There are several Mont-Tremblant athletes who could bring fame to our region at the 2018 Winter Olympics, to be held in February in Pyeongchang, South Korea. Among them, there’s Canada’s winningest, most-decorated World Cup skier and Super-G World Champion, Erik Guay. Tremblant Express met with him on July 11, a month prior to his departure for his first ski camp of the season, in Zermatt, Switzerland.

Tremblant Express: “You announced recently that this would be your last season with the Canadian Alpine Ski Team. Is this still the case?”
Erik Guay: “I don’t know yet. It’s possible, but I might keep going for another year. For the moment, I’m really concentrating on doing the Olympics. After that, we’ll see. I’m keeping my options open. Everything will depend on what my family needs. My wife is expecting our fourth child and I want to be there. My results will influence my decision, too.”

TE: “How is your physical preparation going for the coming season?”
EG: “It’s going really well, like last year at the same date. I didn’t have any injuries, which allowed me to train properly during the summer. It’s a bit the same this year. I finished my season in good shape and was able to start training in the gym sooner. I have more time to prepare. There’s still a month to go before the next ski camp and I already feel ready. Everything’s going well from that perspective.”

TE: “Your results last season were amazing. Are you completely back in shape?”
EG: “I’m really satisfied to have been able to get back into top shape. I feel as if I were 25 years old and able to push and to win. I feel very confident. I’ve had some tough times with all the injuries I’ve had. It’s really incredible to have achieved these results after all the operations I’ve had (Editor’s note: Six knee operations). You always ask yourself if you’re going to hit a wall or if you could make a comeback. I’ve missed a good three years over the course of my career because of my injuries. My doctor, the physio, and the energy you put out to recover represent, as far as I’m concerned, the key to a good recovery.”

TE: “What legacy would you like to leave to young skiers?”
EG: “I would like to inspire a way of life. I would like young people to do sports…not necessarily skiing, but something that gets them moving so they live a balanced life, eat healthily, get outside and enjoy the outdoors. When you fall in love with sports as a young person, there’s a good chance you’ll keep it up for a long time, even if it’s not at a professional level.”

TE: “What can get young people interested in sports, in your opinion?”
EG: “You learn lots of things through sport. It builds character, and that allows a person to face life’s challenges more easily. From another perspective, I find that right now, parents have a tendency to push their kids too hard in one sport. It gets a bit annoying for the kids, because they mainly want to have fun. I experienced that with my girls. I pushed my oldest too hard in tennis and she wanted to stop so she could do gymnastics. I think it’s partly my fault.”

TE: “After 20 years on the Canadian team, do you feel like you’ve achieved your dreams?”
EG: “Yes, but you always want more and I keep setting myself goals to achieve. You have to aim really high. But if someone had told me at the beginning of my career that I would rack up as many podiums and wins as I have in World Cup, I wouldn’t have believed them.”

TE: “What would you like to achieve before you retire?”
EG: “In the Olympics, I’m aiming for gold, although I’d also be pleased with a bronze or a silver. But it’s not just the Games. During the Olympics, you just compete once on the course, and you don’t really know it. Whereas Kitzbühel remains, year after year, the hardest course. You might say it’s because everyone knows it really well. I’ve always performed well at Kitzbühel, but I’ve never won it and that’s something I’d like to do before I retire.”

TE: “Does the situation in North Korea worry you?”
EG: “No, not too much. I try not to think about it too much. I know there are tensions, but I believe that if there were really a danger, the Canadian government – and it would not be the only one – would take the decision not to send the athletes.”

TE: “Have a great season, Erik!”
EG: “Thanks.”