Last week, Caroline Calvé announced her retirement from active snowboarding. The two-time Olympian who represented her country at five consecutive World Championships since 2007 looks back on a long career. In a total of 87 World Cup starts since December 2003 she jumped on the podium seven times of which three were wins.

The regular rider who resides in Quebec took some time for a quick chat with FISSnowboard.com about how she got into snowboarding, what she cherish the most having been on tour and what comes next.

In the end, three things were four sure:

1. Caroline Calvé has found her partner (Adam McLeigh: “We are partners for life!”)

2. Caroline Calvé hopes to stay in the business by covering sport events for the media

3. Caroline Calvé is already missing snowboarding: “Answering those question made me miss snowboarding already!”

Here is the full interview:

FISSnowboard.com: Caroline, it's been a long career for you. More than twelve years on the highest level. Let's start at the beginning: how did you get into snowboarding?

Caroline Calvé: “I was 16 years old when I first tried a snowboard. I was a ski instructor and coach and had seen it around but had never tried.

At the end of the 90’s snowboarding was still pretty new in Quebec and alpine snowboarding was really popular. In the rental shop at the mountain, they only had race boards to try.

It took me 45 min to come down the hill the first time I tried a race board. I loved it though! Loved the new challenged!

When did you chose to go for a professional career?

I was 22 years old when I decided to start competing in alpine snowboarding.

Growing up skiing, I was 13 when I wished and dreamed of competing. I remember thinking I was too old to start competing at that age! Years later I became a ski coach… and discovered snowboarding at 22.

I thought, it’s my last chance to live a dream! Even if it was a bit crazy to start at that age, I don’t regret it one bit!

Then you made it on the tour. What has been your favourite event/country on the World Cup?

Competing at home in Quebec is always fun! It's always below 30 degrees Celsius though… brrr!

I’ll miss traveling around Europe. I won’t surprise anyone if I say Carezza in Italy is my favourite World cup to go to! [Caro earned two of her three wins in Carezza whilst also bringing home three runner-up finishes from the Pra di Tori slope].

That said, what would you call your biggest triumph?

My first world cup win. That was really big for me. That’s why I was competing. I wanted to climb on the top step of a podium in an international event.

And what was your most bitter defeat?

The Olympic Games in Sotchi in 2014. I was ready. And arrived in Russia with the flu. I was so sick race days…

That’s unfortunate, and it was really hard to process and accept.

What moments do you cherish the most being on tour?

Being around the other competitors. Regardless of us competing against each other, the vibe was great! The athlete community was an awesome bunch of people!

What were the reasons for stepping back?

When you are younger, you make choices. You choose your sport and to prepare for your sport.

As you get older, some choices become sacrifices. Age is a factor, but I also wanted to also invest time in other things which is impossible if competing on the World Cup tour.

Don't you think another Olympic circle could have been possible?

Yes, totally! But it was time to move on to the next part in my life.

What is up next for you?

I’d like to work in the media. Cover sporting events. Maybe be at the next olympics but as a commentator! But answering those questions made me miss snowboarding already!

Source: fis-ski.com