PARK CITY — Shauna Rohbock was looking forward to racing one last time in her home state with the partner who helped her earn a silver medal in Italy nearly five years go.
But the Orem native did not get the farewell run she envisioned.
Friday's women bobsled World Cup was to be the final competition of Rohbock's career at the Utah Olympic Park. Instead, the race was canceled thanks to heavy snow and strong winds that covered the track within minutes of the start of the races at 3 p.m.
"In 12 years I've never had a canceled race," said Rohbock, 33, who announced she'd be retiring at the end of this World Cup season. "I know it was a tough decision to make. I thought they might just do a one-heat race. Then they canceled it. It's just tough."
Rohbock was disappointed she and brakeman Valerie Flemming wouldn't get the chance to compete in Utah one last time, but understood the concerns of officials. The World Cup will be held next weekend in Lake Placid. She said running two races in one weekend wouldn't be too tough, despite the fact that she hurt her quadriceps in Calgary.
It is, in fact, the aches and pains of a lifetime in sports that helped her make her decision to retire after 12 years of bobsledding.
"My body has kind of had it," she said. "I'm tired of hurting."
Still, it wasn't an easy decision for her to make.
"It's pretty hard to retire," she said, "especially when you've been an athlete all your life."
She was a two-sport athlete for BYU, competing in soccer and track. She graduated in 1999 with a degree in recreation management.
"I sort of beat my body to death," she said smiling. "I feel like I never really took a break."
Rohbock, who is a member of the National Guard, hopes to coach future bobsled stars in Park City.
"I would love to give back," she said. "I enjoy helping the new girls out."
She also feels that while some successful athletes have trouble articulating how to do certain things, she can do that quite effectively.
In addition to coaching, she said she'd love to drive tourists down the Utah Olympic Park track.
As for taking up another sport, she shrugs.
"I think I could do golf," she said smiling again.
She called winning the Silver Medal in the 2006 Torino Games the highlight of her career, but said winning a World Championship this season with Flemming might rank right up there.
"Val and I wanted to finish together," she said. Flemming missed out on the 2010 Olympics because of an injury and Rohbock had a disappointing sixth place finish on the troubled Whistler track.
"I feel like I've had a very successful career," she said. "I do want to get to the world championships this year."
As for where she'll live when her career ends, she hopes to stay in Park City.
"I love Park City," she said. "It's awesome to be a half hour from an International Airport. Hopefully I'll end up coaching here (UOP) and be able to stay in the military."
e-mail: adonaldson@desnews.com