Grandi announces second retirement

Thomas Grandi has retired again, and this time he means it.

Thomas Grandi has retired again, and this time he means it.

After 15 season on and one off, Grandi, one of the most successful male Canadian team skiers ever, has elected to forego another shot at the Olympics and re-retired. He had taken 2008 off, but returned hoping to answer some lingering questions. He made it into the points twice this season finishing 17th in slalom at Wengen and 25th in slalom at Alta Badia. He had hoped for better.

“I came back because I felt the pull of the Olympics and to attempt some things I wasn’t able to on the first go around, a slalom win and an Olympic medal.”

In his career, starting on the World Cup at Oppdal March 23, 1993, Grandi collected two GS wins (the only Canadian male to win a Cup GS) tallied five slalom and four GS podiums and 36 top ten scores between the two disciplines.

He was in seven World Championships topping out with a fifth in GS (top placing for a Canadian male) and sixth in slalom (3rd best placing by a Canadian male). Both his top placings came in 2005.

He made the Canadian Olympic teams of ’94, ’02 and ’06 finishing with a nine in slalom (a bestfor Canadian males) and an 10th in GS (2nd best among Canadian males) with both tallies coming in 2006.

He also won 11 Canadian National titles and three U.S. titles.

He is married to Canadian cross country skier Sara Renner and they have a daughter, Aria.

“I now have a greater purpose and that is to be a father and a husband. My wife will continue her journey to Vancouver 2010 and I will be there to support her and take care of our daughter,” Grandi said.

“I want to thank the people that cheered and supported me. I will miss you and I will miss crossing the finish and seeing #1,” Grandi said. “There are lots of things I will miss, ski racing is amazing. I gave it a great run and I have no regrets.”