Alpine skier Dustin Cook retires from competitive skiing

Dustin Cook competes in an alpine ski, men's World Cup super G, in Kitzbuehel, Austria, Friday, Jan. 19, 2018. (AP Photo/Marco Trovati)

OTTAWA — Ottawa’s Dustin Cook is hanging up his skies.

The alpine skier announced his retirement on Monday, saying on Instagram “it’s been a hell of a ride, but all things must come to an end. Excited to be heading over to Norway to compete in my last World Cup at one of my favourite venues.”

Cook joined the national team in 2007.

“Growing up I always dreamt of being an Olympian, being on the Canadian Alpine Ski Team, and of winning World Cup races, but it all seemed like a pipe dream,” Cook said in a statement on the Alpine Canada website.

“I accomplished things I can honestly say I did not think were possible for a kid growing up in eastern Ontario and western Quebec.”

In 2015, Cook finished first in the Super G at the FIS World Cup event in Meribel, France. Cook also finished third in the Super G at the FIS World Cup in Kvitfjell, Norway.

Cook represented Canada at the 2018 Winter Games, finishing ninth in the Super-G.

In January, Cook said “after a lot of thoughts and reflection I’ve decided to step away from ski racing for a few weeks and take a break. I’ve been struggling mentally with racing and all that goes along with it for a while now, and it just became too much to keep fighting those feelings.”

A ski run is named after Dustin Cook at Mont Ste. Marie in Lac-Sainte-Marie, Quebec.