Swedish slalom specialist Hargin to retire at end of season

Published Mar. 12, 2019 8:13 a.m. ET

SOLDEU, Andorra (AP) — Three-time Olympian Mattias Hargin will retire at the end of the season after 15 years on the World Cup circuit.

The slalom specialist from Sweden says Friday's team event at the World Cup Finals will be his last race.

Hargin writes on Instagram that "It's time to say goodbye ... It feels a bit weird but also exiting and interesting whats up next."

Hargin says he has "now come to a point where I feel I don't have what it takes to win races anymore. So it's time to make a change, time to find a new challenge in life."

The 33-year-old Hargin won the slalom event at the Hahnenkamm races in Kitzbuehel in 2015 for his only individual World Cup victory from 135 starts, though he won the team event with Sweden at the finals in each of the past two seasons. He also won bronze with the team at the 2017 world championships in St. Moritz.

Hargin is the second prominent skier from Sweden to end his career this week. Olympic slalom champion Frida Hansdotter announced her retirement last week.