(Val Saint-Côme) From one end of the world to the other, inspiration knows no borders. Somewhere between Montreal and Tokyo, two destinies crossed. We could even speak of a transfer of power between Justine Dufour-Lapointe and Anri Kawamura.
Japan’s Anri Kawamura had just taken dozens of photos at the bottom of the piste after her second triumph in as many days at the Val Saint-Côme Freestyle Skiing World Cup.
Dressed in her yellow leader’s bib, her red and white snowsuit in the colors of Japan and her Red Bull helmet, the 18-year-old skier climbed up to the media area at the edge of the slope to maintain with The Press.
His gloves hanging from his sleeves dangled in the air like those of a child in a schoolyard. She approached with a smile. The arrival of this tiny skier with a soft voice and cold red cheekbones on the international scene represents a breath of fresh air.
The Quebec crowd made it feel like home. In truth, his relationship with the Belle Province is not new. She recently joined a Quebec agency, but she was also inspired by a local talent. Without Justine Dufour-Lapointe, Kawamura wouldn’t be where she is today.
“When I was about 5 years old, I saw her on Japanese television. And I was like, ‘Oh, my God, she’s so pretty and so good. I want to become like her.” She was my idol,” recalls the Japanese. The Quebecer’s historic journey to the Sochi Olympics in 2014, where she won gold, was another trigger for Kawamura.
PHOTO BERNARD BRAULT, PRESS ARCHIVES
Justine Dufour-Lapointe won the gold medal at the 2014 Sochi Olympics.
The two athletes had the chance to rub shoulders for nearly two years on the World Cup circuit.
Joined in Spain, Dufour-Lapointe remembers very well his first relationship with the young skier.
When I first met her, she was so embarrassed! She hardly spoke to me. She was practically avoiding me with her gaze. But at the same time, when I went to see her, she was really super excited.
Justine Dufour Lapointe
When she became more comfortable, Kawamura confessed all the love she had for him. “There I said to myself: ‘OK, my God, I’m old'”, recalls the Olympic champion, laughing.
The pupil even copied the master even in his style. Two fluid skiers with exemplary technique. Two athletes who marry every bump perfectly and stand out for their agility, their technical prowess, their flexibility and their way of frolicking lightly over each obstacle.
“To think that there is a part of my story that has to do with a part of his story, it warms the heart, continues Dufour-Lapointe. We have a power and a responsibility to think about future generations. So, to see that it’s a bit mission accomplished, it makes me happy. »
In his opinion, the Japanese is here for good. “She’s strong, bright and she’s an incredible skier. »
time to shine
The two athletes still write to each other on occasion. Kawamura never hesitates to text his mentor when times get tougher.
The last message must therefore date back to a few months, since Kawamura is breaking everything on the circuit of the World Cup. The Japanese leaves her mark on the 2023 season. In eight competitions, she has reached the podium on six occasions. Three of the last four times, she made sure to climb the top step. She currently ranks second overall in her discipline.
PHOTO SEAN KILPATRICK, THE CANADIAN PRESS
Anri Kawamura
I love skiing so much that’s all that matters. But it’s also nice to win and I cherish every win.
Anri Kawamura
Even if everything is going well for the moment, she is aware of the road to travel from here to achieving her true goal: “I want to be the queen of the moguls. »
” [Entre-temps] there are still many things I can improve, but I know that my ceiling is very high. »
Dufour-Lapointe agrees: “It comes naturally to her. Pure talents like that, you see them right away. It happens once every 10 years. I’m sure this is just the beginning for her. »
The idol of a generation
Freestyle skiing is huge in Japan. Especially since, all things considered, the Japanese are among the most fanatical partisans in the world.
A year ago, Kawamura finished fifth at his first Olympics in Beijing. If she keeps the same trajectory, she could become a national icon.
“A lot of people know me, especially since the Olympics,” she says, her eyes sparkling. I think I have the ability to inspire a lot of people there. »
Dufour-Lapointe struggles to imagine the fate reserved for the Japanese on her return home.
Oh my God, my God, my God. Ourselves, we were almost megastars in Japan and we went there once a year. For her, in her own country, as a future great champion, it is clear that she will be revered.
Justine Dufour Lapointe
15 time zones from home, Kawamura has to deal with a lot of pressure alone. At 18, it is not given to everyone to negotiate with the fact of leaving their homeland with the aim of returning there as a hero. The best way to survive it? Do it for the right reasons.
“Sometimes, yes, I feel pressure, but not that much. I just want to have fun practicing my sport. »