Noel Baxter announces retirement from international racing

British Ski and Snowboard is sad to learn of the retirement of Noel Baxter from International Alpine ski racing.  Noel, has had a career that makes him one of Britain's most successful Alpine athletes.  He achieved a World Ranking placing him as one of the top 50 slalom skiers in the world during the 2002/2003 and 2003/2004 seasons and, apart from when returning from injury, he has remained in the world's  top 100 since then. 

Noel represented Britain at two Olympic Winter Games firstly in Salt Lake in 2002 where he finished 20^th in the Slalom and in 2006 in Sestriere where he again finished 20th in the Slalom and this time managing 14^th place in the Combined event.  He was unlucky not to make the team for the Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver in 2010.  He was a regular on the World Cup circuit from 2002 until 2011 and he achieved a number of top 10 finishes in the European cup during that same period. His Slalom finishes in the World Championships in 2005 in Bormio (20^th), 2007 in Are (15^th) and 2009 in Val d'Isere (17^th) were added highlights to a long career at the top of British skiing.

Noel's coach for the last few years, Tristan Glasse Davis commenting on Noel's retirement said "Noel dedicated himself to Alpine ski racing for the last 15 years and that dedication resulted in a huge amount of experience and skill for all areas of the sport. "

Dave Edwards, Chief Executive of British Ski and Snowboard said "I had the privilege of watching Noel compete in the World cup in Val d'Isere in 2010.  Despite facing a worn course with a bib number of 67 Noel still skied a very aggressive race and was unlucky to finish just outside the top 30 after the first run.  This race typified everything that I had been told about Noel's ability to attack a course and achieve good results in very difficult circumstances. I am personally disappointed that we, as a Nation, cannot provide the funding for the handful of elite athletes that we produce to enable them to achieve their full potential on the World stage.  We have over 1m regular skiers in Britain and yet neither they nor the industry that is sustained by that 1m provide any meaningful backing to our British teams.  Noel's retirement epitomises our current inability to fund the entirety of the programmes that would place our athletes on the podium."