And you, what did you do this summer ? While we were all enjoying the beach or the dramatic scenery of the mountains, The Olympic Vice Champion in Half Pipe and Wed’ze technical partner Marie Martinod was already getting ready for next winter. And also preparing a nice surprise : the release of “For My People”, her movie.
Wed’ze : We all watched you win the silver medal in the Olympic Half Pipe competition, then we met up in Tignes for your event, the “Air Ladies”, two very beautiful moments that were markers of the becoming of something you’ve worked for a very long time : the acknowledgement of the place of feminine freestyle skiing as a true sport. What has happened since then ? Did you go on vacation ?
Marie Martinod : Well, there has been quite a few things. First, right after the Olympics, I was invited to charities, events, did a lot of interviews and tv and radio shows, which kind of got me through Spring.
And I like sport, you know, in general, so for our 30th birthday, Max (note : her partner) and I treated ourselves to a half serie of golf clubs and we started playing. And I just loved it ! I discovered a sport about the right position of the body, very technical, very interesting. As for vacation, like every year, we went on a trip by the lake of Serre Ponçon, with water skiing and family time on the agenda. Very important.
Marie on a signing session at the High Five Festival in Annecy (Photo Emily Rouet)
Marie with her fans at her event in Tignes – March 2014
(Photo Tristan Shu)
Wed’ze : Holidays are now over, the season is coming up, we are all eager to know how you get prepared and what are your goals this year ?
MM : Preparation never really stops. I resumed physical training with the Federation in June (note : the French Skiing Federation) and I skied two weeks in July on the pipe in Les 2 Alpes (French Alps). We worked on new tricks for next winter with my coach Greg Guenet. I’m quite happy as we’ve reached the goals we had set ourselves, which is not that obvious to do in 2 weeks only, especially when you haven’t set foot in a pipe or on skis since April!
And now I am waiting for the pipe in Tignes to be ready, which should be by the end of October. The competitions start early December in the United-States and I have the intention to be ready by then.
As for my goals, I will be back on the circuit, with Copper Mountain, Park City, and finals in Tignes, at home, quite nice actually ! We’ll see where it goes. As for the World Championships, that take place only every two years, we have a calendar problem as the X-Games should take place at the same time. So I’m waiting to see if the calendar changes on any of the event so I can decide where to go. But I really wish I can do both !
Marie and her skis
Wed’ze : The very nice surprise you had for us was the official release of your movie “For My People”. Can you tell us more about how this project came to life and what it represents ?
MM : Three years ago, right before I started skiing again, I came to the IF3 in Annecy (note : the International Freeski Film Festival, now called the High Five Festival). There I met with David (Lacote) from PVS Company, with whom we talked about doing something about me going back to skiing. And by the end of that first winter, he introduced me to Laurent Jamet, the director. That was it, the project had started. Freestyle was goign to be Olympic, and I was willing to do about anything to be there. Laurent followed throughout the two years it took me tot go there, with the goal to tell about me going back to the sport, the competitions, up to the Olympic games, no matter the outcome.
With all of this we first made a 26 minutes documentary, which was out by the end of the first winter, right after my European X-Games gold medal. And then we upgraded it to 52 minutes, telling everything until my Olympic medal. That was just wonderful to do that. And so moving to see the result today. We did a showing in Paris with the press and the broadcasters, and the film was really appreciated, so we hope we will see it on the main tv channels very soon !
Wed’ze : A word before the winter ?
MM : just enjoy, go out there, go skiing and have fun !