End nears for Rahlves

ByEurosport

Published 20/02/2006 at 16:43 GMT

The World Cup finals in Are will definitely be the swansong of Daron Rahlves' 12-year career, the American told us after skiing out during the first run of the men's giant slalom Monday. "Obviously it's a hard way to walk away," he said after falling shor

"I came up way short of my potential in all three events. It sucks, but you have to move on and to me it's not the end of the world," said the philosophical 32-year-old from Sugar Bowl, California.

ALPINE SKIING 2005-2006 Torino 2006 United States Rahlves

Image credit: dpa

"It's not quite the way I wanted to walk away from my career and my chances as an Olympic skier," he said as he prepared to leave Torino without ever making the podium at the Games.

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END ON A HIGH

As he has said since first talking of retirement ahead of his stunning win in Beaver Creek earlier this season, Rahlves told us that skiing on the World Cup circuit has taken its toll:

ALPINE SKIING 2005-2006 Torino 2006 Giant Slalom Men Rahlves

Image credit: Reuters

"For us American it's a damn long time, for the Europeans it's a lot easier because you know they're always over here. For us we're always away from home and that's one thing I miss a little bit."

Rahlves, who will rejoin the World Cup in Korea next month before travelling to Sweden for the season finale, still retains a remote chance of winning crystal globes in the downhill, super-g, and giant slalom.

"The World Cup finals will be the last few races there. That's where I want to finish off, the last few races at the end of the season and I'm going to head home..... and say thanks to everybody for being around."

"It's just time for me, though, I know it's time. I want to walk away though just like feeling good. If I still have races like I've had here, that's not really the way I want to walk away."

Video: Super-D

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