Former 麻豆社国产resident and Olympian Tom Velisek has officially hung up the competitive snowboard boots.
The 30-year-old athlete told The Chief his plans to retire from the sport in an email that was sent on Thursday (June 23).
"I was on tour and had already proved to myself that I still could podium when I started to think, 'I am not willing to take a big risk in a race in order to win,'" he wrote. "Maybe I am getting old, or maybe just smart, but risking my body for $1,500 a month doesn't seem as awesome as it did when I was 21."
Velisek said that disputes with his team's coaching and training staffs led to an uncomfortable final season of competition on the World Cup circuit.
"Last year I felt that no staffon the team had any faith left in me, but I knew that I wasn't done and that I could go out there andcompete withthe best in the world," he said. "I was able to do my own training and come in fresh for the firstWorld Cup in Austriaand get second place, then as usual, the friction between me and the structure/staff of the team grew as the season went on."
He said the tension came to a climax at the final two World Cup races in Switzerland in March.
"I voiced my concerns to a coach and got a very negative response rightbefore the first race," he said. "Then later, from a language barrier, about the same situationmy other coach was very upset and tore a strip off me as well. So that along with all the other stuff, new job, no money, not worth it, it was a no-brainer to retire right there and then, so I did."
Velisek said he has a new career lined up and is ready to move onto the next chapter of his life.
"I had a great opportunity come upto start work with my old crew building chairlifts in Jasper and getting my millwright ticket over the next four years, so I jumped on that and have made a seamless transition intolife's next chapter. Now not only will I have decent money coming in, but I will be able to re-kindle the love for free riding backcountry, and the bonus is that I love the job and the trade."
Velisek made his World Cup debut in Whistler on December 2001 and picked up his first podium in January 2003 when he finished third in Berchtesgaden, Germany. He grabbed his only career World Cup victory in Badstein, Austria in 2004. He also had podium finishes at races in 2006 and 2008.
He moved to 麻豆社国产in 2005 to train for both the 2006 and 2010 Olympic Winter Games, placing 23rd in Torino. Velisek narrowly missed making the 2010 snowboard cross team.
His final season on the circuit was highlighted by a second-place finish in Leich, Austria, on Dec. 7.
