There were ups and there were downs, but Robbie Dixon's career was rarely boring.
The 31-year-old Whistler Mountain Ski Club (WMSC) alum will not be skiing this season as he has decided to stop racing. He was celebrated with a surprise party at Forlise last Friday night (Nov. 4).
"It was unreal. I was very overwhelmed. It was a great group," he said. "Everyone that I really, truly cared about was there.
"There are not a lot of words to describe it."
Dixon said he officially decided to retire in the spring after racing primarily on the Nor-Am Cup circuit last season, but only recently revealed his decision. He was not named to Alpine Canada's 2015-16 roster but continued to race.
"I've been procrastinating doing anything. This past March is when I really decided to call it a career," he said. "The last couple years, I've had some injuries... It just wasn't going the way that I wanted it to. I wasn't skiing for the same reasons that I was when I started my career and I weighed the pros and cons."
Dixon, who placed in the FIS World Cup top five three times, said what stands out in his career is the 2010 Winter Olympic Games here in Whistler. He took a 24th-place showing in the giant slalom while suffering DNF results in the super-G and slalom events.
"When I look back, I feel thankful and fortunate that I was able to live out my dream and be able to represent Canada at the Olympic level in my hometown in front of friends and family, that was probably one of the most special moments of my career," he said. "Very few individuals have been able to do that."
"Being in the start gate at the top of the Dave Murray Downhill, which is one of my favourite downhill courses on the tour, I looked around and realized the magnitude of what I was doing and what I accomplished."
Dixon said he had hoped to improve on those results in Sochi in 2014, but injuries kept him for competing in his second Olympics.
Dixon was mum on his future plans, but said he has some irons in the fire and hates the thought of being idle. This winter, he plans on reconnecting with the community and spending as much time skiing for fun as he possibly can.
"All I want to do is ski. All I want to do is enjoy the backcountry and skiing locally, whether it be in the resort or touring," he said. "I want to go for the most days in one year I can.
"All I want to do is ski this winter, shred pow and be with my buddies. That love for skiing will never leave."
Though his career was slowed by broken legs in recent years, Dixon said he's feeling well and physically ready to embrace his life after ski racing.
"I had a couple broken legs and a few dings to the noggin," he said. "I got out of a ski career without any ligament damage to my knees which is something that so few skiers can say so I'm very proud of that.
"My body's good. I made sure with my recovery and rehab that I did everything I could to get myself in the best shape possible."
One possible eventual move for Dixon would be to coach, though he'd like to spend some time away from ski racing in general before he considers jumping back in.
"At the end of the day, I want to stay involved," he said. "My talents and my knowledge and experience would be a waste if I couldn't give back."
