to continue representing what’s important to me.”
And, she said with a grin, “there’s something to be said for going out on top.”
She’s also joining former teammates and good friends, Julia Murray and Davey Barr, in a new ski- with- an- Olympian program at Whistler/ Blackcomb.
“I’m almost more passionate about sharing the amazing wonders of Whistler and our province and these sports with people than I actually am about going out and doing them myself,” said McIvor.
Ski cross, the thrilling discipline that features four- skier heat racing over a downhill course filled with jumps, rollers and banked turns, made its Olympic debut at Cypress ski resort in 2010.
McIvor dominated the women’s event, being the fastest qualifier and advancing through the heats to the final, which she won easily.
A willowy blond who had done some modelling in previous years, McIvor cashed in after the Olympics with a memorable ad for Acura. Her looks and personality should continue to make her marketable.
McIvor, who was inducted into the B. C. Sports Hall of Fame this year and who is engaged to Vancouver Whitecaps captain Jay DeMerit, says she isn’t worried that staying so close to the sport — she’ll be at the season- opening World Cup at Nakiska in Alberta for CBC — might potentially draw her back to competition.
“It’s interesting. I’ve been on the fence about [ retirement] for a while now, but as soon as I started verbalizing that this is the decision I was leaning toward ... like I said all these other opportunities presented themselves and people sort of came forward with their support of this decision.
“It’s kind of solidified that it was the right decision.”
Said Willy Raine, a coach with the Canadian squad: “The sky’s the limit for her.”