Paul Accola, Swiss veteran of alpine skiing, signals retirement at 38

Paul Accola, Swiss veteran of alpine skiing, signals retirement at 38{mosimage}GENEVA (AP) – Switzerland’s Paul Accola, the oldest competitor on the alpine skiing World Cup circuit says he’s ready to quit, Austrian media reported Monday.

“I just won’t be there anymore,” Accola told Austrian national television ORF.

The 38-year-old, who won the overall World Cup title in 1992, signaled his intent following his 32nd place finish at the World Cup super-G in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, on Sunday.

“That makes me frustrated,” Accola said. “It doesn’t make sense like this anymore. I’m ready for retirement.”

Accola, who no longer competes in the technical disciplines, will not race in those events in Kranjska Gora, Slovenia, this weekend. And after talking with team officials, he also decided to skip the following speed races in Kvitfjell, Norway.

The chances of qualifying for the World Cup finals in Lenzerheide, Switzerland, are also slim. Only skiers ranked in the top 25 of each discipline are invited to compete at the finals.

Accola is currently 40th in the downhill standings and 49th in the super-G, in which he has collected just one point all season.

The Swiss veteran has not indicated when he plans to officially announce his retirement.

“Maybe at the World Cup finals as an honored guest, or at the Swiss national championships,” he said.

After almost two decades on the circuit, Accola has collected seven World Cup victories and climbed the podium 26 times, the last time in 1997.

He also has four world and Olympic medals, all in the combined event.

His best results this winter were an 18th and 19th place in the downhills in Bormio and Beaver Creek.

-The Associated Press