DISCOVERING ABM’S STYLE
Slopestyler’s journey
Years before the world knew the potential for greatness Canadian freestyle skier Alex Beaulieu Marchand possessed, it was a coach at an Oregon-based boarding school, Mike Hanley, who understood the diamond he had.
“It was Hanley from the very beginning who was telling me, watch out for this kid ... this kid is going to be crazy good ... one of the best I’ve ever seen with such natural talent,” Jason Arens reflected. “I remember Hanley saying, just you wait, this kid is going to be good.”
Years later, Hanley proved prophetic. Beaulieu-Marchand, a 23-year-old slopestyle skier from Quebec City who grew up dreaming of playing in the NHL, captured a bronze medal Sunday at the Pyeongchang Olympics. The 6-foot, 155 pounder, who placed 12th at the Sochi Games four years earlier, was the only one of a dozen competitors to mange three clean runs. He received a score of 92.40 on the second trip down the Phoenix Snow Park course, which included a perfectly executed triple flip.
With his natural talent, Beaulieu-Marchand might have reached the podium regardless. But arguably much of what he would achieve was harnessed after his two-year stint at Windells Academy, a boarding school in Sandy, Ore., which for almost three decades has catered to student athletes seeking to improve their skiing, snowboarding and skateboarding skills.
The cost isn’t cheap — US$45,000 for domestic or $50,000 for international students — for two semesters. But Hanley, no longer with the school, saw something in Beaulieu-Marchand following a summer recruitment visit, offering him a full scholarship.
And, despite being thousands of miles from home, combined with the culture shock and dealing with a language that wasn’t his mother tongue, Beaulieu-Marchand adapted quickly.
“He always seemed dedicated and determined ... a kind, gentle soul,” said Tim Windell, the 53-year-old founder of the academy which, on its website, boasts one-on-one personalized coaching and academic support. “He wasn’t intimidated or shy. He just fit in.
“He had one love at the time — skiing. He wanted to become a better skier. He was a good student who was dedicated and focused on skiing. I never suspected he felt uncomfortable.”
If Quebec has been a hotbed for freestyle skiing, it became clear to the officials at Windells that Beaulieu-Marchand was going to be one of slopestyle’s pioneers. His style has been considered unique and highly aggressive. While many competitors are content to emulate, hoping it will get them judged ahead of others, Beaulieu-Marchand wanted to be the front-runner others would copy, so he took a different approach.
“He was just this crazy rail skier. He just had this rail control unlike most skiers at the time. He led the charge ... doing really creative, difficult, unique rail lines to his run,” said Arens, Windells marketing director and a high-level competition judge.
“You could tell with some of the rotations, some of the grabs, some of the way he chose to do the rail features and the jumps was so unique to him. That brings out a personal aspect you don’t really get from many of the skiers. In a sport judged by overall impression, based on the overall feel of the run ... his run was just like anybody else’s for sure. I’m very proud of Alex.”
Arens said he watched the competition live on television, viewing it as a fan but also as a judge. The two have remained tight over the years, and Arens considers Beaulieu-Marchand a close friend. Indeed, when the Quebecer was rehabilitating from a surgicallyrepaired knee, he spent much of last summer in Oregon.
“I’m a big fan of Alex and his skiing. I love watching his contest runs,” Arens said. “When he landed the run at the Olympics, my jaw dropped. It’s all come together. I was thinking let’s see what (the judges) do with him, but that has to be a high score.
“It was an amazing run, the best I’ve ever seen him ski ... the most technical tricks I’ve seen him pack into one run. The best part? He did it with so much of his style.”
Beaulieu-Marchand, who captured a bronze medal at last year’s Winter X Games in Aspen, Colo., isn’t the only famous alumni to come out of Windells. He often has been compared to Nick Goepper, a 23-year-old American from Fort Wayne, Ind., who slipped past the Canadian to capture silver in the same event, scoring 93.60 on his final attempt. Goepper won a bronze medal at Sochi.
Not a bad calling-card for the school.
“The publicity doesn’t hurt, that’s for sure. I’m just glad we’ve been able to foster and nurture individuals like Alex,” Windell said. “After watching so many good riders come through our program, I’m not surprised.
“The weight of the Olympics is one of those tremendous burdens,” he continued. “If you allow the weight of all the media, what the Olympics represent and how much bigger a show it is, it takes a unique individual to work through that stuff. Alex is able to harbour that energy and turn it into a positive and show the world how good he is.
“He has good character and is a good role model for the industry.”
He led the charge ... doing really creative, difficult, unique rail lines to his run.