First standard-bearer for French alpine skiing since Carole Montillet (in 2002 in Salt Lake City), Tessa Worley (32) was "
full of energy
" during the opening ceremony, shared on the front line with Kevin Rolland.
Now it's time for its big event, the giant slalom (1st run at 2:30 am on Sunday night to Monday; 2nd run at 7:30 am) to try to strangle the Olympic curse.
“The first Games date back to 2010, after I took part in the Games in Pyeongchang in 2018
(injured in the right knee in 2014, she was unable to take part in the Sochi Olympics in 2014).
Two totally different experiences.
In 2010, I arrived quite young, with the same ambitions but a big lack of experience
(16th).
In 2018, I was ready, expected.
I had arrived super ready to face this type of event and unfortunately, it was perhaps this expectation that slowed me down a bit
(7th in the Giant Slalom; 28th in the Super G).
I was an observer, a spectator of my race, while only the actors come out with a smile, satisfaction and medals.
There, I really want to be an actress of the moment, of my races, to take the risks it takes to play big.
The Games make your eyes sparkle.
All you have to do is let go.”
To discover
The Olympic medal table: Norway already in the lead, France unlocks its counter
Full results of the 2022 Winter Olympics
The complete program of the Beijing Olympics 2022
Serene and successful in recent weeks, Tessa Worley assures that she is going through a prosperous period in her career, that of maturity.
In Beijing, she wants to take advantage of it: “
I'm having fun, it shows in my skiing, in my times.
It's the right way to work for me, to have fun, to be on the attack, it allows me to ski relaxed, 100%, not to be afraid of making mistakes or doing this or that. result, simply skiing.
The level is dense, the fight is always tough, you have to be in the present moment, take advantage of it.
My career is done.
The Games are a huge bonus, I want to take advantage of every moment, whether it goes well or badly.
I realize how lucky I am to be here.
»
Double world giant slalom champion (2013, 2017), the skier from La Plagne won this winter, in Lienz at the end of December, her 15th victory in the World Cup (to find traces of other French women in the World Cup during the twelve years, we have to go back to Sandrine Aubert in slalom in 2010 and Clara Direz in parallel giant slalom in 2020).
Lionel Pellicier, head of the technical group of the French team, assures about the one who has been carrying women's alpine skiing at arm's length for a long time: "
She's been at this level for a very long time.
With her great motivation and her determination, she was able to adapt to the evolution of the equipment.
She may be less physically strong, but she has been able to refine her skiing, she is gentler with the snow, she is perhaps more in the sequence than in the strength as was the case before.
She has adapted some things technically to compensate for others where she is less strong than before.
»
Ten skiers can claim the podium.
Tessa Worley
To set the scene for this giant slalom in Yanqing, Alberto Senigagliesi, director of the French women's team summarizes: "
It's a very beautiful track, with a start on the slope, a fairly long wall afterwards with false flats, ground movements, before the finish wall. It's not a very long track. She looks a bit like Kransjka Gora (in Slovenia, where the Frenchwoman won in 2012). The snow is very, very hard, compact, it's not ice, it shines as you pass. You have to be strong on your ski.
If the Swedish Sara Hector (3 victories and 2 podiums in the last 5 Giants in the World Cup) and the American Mikaela Shiffrin (gold medalist in slalom in 2014 and in giant in 2018) leave with the label of favorites ,Tessa Worley slips that “
ten skiers can claim the podium
”.
She hopes to come and scramble the cards.
And especially does not want to see further when the 2023 Worlds of Courchevel and Méribel are looming: “
I do not ask myself any questions.
I am in my Olympic adventure and my season, then we will see.
For a few years now, at the end of the season, I've been wondering what's next.
I will ask myself this at the end of the season…
”