A major name in Canadian alpine skiing is retiring

Canadian alpine skier Manuel Osborne-Paradis announced his retirement from sports on Tuesday, ending a 16-season career.

Winner of three events on the World Cup circuit, the 36-year-old has climbed the podium 11 times and won a bronze medal at the 2017 Alpine Skiing World Championships. A serious accident occurred during a Training at Lake Louise in November 2018, however, compromised the rest of his professional career. His left leg required nine surgeries, but he was still aiming for participation in the Beijing Olympics in 2022.

However, surgery to a meniscus last December made him regress in his fitness. He skied painlessly a few times before the COVID-19 pandemic got involved.

“It was a completely crazy adventure full of ups and downs, but I thank ski racing and the entire community around it,” said the main stakeholder in a statement from Alpine Canada. Ski racing forged the man I am today, it opened many doors for me and showed me new possibilities. Dear ski racing, you are a tough, cruel, brutal and challenging sport at the same time, and I will always love you. ”

At the 2017 Worlds in St. Moritz, Switzerland, Osborne-Paradis and his compatriot Erik Guay wrote a page in Canadian alpine skiing history by winning bronze and silver respectively in the super-G. It was the first time that a duo from the country occupied the same podium at the World Championships.