Marie Lamure signed the best result of her career this Sunday during the slalom in Kranjska Gora (Slovenia). The skier from Courchevel went for a tenth place. A few minutes after her performance, Lamure looked back on this day and the confidence this result gives her.
Marie, can you summarize this day for us and what emotions does this first top 10 give you?
I approached the race quite calmly. I knew that the track conditions were very good considering the giant yesterday. I had good training between Semmering last week and Kranjska Gora. I managed to put in place that grain of madness that I had missed in Semmering. Today, all I wanted was to ski like I did in training and to free myself, to do some big skiing and two big runs. It’s done. For that I am very proud. I think I still have a little underfoot, especially on the steeper parts. I still have trouble really letting go of my ski. But it’s on the right track, we will continue the work.
What does this result represent in your progress?
I started with an 11th place in Lévi. I was keen to stay in these places as many times as possible, in this top 15 and then go for this top 10 which I had not yet secured. It was a goal that I set for myself because I want to make my place in the World Cup but not by only aiming for the top 30 but also higher places. So succeeding in this top 10 is proof that I can ski at this level. For the rest, it’s a crazy confidence boost.
Exactly, how are you going to use this result to continue to perform in the next stages?
It’s a big boost and at the same time you’ll have to stay calm because it’s just a race. Today is certainly a great performance but there are still a lot of races in the season. What I will remember to get this top 10 again, or even better why not, will be to stay with the same approach that I had in this competition. And keep the same mindset that I had. I really wanted to ski hard and fast. This is what I managed to put in place, the goal is to keep these sensations.
The two best slalom skaters of recent years, Petra Vlhova and Mikaela Shiffrin, are absent, do you feel that it is also the right time to make a breakthrough?
I don’t really think about it. It’s true that we have the two big names who are absent at the moment. But that doesn’t mean we have others who crush competitions, like Zrinka Ljutic. It boosts and it shows that the new generation is here, that it is making its place.
Comments collected by Léna Marjak
