19 September 2003

Emma Carrick-Anderson announced her retirement after 13 years on the international ski circuit.

Britain's most successful female World Cup slalom skier of recent years, Carrick-Anderson, 28, will concentrate on forging a career in the media, coaching and working in the specialist sports fitness and nutrition industry.

Carrick-Anderson first made an impression in the 1992 Albertville Winter Olympics when she skied to an inspirational eighth place in the Combined Slalom as a plucky 16 year old at her first major international event.

The highlight of her career was her 11th in the World Championships Slalom in Sestriere in 1997, while in the 1999/2000 season she scored five Top 30 World Cup finishes and three top three finishes in the Europa Cup.

Carrick-Anderson skied at four Olympic Games (Albertville, Lillehammer, Nagano and Salt Lake) and six World Championships (Morioka, Sierra Nevada, Sestriere, Vail, St Anton and St Moritz).

"It has been a really tough decision to make but I spent some of the summer taking stock of what I had achieved and the time has come to move on," said Carrick-Anderson, who announced her engagement late last season.

"When I was six years old, I had a dream to compete at the Olympic Games. When I competed in my first International competition as a cocky 11 year old I was sure I would stand on the podium, but I was blown away by the fierce competition and from that moment realised I had serious work to do.

"I badgered my parents until they succumbed, allowing me to attend an International Racing school in Schladming, Austria. This was a school full of budding young racers like Michaela Dorfmeister, and I had the opportunity to train with the best and combine my studies with Sport. It was a fantastic set up - and led me to the British Olympic team!"

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