Mikaël Kingsbury no longer has anything to prove to anyone. “I could retire tomorrow and be satisfied with my career,” he admits. But there is a world between being able and wanting.
Posted at 5:00 a.m.
Kingsbury has just left the gym when he answers the call of The Press, early Friday afternoon. It’s been a while since we last heard from him. Right off the bat, he tells us what the last few months have been like: a break from skiing, then training in Whistler and Quebec City, followed by a training camp on the water in Whistler and a another on snow in Chile.
These camps allowed him to see how he feels and to situate himself in relation to his Canadian colleagues. Verdict: he is “still capable of winning”.
Who is surprised?
Kingsbury turned 30 last summer. In ski language, he is “no longer young”, according to the main interested party. “But I still feel like I’m 20,” he says.
The pride of Deux-Montagnes is still far from being ready to store his skis in the chalet, even after having won everything. “I have pretty much all the records, but I still like it,” he says. Like what sport is above all a story of passion.
I know I may be embarking on my last Olympic cycle, so I’m trying to enjoy every moment. In terms of pressure, there’s probably a lot less because everything I’ve achieved, no one can take that away from me.
Mikael Kingsbury
It would nevertheless be very bad to know the Quebecer to think that he is not aiming for the top step of the podium in each of the World Cups in which he will take part in the coming months.
“The day I’m going to retire, I want to do it through the front door. So I want to stay on top. I know the guys behind me are pushing really hard, so it’s exciting to start a season and know it won’t necessarily be easier. Me, I feel that I am better than last year. »
Good news
Mikaël Kingsbury intends to start this new season as he finished the last, that is to say with victories – which allowed him, incidentally, to add three new crystal globes to his collection.
PHOTO MARTIN CHAMBERLAND, ARCHIVES LA PRESSE
Mikaël Kingsbury at the Mont-Tremblant World Cup, last January
Like every year, the first World Cup will take place on one of his favorite tracks, that of Ruka, in Finland. And Kingsbury intends to take the opportunity to send a message.
We’re starting a new cycle and I still want to prove to myself and everyone that I’m still here. Without saying that I’m going to play in the minds of others, because I have no control over that, but I want to demonstrate that I’m still the best skier in my sport.
Mikael Kingsbury
It’s still too early to start talking about the 2026 Olympics, which will take place in Cortina and Milan, Italy. While Kingsbury insists on hosting one year at a time, one competition at a time, he adds that it’s sure to be there in four years.
He is also motivated by a news announced during the summer: the parallel mogul event has been added to the Olympic program. Since mogul skiing is sometimes heartbreaking – skiers have no room for error – adding an event will offer an additional chance of a medal.
“This is really great news! he exclaims about it. If you look at my results in duels, in the last four years, I think I lost one or two duels. It has become my strength. I won all my duels last year. Looks like I was made for this. The adrenaline that comes with it, it feels like I’m becoming another human. »
Without complexes
Like last year, the Japanese Ikuma Horishima and the Swede Walter Wallberg will be Kingsbury’s main opponents in the race for the globes. They are respectively 24 and 22 years old. At 30, Kingsbury isn’t worried about facing them. This age difference, he perceives it positively.
“I know I have more experience than them. If they were in a situation 5 or 10 times, I was maybe 50 times. The baggage I have will serve me a lot. »
Yes, the guys are younger and may not have reached their highest potential, but they too need to stay healthy and maintain a super good pace if they want to beat me overall. I know that I motivate them and they also motivate me. But that doesn’t scare me. I love challenges.
Mikael Kingsbury
Speaking of challenges: the Quebecer broke, last March, the record for the number of crystal globes (20), held until then by the American Lindsey Vonn. Will he be able to add one – or even more – this year?
“It won’t be easy with the guys, but I like my chances. If I had to bet, I would bet on me. »