Skier Etherington announces retirement

“Caroline and I now wish to follow different paths which we feel will be more fulfilling for us in the long term: Caroline with her instructing in Switzerland, while I would like to complete my qualification as a teacher and increase my motivational speaking.

Britain’s four-time winter Paralympic medallist Jade Etherington and her guide Caroline Powell have announced their retirement from competitive alpine skiing.

In a statement issued on Wednesday (5 November), Etherington, 23, said that her and Powell would be pursuing new careers but that she remains proud to be her country’s most successful winter Paralympian.

“After many discussions with Caroline we have both decided to retire from competitive ski racing as part of the British Disabled Ski Team,” Etherington said.

“We will be sad to leave the Paralympic alpine skiing programme and we will both miss our sport and athletes on the team and circuit.

“Caroline and I now wish to follow different paths which we feel will be more fulfilling for us in the long term: Caroline with her instructing in Switzerland, while I would like to complete my qualification as a teacher and increase my motivational speaking.

“Caroline expresses her love for being a guide, saying it was a great experience and adding that to work alongside a talented athlete has positively challenged her abilities within the adaptive, alpine and racing world of skiing.

“It is hard for me to sum up my last six years on the team but I have enjoyed my time, from my personal and athlete development to making some friends for life.”

After winning a super-G bronze medal at the 2013 IPC Alpine Skiing World Championships in La Molina, Spain, with former guide John Clark, Etherington joined forces with Powell and went on to win three gold medals at IPC Alpine Skiing World and Europa Cups in 2013-14.

Winter Paralympic success followed in March with the pairing winning downhill, slalom and super combined silver and bronze in super-G at Sochi 2014.

Etherington praised the impact that Powell had on her performance. “I have improved my skiing ability the most within the last six months since Caroline has become my guide, something that was reflected in the success that we had together in Sochi which I will never forget.

“Caroline and I are Britain's most successful Winter Paralympians, with four medals from our first games, and we really hope to inspire more people to enjoy skiing as a result.

“We have both immersed ourselves in ski racing for many years and now we look forward to achieving our goals in other spheres.

“We hope the future team gets the support they deserve and strives toward PyeongChang 2018.

“It was an honour to represent Paralympics GB and to make history at the Sochi 2014 Winter Paralympics.”

The 2014-15 alpine skiing season will include a series of World and Europa Cups and the 2015 IPC Alpine Skiing World Championships in Panorama, Canada, from 1-10 March.