Alain Baxter, Britain’s greatest skier, announces retirement

Alain Baxter, Britain’s most successful alpine skier has today (2 April) announced his retirement from international ski racing.

The 35 year-old Scot, known simply as ‘The Highlander’ to legions of devoted fans, has raced with Snowsport GB’s British Alpine Ski Team since 1992 and made the announcement at the British Land National Ski Championships in Meribel, France.

Baxter is due to make his final fling down the slalom today at 3.00pm (UK time). Dressed in a kilt, he will stop mid-way down the course to share a dram of malt whisky with Mark Tilston, British Alpine Ski Team head coach.

On return to the UK, Alain will focus his attention on his new business venture Alain Baxter Sports Limited (ABS) " media work, undertaking personal appearances and general sports consultancy.

Commenting on his decision to hang up his competitive ski boots, Alain said: “It has been a privilege to represent Scotland and Great Britain at the top level of international ski racing for more than 20 years.

“I had always planned to make it to Vancouver for the 2010 Olympics but this is the first year I have felt that my injuries could have prevented me from performing to the best of my ability.

“Competing at the top level is physically tough but it has been hugely rewarding - it is definitely a period of my life I will always cherish.

“I am most proud of securing four top ten World Cup finishes for Great Britain and becoming the first British skier in almost fifty years to qualify for a World Cup slalom. Naturally, winning then losing an Olympic bronze medal in 2002 was one of the happiest and lowest points of my career.

“Hopefully, my achievements in skiing have shown the many younger, talented British skiers coming through the system that they too can dream of achieving major results at the highest level of this fantastic sport.

“I am very grateful to Snowsport GB and all of my previous and most recent sponsors including Head skis and Dare2Be for their support over the years. In addition to my new venture, I look forward to spending more time with my beautiful wife Sheila and young children " Kerr and Brooke " both of which will be skiing in the future!”

Supported by Dare2Be, Baxter has been a full-time member of the Snowsport GB alpine team since the age of 18. Since joining the team he has achieved 11 top 15 World Cup finishes and four top 10 results. The super-fit athlete also memorably won the BBC Superstars series in 2004 and the team event in 2008, making him the only athlete to win both.

In the 2000-2001 season the Edinburgh-born racer achieved the highest ranking ever yet achieved by a British alpine skier when he finished 11^th overall in the FIS World Cup rankings. In the same season, he missed getting Britain’s first World Cup win by less than five tenths of a second, finishing 4^th in Are, Sweden.

Referring to Baxter’s decision to retire, Mark Simmers, Chief Executive of Snowsport GB, commented: “All athletes have to face retirement at some stage. For almost two decades, Alain Baxter, Britain’s greatest ski racer has been pushing his mind and body to the limit.

“Though in recent seasons Alain’s performances have been affected by injury, he remains a hugely respected figure in international ski racing. His fourth place in a World Cup in Sweden, an overall world ranking of 11^th and claiming Britain’s first Olympic alpine ski medal, speak volumes of Alain’s mercurial skiing talent. ‘The Highlander’ will be missed.”

Mark Tilston, British Alpine Ski Team head coach added: “Alain Baxter will always be one of the greats of British ski racing. He has shown that skiers from these shores can compete and beat traditional alpine nations.

“The professionalism, commitment and dedication that Alain has shown over the last 20 years brought him a great career and he will now leave ski racing with not only incredible memories, skills and experiences, he will be able to attack his future with the same qualities of character. The trail that Alain has beaten has inspired a new generation of young ski racers who now follow in his tracks.”

However, it was at the 2002 Winter Olympic Games in Salt Lake City when the Scottish racer, named after the French 1970’s ski star Alain Penz, was thrust into the media spotlight. Baxter won an Olympic bronze medal in the men’s slalom - Great Britain’s first Olympic alpine medal in history.

Subsequently, a sample test for the drug methamphetamine, an ingredient in US manufactured Vicks inhalers, led to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) requesting the Scot hand back his medal. Significantly, he was later cleared of the alleged offence and received support for the return of his medal from the British Olympic Association and Sebastian Coe.