“I have the conviction that I can play with the best. » Steven Amiez did not go far from the first feat of his young career in Lapland. Under the eyes of Santa Claus and his family, the skier from Courchevel took 6th place in the Levi slalom, which coincides with his best career result. He particularly impressed by setting the third fastest time in the first round, in the wake of his leader and friend Clément Noël. “I wanted to do much better, I wanted to get a taste of the podium,” he admits, almost disappointed.
It’s only a matter of time. Because the growing ambition of the 26-year-old athlete goes hand in hand with his technical and mental progress. “Steven has been gaining momentum for over a year. Today, he is solid, committed and above all more mature with the necessary experience. » The words come from his dad Sébastien. It is true that Steven has someone to take after, son of the man we nickname “Bastoune” and Béatrice Filliol, both present in Finland. The Amiez parents have combined 12 podiums in the slalom World Cup, to which is added a title of Olympic vice-champion in Salt Lake City in 2002 for dad. The apple didn’t fall far from the tree, or rather the snowflake didn’t fall far from the tree.
A broken knee at 13
Logically, Steven Amiez began imitating his two models, slats on his feet from the moment he learned to walk. If Sébastien was often traveling on the White Circus, it was Béatrice who took care of teaching Steven to ski. In the snow, with his little sister Stella, he had fun, thriving without ever being overly pushed. “My parents knew how to pass on their passion to me very well. If I go skiing today, it’s because I love it,” says Steven, who grew up “contemplating the trophies and listening to the great stories” from his parents.
The French skier, who cut his teeth on the heights of Pralognan-la-Vanoise, could very well have put away his equipment early. He was only 13 years old when he suffered a serious knee injury. At this age, early adolescence, it is often difficult to recover from such an injury. Moreover, Steven Amiez was unable to ski for two successive winters. Back on the slats, he also had to deal with a change in regulations on the size of skis. “He wasn’t very big,” remembers ‘Bastoune’. “In the first year of FIS, you just freak out, and you find yourself with 165 cm skis for slalom and 190 cm for giant skis. It’s quite a process to master. »
From frustration to click
After his injury, Steven Amiez moved forward step by step, without forcing his time or his talent, joining the French ski federation late in life. If he celebrated his first World Cup appearance at Kitzbühel in January 2020 at the age of 21, he had to be patient before exploding. In the European Cup, he was a hit from the 2021-2022 season, while struggling to make his mark among the elite, between eliminations and non-qualifications. “He was perhaps a little too will-o’-the-wisp and left with his head in the bag,” analyzes his mother Béatrice.
The turning point finally arrived with the arrival of the new year 2024. In the seven slaloms that followed, he never left the top 11, except for an 18th place in Schladming. After scoring points only once in his first 18 World Cup slaloms, Steven Amiez is now showing himself at the highest level. “We had the impression that he lived with a little sword of Damocles hanging over his head because it is never easy to find your place. But once it went away, he completely relaxed,” continues his dad Sébastien.
In the wake of Clément Noël
“Steven took a while to explode,” continues ‘Bastoune’. He’s not early, but he’s not late either. He caught up with the wagon well. » And with style since the 26-year-old skier is now in the top 15 in the world for tight turns. In the public arena, Steven Amiez even attracts the praise of many specialists. “He is certainly the skier who made the biggest impression on me during the summer,” Didier Plaschy told us before the Levi slalom. The observations of the SRF consultant from Valais were confirmed during the race. “We’ve seen it coming for a long time. He is very stable, very calm. It’s not very big, it has a center of mass that’s not very low. It’s no surprise, he’s a very good skier,” confirms Marc Rochat.
It must be said that in training, the skier from Courchevel does not hold back from beating Clément Noël, his teammate who flew over the first slalom of the winter. “I’m lucky to be able to work with Clément,” breathes Steven Amiez, admiring the Olympic champion he meets every day. “He is an excellent leader, a great champion with a great mentality. He doesn’t hide much and he willingly shares so that we can progress as a group. »
In the shadow of the master, Steven Amiez impatiently awaits his time to move into the light, fully aware of his potential. “I still have some left under my feet. There are still a couple of little things to sort out, but I know I can go and play right up front. » Twenty-three years after his dad Sébastien, a new Amiez is ready to get on a World Cup podium and make a name for himself. “Even if they are at the bottom of the track and no longer above, I am proud to be able to share these moments with my parents. » The Amiez heritage is in good hands.
Johan Tachet/LMO, from Levi
