PERSONNALITÉ

Matthieu Bailet

Ce n’est pas souvent que l’occasion se présente de rencontrer un jeune homme beau, brillant, sportif et médaillé d’or de ski alpin junior. Ni une ni deux, nous avons fondu devant ce jeune homme aussi sympathique que talentueux. Et pour couronner le tout, il est niçois !

C’est un grand sourire, des yeux d’une douceur et d’une franchise sans égale qui nous accueillent. Si l’on dit que le regard est la porte du cœur, Matthieu parle avec le sien sans nul doute. Ce niçois a appris à skier sur les pistes enneigées d’Auron, station alpine de l’arrièrepays niçois. Son ardeur il la tient très probablement de sa maman. Si sa sœur est incontestablement sa plus grande fan, son papa est son roc. Il le dit d’ailleurs son équilibre c’est d’abord et avant tout sa famille.

Il chausse les spatules à l’âge de 2 ans, contrairement à ce que l’on peut penser, cela n’est pas une révélation … Enfant passionné, il jette dans un premier temps son dévolu sur un art martial japonais le Shindokaï. Le ski est pour lui alors, un simple moyen pour retrouver ses copains et s’amuser, pour découvrir la nature aussi… Puis il commence à participer à quelques courses, talentueux, travailleur, ces premières médailles sont un passeport pour l’enfl ammer. Le feu de la passion s’empare de ce skieur en devenir. C’est à cette époque, que sa maman est victime d’un accident de ski et décède à Auron. Il avait alors 9 ans. Mais Matthieu porte dans son âme et dans son cœur des valeurs positives et constructives. Le ski a désormais pour lui une dimension plus personnelle, plus puissante, il y met tout son cœur, toute son âme. Même si sa vie tourne autour de la Descente, il est certain que les arts martiaux lui ont apporté beaucoup et l’ont renseigné sur son corps, préparé son mental, des acquis qui encore actuellement l’accompagnent et l’aident pour sûr. D’ailleurs, Matthieu travaille quotidiennement sa préparation physique, et son esprit tout autant que sa technique pure. Ce jeune sportif de 26 ans a bâti sa vie aujourd’hui autour de son sport favori, la glisse, la descente. Mais plus généralement, ce qui le fait vibrer, nous a-t-il confi é avec des étoiles dans les yeux, c’est l’adrénaline que lui procurent la Descente ou le Super G… A t il peur au moment du départ ? Sa réponse est sans appel ! Oui …. Et c’est ça qu’il aime. Aller plus loin, plus fort, plus vite.

Lors de la saison dernière, l’enfant du pays est 13 ème du classement mondial du Super G et 28 ème en Descente, ce qui le place dans le Top 15 des meilleurs mondiaux de Super G. Matthieu fi nit cette saison vicechampion de France dans la catégorie « Descente » et vice- champion de France de Super G. Voilà un tout petit aperçu de son palmarès.

Rencontrer Matthieu, c’est rencontrer un hymne à la vie, une ode au courage, une harmonie entre l’innocence de sa jeunesse, la maturité d’un sage, la rigueur d’un professionnel et ce grain folie qui lui permet d’aller au delà de nous, communs des mortels…. Nous avons de la chance d’avoir un Matthieu Bailet dans le ski français, qui plus est, on ne le dira jamais assez, est un Niçois !!!!

Matthieu Bailet

It is not often that the opportunity arises to meet a handsome, brilliant, sporty young man and gold medalist in alpine skiing. We immediately melted in front of this young man as friendly as talented. And to top it all off , he is from Nice!

It is a big smile, eyes of a sweetness and an unparalleled frankness that welcome us. If we say that the gaze is the door of the heart, Matthieu speaks with his own without a doubt. This Niçois has learned to ski on the snowy slopes of Auron, an alpine resort in the hinterland of Nice. His ardor is most likely taken from his mother. If his sister is undoubtedly his biggest fan, his dad is his rock. He says his balance is fi rst and foremost his family.

He put on the spatulas at the age of 2, and contrary to what one may think, that was not a revelation ... A passionate child, he set his sights on a Japanese martial art Shindokaï. Skiing was for him then, a simple way to meet his friends and have fun, to discover nature too... Later, he began to participate in some races. Talented, hardworking, his fi rst medals were a passport to ignite his view on skiing. The fi re of passion took hold of this skier in the making. It was at this time that his mother was the victim of a skiing accident and died in Auron. He was 9 years old at that time. But Matthieu carried in his soul and in his heart positive and constructive values. Skiing then had for him a more personal dimension. More powerful, he put all his heart, all his soul in it. Even if his life revolved around the Descent, it is certain that the martial arts had brought him a lot and taught him about his body, prepared his mind, achievements that still today accompany him and help him for sure. Moreover, Matthieu works daily his body, his mind as well as his pure technique.

then had for him a more personal dimension. More powerful, he put all his heart, all his soul in it. Even if his life revolved around the Descent, it is certain that the martial arts had brought him a lot and taught him about his body, prepared his mind, achievements that still today accompany him and help him for sure. Moreover, Matthieu works daily his body, his mind as well as his pure technique.

This young sportsman of 26 has built his life today This young sportsman of 26 has built his life today around his favorite sport, sledging downhill. But around his favorite sport, sledging downhill. But more generally, what makes him vibrate, he told more generally, what makes him vibrate, he told us with stars in his eyes, is the adrenaline that the us with stars in his eyes, is the adrenaline that the Descent or the Super G give him... Is he afraid at the time of departure? His answer is defi nitely: Yes! And that's what he likes. Go further, stronger, faster.

Last season, the child of the country was 13th in the world ranking of "Downhill" and 28th in the Super G, which places him in the Top 15 world of the youngest skiers in the discipline. Matthieu is this season Vice-Champion of France in the downhill category and Vice-Champion of France Super G. That is a very small glimpse of his record.

To meet Matthieu is to meet a hymn to life, an ode to courage, a harmony between the innocence of his youth, the maturity of a sage, the rigor of a professional and that grain of madness that enables him to go beyond us common mortals.... We are lucky to have a Matthieu Bailet in French skiing, who, moreover, we can never say it enough, is a Niçois !!!