Farewell to a Para Alpine Skiing Icon

It was on the "Canin" slope of Sella Nevea (ITA) that Marie Bochet (FRA) opened her last World Cup starting gate on March 24. Thus, she closed a chapter of more than 15 years at the highest level. And what a record! 107 World Cup victories, 9 overall titles, 22 discipline titles, 22 World Championship titles, and 9 Paralympic medals, including 8 gold... the native of Chambéry (FRA) has left a mark on the world circuit of Para Alpine Skiing more than anyone before her.

With skis on her feet from a very young age, Marie quickly moved through the national circuit, then the European circuit, to reach the world circuit and participate in her first Paralympic Games at just 16 years old, in Vancouver (CAN), in 2010. She narrowly missed the podium twice there and used this first experience as a driving force to subsequently reach the top and stay there. Her versatility (she always competed in all 5 Para Alpine Skiing disciplines!) allowed her to become a regular on the podiums, winning medals, and titles. Marie remained competitive to the end, up to her last Para Alpine Skiing World Cup finals in Sella Nevea (ITA) where she stood on the podium 4 more times and won her last two titles, in super-G and downhill.

An inspiring and committed role model, Marie has always been dedicated to promoting inclusion through and within sport. "If this individual career can reassure young parents of children born with agenesis or young adults who are amputees, that yes, despite a small missing part one can live beautiful adventures and encourage them to join the @franceparalympique movement, then it won’t have been so selfish and I will have won much more than medals," she wrote in her farewell message to high-level sport on Instagram.

Marie can be reassured; her career has been far from selfish – as evidenced by the large community she gathered around her and her sport throughout her career and once more on the occasion of her "athlete life farewell" celebration at her home in Beaufortain (FRA). The celebration was grand, and Marie Bochet will remain a leading figure in Paralympic alpine skiing! Bravo and thank you, Marie!