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„To win the TRIPLE would be a big achievement!“
2014 probably started with a lot of soul-searching for French superstar Jason Lamy Chappuis. After an Olympics not to his taste and a - for his standards - also rather mediocre performance in the World Cup, the question was there: staying or quitting? In this edition of TUESDAY TALK, the 28-year-old spoke about his decision to go on, the goals still left on his agenda and his ideas for a future after Nordic Combined.
The rumour mill was bustling after the last season that you were going to quit or taking a break from Nordic Combined. As we could gather from your start in the Summer Grand Prix, this is not the case, at least not for this season. Still, you have won pretty much everything there is to win in this sport. How did you find the motivation to go on?
Lamy Chappuis: Last season was difficult, especially at the end so I took a long break in April and May that did me good. But I felt like there was still some good competitions to look forward to. I'm thinking of Chaux Neuve, the TRIPLE in Seefeld and of course the World Championships in Falun. I didn't feel at my normal level last winter and I'm still eager to improve and compete at my best level!
With the Nordic Combined TRIPLE, there is a new title to take in the discipline now. Might that be a new addition to your Nordic Combined „bucket list“?
Lamy Chappuis: Yes it's one of my goals of the upcoming season! The Nordic Combined TRIPLE is becoming a big event and I'm looking forward to compete in Seefeld! To win there on Sunday would be a great achievement!
You made headlines last week at the French Ski Federation team presentations in Paris. Tell us a little bit about the event first. What exactly was on schedule?
Jason Lamy Chappuis: Yes, we had a big Ski Federation presentation with all the disciplines in Paris. It's a habit that we meet all of the sponsors and media before the season starts. Even the French Sports Minister was there! There always is a lot of media attention and that's of course pretty good for us! We usually start with a presentation of all the World Cup athletes and then continue with the interviews. I had a long list of interviews but not as many as Martin Fourcade! Some of you probably have seen the picture he posted about that schedule he had! (laughs)
In the interviews at Paris you said that depending on how the World Championships at Falun go, this could be your last season in Nordic Combined. Are you thinking about quitting completely or maybe only taking a break?
Lamy Chappuis: I don't exactly know yet. It could be my last season, yes. I think it's all about finding new goals and for the the moment I still feel like competing especially in the big events. I guess we'll see next spring.
In case you do quit, what is your plan for the future? As flying is your passion besides Nordic Combined, is this something you could see yourself doing professionally when you end your career?
Lamy Chappuis: Exactly! That's the plan when I end my career. I would like to go back to school to get an Airline Transport Pilot License. It would be a dream to fly for a big airline.
After the Olympics not having gone well for the French team, the focus is now back on the World Championships in Falun. You’ll be coming there as the reigning team World Champions. Do you think it’s actually more difficult to defend a title, especially in the Team Event in which four people have to have a great day, than to win it the first time?
Lamy Chappuis: It's definitively more difficult when you are the team to beat: you have more attention and people expect you to win again. But it's not so simple. Everything went well for us in Val di Fiemme and we are going to give everything to do the same but especially for a team event, a lot of things can change in two years.
With the World Championships taking place in Sweden, a country without its own Nordic Combined athletes, do you think that it is also a special chance to raise awareness and enthusiasm for the discipline?
Lamy Chappuis: I really hope so! I remember my first Junior World Championships in Solleftea. There we had a nice atmosphere for Nordic Combined. But it seems like since then they didn't manage to bring top athletes in Ski Jumping and Nordic Combined. So I definitely hope that Falun 2015 will raise enthusiasm for our discipline and that young kids will want to do Nordic Combined!
Source: fis-ski.com
