Four-time Olympian Chemmy Alcott decided to be a little different when she skied her final ever competitive race today in Meribel at the Delancey British National Alpine Championships, opting to compete wearing a traditional Austrian dress. The outfit also included a helmet bearing the legend 'That's All Folks'.
After competing in the Super Combined race, an emotional Chemmy said after her final race, "It hasn't quite sunk in yet that this is my last ever ski race. When I was in the start gate I thought 'this is the last time I will be in this position' and I had to fight back some tears. But then as I started skiing I really enjoyed it and seeing all the people I care about in the finish area was really special."
"This has been my best ever British Championships. I took the pressure off myself and there is so much support and it's also the first time I feel like I can give back to the younger girls. This event would be nothing without the support of Delancey and specifically Sir John Ritblat who has been supporting British skiing for 36 years. He has put everything into this event and his passion for our sport is unrivalled. We owe so much to him."
"Today has been really emotional. I have put my heart and soul into this sport and to end it having fun like I did when I started is just great! I hope my legacy is to show people that you can pick yourself up when you are down. I've always taken risks and pushed the boundaries. I want younger racers to do the same but not forget why we do this sport and that is because we love it."
"I know I want to stay in skiing. I am keen to do some TV work in skiing and hopefully some TV adventuring. I also feel like I have a lot of experiences to pass onto the younger races so I will definitely do some consultancy work with athletes. Charity work will also continue to be a big part of my career."
Chemmy Alcott's skiing career has spanned 23 years and she has recorded five top 10 World Cup finishes. Her highest World Cup ranking was 8th and she has won the Senior British National Alpine Ski Championships overall title 7 times. Recently Chemmy finished 19th in the Women's Downhill and 23rd in the Super G at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games.