These are the stars of recent days, at the Courchevel World Ski Championships. At the bottom of the slalom stadium, competitors intrigue the public with their suits sporting large palm trees as a crest on the back. The surprise is all the greater when you read the name of the country they represent: Haiti. “But there is no snow there! wonders a young spectator.
Suffice to say that the four skiers of the Haitian delegation stand out among the traditional winter sports nations. “In Haiti we don’t have snow, but we have skiers! People are so surprised that they ask us for almost as many autographs as some stars,” laughs Jean-Pierre Roy, 59, skier and president of the Haitian Ski Federation (FHS).
Exiled to France with his parents when he was two years old, to escape the Duvalier dictatorship, he learned to ski in the Alps. In 2010, after a devastating earthquake in Haiti that killed members of his family, Jean-Pierre Roy had the crazy idea of creating a ski team with the help of Thierry Montillet, cousin of Carole, the Olympic downhill champion 2002.
From the Haitian diaspora
“In Haiti, there are earthquakes, a lot of disasters… So showing your colors at a ski world championship finally brings a positive image. When we ski, we do it for Haiti. It’s a point of pride,” explains Jean-Pierre. In order to build a team, he tirelessly seeks skiers among the Haitian diaspora in France, Canada… If they were born in Haiti, or if they have Haitian parents, they can represent the country.
” It’s awesome ! It allows us to reconnect with the country of our origins! » enthuses Richardson Viano, 20 years old. Adopted at the age of three, he trained in the resort of Puy-Saint-Vincent (Hautes-Alpes) and aims to pass the qualifications for the technical tests. Céline Marti, another Haitian skier, for her part, finished last in the giant final last Thursday. But for Jean-Pierre Roy, the main thing is elsewhere: “We won’t win a gold medal, that’s for sure, but we will at least bring home the medal of the sun, of friendship! »