Marion Thénault: a unique combination of elite skiing, sustainability, and… aerospace engineering

Marion Thénault’s sporting achievements alone are more than remarkable: a member of Canada’s Aerials team since she was 20 years old, four FIS World Cup wins, and a Mixed Team Aerials bronze medal at the Winter Olympic Games Beijing 2022.

However, it is another aspect of Marion’s life that makes her truly stand out from the field. Over the course of her career, the Canadian has made a name for herself as an advocate for sustainability in snow sports not only because of her passion and conviction, but because she couples that with very specific scientific knowledge, being currently a student of aerospace engineering in Canada.

This unique background makes Marion Thénault the perfect ambassador for the collaboration between FIS and the European Space Agency (ESA), a partnership that harnesses space technology to drive environmental responsibility in snow sports.

Marion believes that space-based tools, such as satellite imagery and IoT-enabled sensors, can play a pivotal role in driving climate action and creating a more sustainable skiing industry.

Building on this vision, the European Space Agency is inviting proposals for feasibility studies and demonstration projects that apply satellite and space-based technologies to enhance the sustainability of snow sports.

The initiative seeks to fund innovative solutions that reduce the environmental footprint of major gatherings, such as international championships, while addressing climate-related operational risks, including extreme weather.

Her words serve as a call to action, reminding the community that innovative solutions, driven by both sport and science, can make a real difference for the future of snowsports.

For more information on how to get involved, visit: ESA Call for Proposals – Space for Sustainability: Sports and Mass Events.

And read below Marion Thénault’s full profile:

At just 25, Marion is already an Olympian in Aerials for Canada. She has competed on the World Cup Tour and has been part of the national team since 2020.

Beyond her achievements on the slopes, though, Marion is also recognized as a passionate advocate for sustainability in snow sports, a passion fueled by her love of science, which she continues to strengthen through her studies in aerospace engineering.

Balancing her roles as a professional athlete, student, and climate spokesperson, Marion embodies the intersection of sport, science, and sustainability. 

Originally a gymnast, Marion was recruited into Aerials in 2018 and, within a short time, earned an Olympic bronze medal.

“In high school, we had a science fair where you could advance from regional to provincial to national levels. I competed all throughout high school, and one year I won the Best Communication Award. The person presenting the award was completing his PhD in physics at the University of Sherbrooke, where I’m from,” says Marion.

That encounter opened the door to new opportunities. At just 15, Marion was invited to collaborate on a research project at the University of Sherbrooke. Motivated by a desire to learn and understand, she accepted.

“He brought me to see the supercomputer with all of these machines; it felt like science fiction to me. I got to work with them for two years on projects, and they even let me use the university’s supercomputer, which they called the Mammouth. It was amazing, and that’s really how my interest in physics grew,” she recalls.

Marion’s first real ‘wow’ moment in science came when she saw the Mammouth for the very first time.

“It was incredible because the room was full and the computer was huge. They explained that they could simulate basically anything on it, and it felt so abstract to me, how all of these wires and buttons could represent everything we know. That was the moment I thought, I want to understand what’s happening there.”

Building on these experiences, Marion chose to pursue a career in science alongside her athletic goals. Drawn to physics but seeking a more applied field, she opted to study aerospace engineering instead.

Marion was particularly intrigued by the mysteries of space and the complex challenges it presents. She remembers, for example, being captivated by Ingenuity’s first flight on Mars, keen to understand both the science behind the mission and the teamwork that made it happen.

“I was thinking, this is hardcore science, this is so, so cool, and I want to be a part of that. It’s all these tiny moments, like, how did they do that?”- Marion Thénault

Balancing the pressure of two lives

Balancing life as an elite athlete and engineering student is not easy. Training and travel often keep Marion away from campus, requiring a level of discipline that mirrors her approach on the slopes.

To stay on track, Marion maps out her week based on what her classmates are covering and the time she has available. Some weeks call for a full day of intense study, while others allow her to spread the workload over several days. During longer absences, detailed notes help her seamlessly resume her studies when she returns. Much of her learning relies on self-teaching, a skill she has honed over time.

Marion also credits her success to the support around her and isn’t afraid to seek guidance when needed: “I think one of the main things I do is I’m not too afraid to ask for help. I have my teachers, but also people in science around me who have expertise in what I’m learning, and I’ve talked to them a lot.”

Finding her voice: from curiosity to climate advocacy

Marion’s advocacy for sustainability in sports began somewhat unexpectedly. After winning her first Olympic medal in 2022, she sought sponsors who shared her values. This led her to WSP Canada, a firm with strong expertise in engineering and delivering science-based solutions to create a positive impact.

Through this partnership, Marion had the opportunity to give a presentation to WSP Canada’s Board of Directors on performance in sport and its connection to industry. At the end of the session, she expressed her interest in learning more and asked how she could integrate her career with opportunities at WSP. This conversation marked the beginning of a collaboration that has since taught Marion a great deal and deepened her commitment to sustainability.

Marion has taken this commitment into the classroom to inspire the next generation. Through Protect Our Winters Canada’s Athletes Alliance, she brings her message directly to students, encouraging them to think critically about environmental issues. She participated in a school tour in Ontario and later adapted it for French-speaking schools in her home province of Quebec, broadening the conversation around sustainability and climate responsibility.

Marion’s advocacy doesn’t stop there. She has also played a role on the organizing committee for Canada’s Green Sports Day, held annually on October 6. The event equips the sports community with practical tools to embed sustainability into their work, and Marion takes the lead in gathering insights and creating programs that showcase the importance of environmental stewardship in sport. Through these efforts, she is helping shape a culture in which athletes, organizers, and fans alike recognize their role in protecting the planet.

IOC Climate Action Awards: recognizing Marion’s leadership in snow sport sustainability

Marion was nominated for the IOC Climate Action Awards. While she considers the recognition an honor, she is far more motivated by the tangible impact of her work.

Her climate advocacy began in 2022 with a personal project: calculating her own carbon emissions related to skiing. The goal was to pinpoint the areas of her sporting life with the highest carbon footprint and explore ways to reduce that footprint.

To track her progress, she compared her baseline emissions - calculated without any reduction efforts - with her emissions under the changes she implemented, ultimately achieving a 27% reduction in her sports-related carbon footprint.

“We were able to put a number on my efforts, and it was a 27% reduction in my own personal emissions in relation to sports, so I think that was really cool. To have a number. I am trying to make it more complete. Everybody says do this, or do this, and it's going to be environmentally friendly, but this doesn’t really mean anything, so I wanted to put a number on it,” she says.

From this project, Marion recognized that air travel was the leading contributor to emissions, not just for herself, but for her team and snow sports overall, encouraging her to address this shared challenge.

Marion gathered data on the entire Aerials tour, creating a survey for every coach to complete for their team. The project aimed to optimize the efficiency of the World Cup tour by clustering destinations and ensuring a logical sequence to reduce unnecessary travel.

Marion has also collaborated with the Local Organizing Committee to reduce the environmental impact of the World Cup in Canada, cutting single-use plastics and connecting organizers with experts to calculate emissions. Through these efforts, she has become a vital advocate for environmentally responsible practices within the sport — all while being one of the best in the world.