April 2 - Alain Baxter (pictured), Britain’s most successful - and controversial - skier today announced his retirement from competition less than a year before the start of the Winter Olympics in Vancouver.

 

The 35 year-old Scot, known as "The Highlander", has been competing internationally since 1992 and made the announcement of his retirement at the British Land National Ski Championships in Meribel, France. 

 

Baxter is due to make his final fling down the slalom afternoon.

 

Dressed in a kilt, he will stop mid-way down the course to share a dram of malt whisky with Mark Tilston,Britain's head coach.

 

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

 

He 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 50 years to qualify for a World Cup slalom.

 

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 - Britain’s first Olympic alpine medal in history.

 

Subsequently, a positive test for the drug methamphetamine, an ingredient in United States manufactured Vicks inhalers, led to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) requesting the Scot hand back his medal.

 

He was also banned for three months.

 

Baxter was later exonerated of deliberately cheating and received support for the return of his medal from the British Olympic Association and Sebastian Coe, the chairman of London 2012.

 

He said: "Naturally, winning then losing an Olympic bronze medal in 2002 was one of the happiest and lowest points of my career."

 

But he hopes that he will be remembered for more than that unfortunate episode.

 

Baxter said: “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!”

 

Baxter has been a full-time member of the British team team since the age of 18.

 

Since joining the team he has achieved 11 top 15 World Cup finishes and four top 10 results.

 

He also 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 11th 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 fourth in Are, Sweden.

 

Mark Simmers, the chief executive of Snowsport GB, said: “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 11th and claiming Britain’s first Olympic alpine ski medal, speak volumes of Alain’s mercurial skiing talent.

 

"‘The Highlander’ will be missed.”

 

Last year, in an effort to help find sponsorship for Vancouver 2010 and raise his profile, Baxter had appeared naked in a calendar.

 

Tilston said: “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."