Season 21-22 recap

An another Season is behind us, and once again it all went by so fast.

I gave myself a little bit of time before writing this Newsletter, as this season has been nothing but easy for me. I had a lot of up and down, and had to keep on believing and working hard to get back on track.

Let’s start with GS. It normally is my strong discipline that I can rely on, but this year has been different. I came into this season feeling really good and strong during the last trainings in October, then came Sölden were I didn’t manage to adapt to the snow conditions and didn’t get the result I was expecting. But one bad race doesn’t mean everything is bad, so I was fired up for the next races. But one race after an other I was just feeling worst and worst and never could fully show my skiing and be free. It came to the point at the end of December were I couldn’t tell what was fast or slow, where I did a mistake or neither what I felt under my skis, let’s just say I didn’t understand Grand Slalom anymore. So from January I simply tried to enjoy GS again and feel what was happening. I think it slowly came back in February in China were I got some really nice days of training where I finally had fun again in this discipline. From there on it went better and better and all the work, doubts and questioning paid off at the World Cup finals in Méribel with a 3rd place. My only GS podium this season, but it felt like a victory for me knowing how lost I was a few months ago!

In Slalom, I am very pleased how the season went. I have been consistent and always there. But it was very often missing just a tenth of two to be on the podium, so it was just a question of pushing a bit more and finding small details to ski faster! The podium in Garmisch was really nice as my last SL podium was in 2018. That showed me that I am where I want to be on my short skis and being able to lead the day after with over half second on the second one was just confirming it! Sadly skiing out in the second run wasn’t what I hoped for, but this is part of the game. And in a weird season like this one where 15 guys skied on the podium, I had to give it all and that’s what I did, so no regrets and I’ll keep the good skiing in mind. For sure the Olympics in this discipline was hard as I finished 5th, only one tenth away from the podium, but the other guys were did a few small mistakes less then me and that made the difference at the end.

In Super-G, I didn’t get the results I wanted, but I think I got a lot more experience. Everything could have taken a different turn in Beaver Creek, both days I was on my way for a top 5 if not podium and I did a big mistake before the flat which costed everything. After that, I had some descent results and some difficult races. But I know a lot more about my skis and preparation in this discipline, and since ii don’t have a lot of training days or races, I need to learn along the way.

Overall, it’s not a season that I am happy with as my goals hasn’t been achieved. But it is in difficult times that we learn a lot and not when everything goes easily. One thing is for sure, I am proud that I never gave up and kept working hard through the season as things didn’t go the way I wanted, and the podiums toward the end of the season, showed me that hard work pays off 🙂

 

Once the season was over, I had some great ski trainings to start the season 22-23 in the best possible way. The first 3 days of GS testing with Rossignol in Tignes were amazing, good conditions, great people and the best hospitality that we can hope for in Maison Bouvier! Then came a speed week in St-Moritz, and winter was back, which was really good for the slopes, but not so much for our body that was seeking warm and comfy weather 😉 And finally I ended this preparation with 4 days on home soil on the Piste de L’ours with my Sister Mélanie and surrounded by family and our coaches! This was the best way to finish training on good conditions while having fun 🙂

Now it’s time to rest and enjoy some Holidays before getting back in the gym in the beginning of Mai!

See you soon and as always, thanks to all of you for your support through the seasons 🙂

Loïc