The skier Clément Noël is a great specialist in special slalom. From his first participation in the Olympic Games, he attracted attention. Only 20 years old, he won fourth place at PyeongChang in 2018. He followed by taking second place in the Slalom World Cup standings for the 2018-2019, 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 seasons.
The 2021-2022 season races are underway right now and he could finally manage to win the coveted Crystal Globe.
At the microphone of Bixente Lizarazu, Clement Christmas recounts his beginnings in skiing and shares his feelings about his previous competitions.
For greater French fervor around skiing
During the winter, Clément Noël travels a lot. He spends his time in hotels, buses, planes. It’s a life that pleases him and that allows him to discover other countries. In addition to the cultural differences that may exist with France, he realized that the fervor around skiing is not the same everywhere.
In Austria, the legendary Kitzbühel race is a global event. A lot of people, some of whom are not at all ski specialists, come to cheer the runners. He was also marked by the incredible atmosphere that surrounds the Schladming race, also in Austria. Skiing is the national sport of the country and each race generates enormous excitement. He observed the same thing in Switzerland where athletes from skiing are highly respected.
In Austria, there is a fervor that goes beyond the world of skiing. We are not used to it very much. – Clement Christmas
Clément Noël notes that things are different in France. If he was able to participate in races in beautiful atmospheres too, he realizes that ski culture is confined to the Rhône-Alpes region and do not exceed it.
To make the French more interested in his sport, the champion is convinced that he must be broadcast on television on a free channel. Biathlon is a good example: worn by great champions and broadcast on a large public channel, it has succeeded in captivating the French.
However, Clément Noël does not lose hope and affirms that the president of the French Ski Federation is working on the modernization of this sport.