The idea of living from his passion for skiing has always occupied the mind of guide Julien Petit. A teammate of para-alpine skier Logan Leach since 2019, his constant will will have finally led him to participate in the Paralympic Games. Story of a trained engineer who will pursue his dreams on the slopes of Beijing in the coming days.
Posted at 11:30 a.m.
As far back as he can remember, Julien Petit has always been keen on skiing, but it was only in the university ranks that he really took a liking to competition. He then represented the École de technologie supérieure (ÉTS) for two seasons, while occupying a coaching role as a part-time job in Bromont, in his spare time.
“I’ve always loved it, but I started racing a bit later. When I went to university, I absolutely wanted to enter the competition circuit and I chose my institution based on that. So I spent my time at school or on the track training and giving lessons, ”says the Quebecer from the outset.
This routine, which was created during his university career, was completely turned upside down in 2016, when he completed his studies in construction engineering. He took the direction of Quebec to begin his professional career as an engineer.
The more the days passed, the more the call of the mountain was heard. And it was ultimately his passion for skiing that took over.
“I made a few phone calls and started teaching at Le Massif evenings and weekends. Then, one day, I decided to focus 100% on skiing. That’s really what made me trip,” explains the man who was still far from suspecting that he would one day find himself at the Paralympic Games.
A unique opportunity
Over time, Julien Petit has held coaching positions in several resorts in the province and has perfected his training with various groups of athletes. Among other things, he was able to specialize as a guide with visually impaired skiers during his time in Bromont and then in all the other mountains he frequented.
It is this specific aspect of his work that allowed him, in 2019, to meet Logan Leach, a young visually impaired athlete who wanted to train with a full-time guide in order to carve out a place on the national para-alpine ski team. Without one or two, Petit left for British Columbia to join his new teammate and begin this challenge.
“When I saw the opportunity with Logan pass, I didn’t want to miss that opportunity. As soon as I read the announcement on social media, I inquired to see the interest on their side. A few weeks later I was there and we started training full time,” he recalls.
I loved skiing and this was the best chance to stay in that world, while helping Logan work his way up to the Canadian team.
Julien Small
What was initially supposed to be a one-year contract eventually stretched over three seasons, with the added bonus of a place in the national team for the start of the 2021-22 World Cup calendar. After stints in Austria and Switzerland, the duo is preparing to represent the maple leaf at the Paralympic Games in Beijing.
“We’ve made really good progress together and when we officially heard the news, it was a very beautiful moment. We are very excited and we can’t wait to live the experience” indicates Petit, proud to realize this dream in the company of his teammate, with whom he has formed a unique friendship over time.
“Logan is passionate about everything he does and he is very grateful. It’s trippy to be able to ski and see it every day. That’s why I continue. »
Together, Julien Petit and Logan Leach will participate in all the men’s events scheduled in the Chinese capital. And they will focus more on pleasure than on results.
“We go there for the experience, without necessarily having a ranking objective. We have done a few World Cups and we know where we are. We skipped the World Championships to train and prepare properly. Now we just want to ski well and enjoy the experience to the full,” says the 32-year-old guide.
One thing is certain, Julien Petit has come a long way since his first descents at the Belle Neige station in the Laurentians in 1995. For now, no one knows what awaits him for the next campaign, but as long as the passion will be there, he will continue to descend the slopes.
“I still feel like doing it, so I’m going to pursue it as much as I can. We’ll see how everything goes by the end of the season, but if we continue together with Logan, it won’t be one year at a time. This time it will be for the full Paralympic cycle, so we will have to take a long view. But first, we will start by savoring our experience at the Paralympic Games,” he concludes.