ALPINE:

Six-time Canadian champ Shona Rubens retires from alpine team

April 27, 2010 — The Canadian Press          ►Photo: Shona Rubens (Agence Zoom)

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Two-time Olympian Shona Rubens is retiring after five seasons with Canada's Alpine Ski Team.



Rubens, 23, is a six-time GMC Canadian champion who competed in Olympic Winter Games in 2006 and again two months ago in Whistler, B.C. She finished 12th in the super-combined at Whistler Creekside, a career best at the Olympics.

"It's one of the toughest decisions of my life, but I am very proud of what I accomplished in my ski racing career," said Rubens. "Being a part of the 2010 Vancouver Olympics is very special to me."

Rubens won three consecutive national slalom titles between 2007 and 2009. A rare five-event skier, she won the downhill, super-G and slalom national titles in 2007. In 63 World Cup starts, Rubens’ top result was a 10th-place finish in the super-combined at St. Moritz, Switzerland, last season, one of her last races prior to the 2010 Olympic Winter Games.

"I want to thank my sponsors, particularly Bombardier and Rossignol, for their support. I also owe a lot to my family, my coaches and teammates for supporting me throughout my career," Rubens said, adding that finishing 15th at Lake Louise in 2005 in just the second World Cup race of her career was an unforgettable highlight. "I am going to be cheering the team on as they rip it and achieve amazing results this coming season and well into the future. It's a great group of teammates and they are going to do really well."

"Bombardier is proud to have supported Shona for the past four years," said John Paul Macdonald, senior vice president, human resources and public affairs, at Bombardier. "Shona's success is testimony to her determination and passion. We hope that the accomplishments of this remarkable multi-disciplinary athlete will inspire future generations of skiers."

Rubens was born in Sydney, Australia, before her family moved to Canmore, Alberta, in 1990. She joined the national team in 2005 from the Lake Louise Ski Club. Rubens attended high school at the Calgary-based National Sport School.

"Shona is one of my best friends. She is a really good role model for any ski racer," said teammate Anna Goodman. "Growing up racing together, we definitely pushed each other to new heights."

"She is both a speed and technical skier, so Shona became close friends with everyone on the team and had a huge impact on all of us. She was always positive and sincere, a really good teammate. And she always had the best jokes," Goodman said, laughing.

Rubens plans to travel with her boyfriend before pursuing post-secondary studies in the near future, potentially in the field of earth sciences.  SRC