U.S. Downhiller Puts Career On Line Kitt Says He’ll Retire If He Doesn’t Finish Strong

AJ Kitt, once the most consistent American downhill skier, is afraid he’s running out of time on the World Cup circuit.

“If I’m not on the top 15 in the downhill standings by the end of this season, I would retire,” the 29-year-old from Boulder, Colo., said Thursday.

“I’m trying to be as consistent as in 1992-93. But I’m afraid my time is past”

Kitt talked about retirement plans at the finish line following the last practice run for two World Cup downhill races the next two days in Val Gardena.

He was ninth in practice and made a bid for a top-ten finish in the consecutive downhill races today and Saturday.

“This is a track I like,” said Kitt, who finished eighth in last year’s downhill on the same track, won by Italy’s Kristian Ghedina.

The American skier, whose only World Cup victory was in 1992 in Val D’Isere, France, was 29th in the season opener at Beaver Creek Mountain earlier this month.

His last top-three finish was in Bormio, Italy, in 1995, when he was second.

“I’m struggling for consistency. I really hope to get a boost for my morale in the next races,” Kitt said.

Along with defending downhill champion Tommy Moe and Kyle Rasmussen, Kitt will possibly compete for the United States in speed races at the Olympic Games in Nagano, but he refused to make any predictions.

“There are lots of good downhillers. The Austrians or Ghedina are good bets for (today’s) race,” he said.

Nicolas Burtin of Megeve, France, had the fastest practice run, completing the 3,446-meter Saslong track in 2 minutes, 7.77 seconds.