Athletes in Transition Project: Ariane Lavigne

(Part one)

This is the first interview in a series called the Athletes in Transition Project (ATP). There will be informal discussions with four superstar athletes from the Laurentians.

The idea of ATP came to me during a hike in the Rockies this summer, far from my usual tasks. I thought about the challenges and the advantages of trying new things…the transformation, flexibility, balance and above all, growth…or to be more trendy, the neuroplasticity. I thought of Ariane, Magali Tisseyre, Xavier Desharnais and Erik Guay, all of whom I’d been lucky enough to meet over the years through my involvement in various local sports clubs and events. These athletes have all retired from competition recently to launch the next big phases of their young lives. They are in transition, or in transformation.

In addition to their talent, these four superstars have an exemplary ethic. They are armed with patience, creativity and – believe it or not – humility acquired while trying again and again to succeed over a number of yers. Despite their differing personalities, they all participated in this exercise with sincerity and generosity. Their answers will be of interest to everyone… particularly budding athletes and those close to them.

Ariane Lavigne, snowboarder in World Cup and the Olympic Games, as well as a well-known sports nutritionist, sat down with me on October 19 at the Old Village library .

John Maunders: This project is about the transition and growth of high-level athletes who have retired fairly recently. Your case is particularly interesting because it seems to me that your transition happened naturally and gently. I’d like to know why.

But before anything else, how did your career as an athlete get started: Natural talent? Family? Something else?

Ariane Lavigne: It wasn’t natural talent! The physical education courses were even a nightmare sometimes. Run, at age 10? Don’t even think about it! What I mean is this: doing exercises just to suffer has never been my thing. Maybe I had hidden talents.

My parents were passionate skiers and we lived in Chamonix six months a year till I was eight. The culture was skiing and mountains…friends, school… everywhere.

In Mont-Tremblant, my friends also did winter sports. Then I competed with the Club de Ski MontTremblant.

I was 17 when I tried snowboarding for the first time, with a “carving” board…and it changed my life!!

The G-force, the control, the fluidity, the power... I got hooked on the feeling immediately. I watched the high-level boarders, including Jasey-Jay, with the touch, the grace, and the ability to adapt to the terrain. On ice, powder, steep slopes…whatever. Very quickly, I wanted to master this sport.

If you talk talent…well, there’s more than one road that leads to Rome.

J.M.: I see that you choose your words carefully.

A.L.: I wanted to understand the movement of carving in every detai: to dissect it, analyze it. And I was determined to go through the steps needed to be excellent. I could train hard when I had a goal.

I liked to surround myself with a whole team of experts: coach, rehab/physio, psychologist… It’s just so motivating to be accompanied by competent people who share your aspirations.

J.M.: Not alone…

A.L.: I much prefer doing sports with others rather than all alone.

In the past and now, it’s the sharing. In skiing, mountain biking, you share the most beautiful times: the effort, and then the sunset.

J.M.: Are you competitive by nature (and it seems weird to ask this question of an Olympian)?

A.L.: When there’s someone beside me, I want to come first, but it’s not unhealthy. […] It’s surpassing yourself, the adrenaline that it gets you, not just to be better than the other person.

The feeling of winnning is incredible. But what I like is having really mastered the sport. And the conditions are never the same, so it always has to be done again.

To be continued…

Le Dr. John Maunders a exercé 25 années en médecine familiale, dont 20 en urgence et soins intensifs. Il porte un intérêt naturel pour l’activité physique de toutes sortes en tant que participant, entraîneur et médecin.

Dr. John Maunders has spent 25 years in family medicine including 20 years in emergency and intensive care. Natural interest in physical activity of all sorts and seasons, as participant, coach, or physician.