Get the lowdown on the French Boardercross Team (SBX)

We caught up with Luc Faye, the man who looks after all things snowboard for the French Ski Association, to get the lowdown on the 2017/18 French SBX Team (Boardercross) team.

Luc, whose official title is Snowboard Director for the French Ski Association, is undoubtedly one of the most clued up people when it comes to the French snowboard scene. He has spent over twenty years organising and coordinating the National, Junior and Youth teams. Working with twenty coaches, fitness trainers, psychotherapists and medical staff,  he currently oversees the SBX athlete’s diets, tours, competitions and team morale, which he points out is ‘cheerful and hardworking – we like to say that we are a team that lives well’.

WHO'S ON THE  BOARDERCROSS TEAM?

There are currently 19 athletes, 9 in the World Cup team and 10 in the Europa Cup team. Our youngest athletes are Julia Pereira and Guillaume Herpin, who are both 16 years old. The oldest (and possibly best known) athletes are Pierre Vaultier who is 30 and Nelly Moenne Loccoz who is 27-years old.

BOARDERCROSS IS A FAIRLY NEW SPORT AND PRETTY TOUGH, WHAT KIND OF ATHLETES ARE DRAWN TO IT?

SnowboardCross has been around for about 15 years and first appeared in the Olympic Games in 2006. It attracts riders that like speed, carving, jumping and direct confrontation with other riders. Behind technical and physical qualities, our athletes also have a lot of commitment, courage, lucidity and intelligence.

WHERE ARE YOU TRAINING AT THE MOMENT?

Last week we were in Val Thorens in France, but most of the winter is spent at competitions, so we train wherever they are.

During summer and autumn, we go to Val d'Isere and Les 2 Alpes in France as well as Saas-Fee (Switzerland), Hintertux (Austria) and Pyha (Finland). During August / September, we go to the Southern hemisphere, Chile or Argentina, for around four weeks.

 

WHAT DOES A TYPICAL DAY'S TRAINING LOOK LIKE?

Four to five hours on snow and two hours for physical maintenance and video work, board preparation and so on. The athletes have a balanced sports specific diet to follow too.

 

DO ALL OF THE ATHLETES LIVE TOGETHER WHEN THEY ARE TRAINING?

Yes, everyone lives together and trains together, but we do have a head coach for each gender - Jerome Choupin for girls, Kevin Strucl for men.

 

WHICH MAJOR COMPETITIONS HAVE YOU ENTERED THIS SEASON? DO YOU BRING HOME ANY MEDALS?

From September 5 SBX World Cup comps with ten podiums spots.

Two victories: 1 for Chloé Trespeuch and another for Chloé and Nelly Moenne Loccoz in a Team Event
Three-second places: 1 for Nelly, 1 for Chloé, 1 for Pierre Vaultier
Five third places: 2 for Nelly, 1 for Chloé, 1 for Julia PEREIRA, 1 for Pierre and Merlin SURGET in Team Event.

 

WHICH HAVE BEEN THE TEAM'S PROUDEST MOMENTS?

Oh, it's difficult to answer this question...I would say the World Championships in Sierra Nevada (Spain) in March 2017 as the results were collective.

- Pierre Vaultier - World Champion

- Chloé Trespeuc - Vice World Champion

- Chloé and Nelly - Team Event World Champion

- Charlotte Bankes and Manon Petit - Team Event Vice World Champion

Oh and another proud moment, for sure is  2014 Olympic Winter Games with Gold Medal for Pierre and Bronze Medal for Chloé.

Follow @french_team_sbx for training inspo, live race feeds and epic videos fresh from the mountains.

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