Canada’s SBX athletes Critchlow and Hill announce retirement

Canada Snowboard athletes Kevin Hill and Tess Critchlow have decided to announce their retirement from competitive snowboarding at the end of the 2022 season where they took part in the Beijing Olympic Games.

In Snowboard Cross, longstanding National Team Member and three-time Olympian Kevin Hill (Vernon, BC) is stepping away from competitive snowboarding after a prolific career. Kevin is one of the most decorated Canadian Snowboard cross athletes in Canada's history with two X-Games podiums including a gold medal in 2015. He also holds two FIS World Championship medals, of which one was the individual silver medal at the 2015 Kreischberg World Champs and one bronze team medal with team mate Chris Robanske at the 2017 Sierra Nevada World Champs. Overall, in his career, Hill stepped on the FIS World Cup podium five times.

“I want to say a big thank you to everyone who has played a part in my career. To my family, girl friend, coaches, friends, the long-time sponsors and the awesome people who came along for the ride! Thank you snowboarding for all the wonderful opportunities you have given me so far in life.
Thank you snowboarding for all the wonderful opportunities you have given me so far in life,” Hill stated on his Instagram profile, when announcing his retirement back in April.

Alongside Kevin for several years, the Big White native Tess Critchlow also announced her retirement from the sport. Tess has been one of the main reasons for the growth of women's Snowboard cross in Canada over the past few years. She has been one of the most consistent riders of the SBX National team with three team event FIS World Cup podiums, 11x FIS World Cup Top 10, a 9th place finish at the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics, 6th at the Beijing 2022 Olympics, 2x Junior & 3x SR National Champ. An inspiration to the next generation of young girls, she's been a true ambassador for the sport in her community of Big White, BC, where Canada Snowboard has hosted several SBX World Cup and NorAm cup events over the past years.

“I’m so grateful to the people who helped me get this far, it wouldn’t have happened without the love, support and encouragement I’ve gotten from all of you along the way (…) With my retirement I’m hoping to create a space in my life to dive deeper into the other aspects of snowboarding; along with different sports and other active, adrenaline pumping and health related career goals!”, Critchlow posted on her Instagram account with her retirement announcement.

FIS Snowboard would like to to thank Kevin and Tess for their amazing performances over the past years and wish them all the best for their future endeavours. We hope to see you around!

Courtesy of Canada Snowboard