BORMIO, Italy, Feb 15, (V7N) - Veteran British skier Dave Ryding, nicknamed the “old fox,” will bring his elite alpine racing career to a close on Monday when he competes in the slalom at his fifth Olympic Games.

At 39, Ryding has already contested nine world championships, with his best finish being sixth in Saalbach last year. He owns one World Cup victory — at Kitzbühel in 2022 — and six other podium finishes. His journey began on a dry slope in northwest England, where he learned to ski while dodging sheep droppings, before racing on snow at age 12.

“I remember sitting in a class in high school thinking I’d love to go to one Olympics and be ranked in the top 30 in the world,” Ryding recalled. “My parents gave me the right work ethic, and I had no plan B. It was either make it or walk away with an empty bank account.”

Ryding credits his parents, Carl and Shirley, for instilling discipline and determination. He says his career has put Britain “in the top 10 in the world,” proving that success is possible even from a dry slope background.

Looking ahead to Monday’s race, Ryding described the Bormio piste as “more mellow” than traditional tough courses like Wengen or Kitzbühel. “You’ll see some names you don’t expect up there. Hopefully I can be one of them,” he said. His best Olympic finish was ninth in Pyeongchang in 2018, and he hopes to improve on that.

While acknowledging that younger skiers may be more nimble, Ryding insists he has a “fighting chance.” He added that his family will not be present, saying: “It’s just me, myself and I. All I’m going to do is try to have as much energy as I can for Monday, go home Tuesday and then share some time with them.”

Ryding’s farewell race will mark the end of a remarkable career that began on a dry slope and carried him to the pinnacle of international alpine skiing.

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