Michael Kingsbury: A Legacy of Dominance and a Graceful Retirement
It’s not because Mikaël Kingsbury is retiring that he’ll be hanging up his skis for good. He will continue to practice the sport he fell in love with 25 years ago. However, the most decorated mogul skier in the discipline will be stepping away from competition. And the transition will be smooth, as everything is falling into place.
From Setback to Success
At this stage of Mikaël Kingsbury’s career, it’s difficult to find a new angle to illustrate just how dominant he has been. All his accomplishments have already been cited. Kingsbury offered this insight: “I’ve finished more World Cups going towards the middle of the piste to reach the podium than leaving the mountain without a medal.” In 169 starts, the skier from Deux-Montagnes has reached the podium 143 times. “I’m not complacent. I’m competitive. I’m stubborn. I want to be there in those big moments, and I make it happen,” he summarizes.
His teammates will remember him as a winner. “He’s good at everything. It’s frustrating,” says Elliot Vaillancourt. “He beats us at skiing, and after training, we go play basketball, and he still dominates.” Throughout his reign, Kingsbury has been one of the most dominant athletes on the planet. Comparing champions from different sports can be a tricky exercise. Can we draw a parallel between Kingsbury’s success and that of Mikaela Shiffrin in alpine skiing or Johannes Høsflot Klæbo in cross-country skiing? Certainly, all three athletes have risen above the competition to rewrite the record books in their respective disciplines.
The Foundation of Success
Such success, “takes work, but it’s also innate,” Kingsbury explains. Essentially, “you have to do what others don’t.” This approach is at the core of his success, he believes. “Beyond the victories, I’m proud to show up every summer with the same motivation to become better. I never rest on my laurels. I wanted to show at the start of each season that I was the one who trained the hardest during the summer.” Over the past 14 seasons, Kingsbury has never finished a season without bringing home a crystal globe. He has always been the man to beat, but he has rarely been defeated. “Success doesn’t happen overnight. I know it’s cliché, but becoming world number one is much easier than staying that way for a long time. You have a target on your back. It’s easier to be motivated when you’re second.”
A statistics enthusiast, Kingsbury assures that he could list in order the location of each of his victories. Time was lacking to prove it. Nevertheless, all the statistics he cited in the interview proved accurate when checked afterward. For him, “results are still important.”
A Mother’s Pride
They are also important to his mother, Julie, but for different reasons. Sitting on a bed in the basement of the chalet, her eyes sparkle as she talks about her son. A mother of three children and a grandmother of three, Julie Thibaudeau has moved a snowsuit and the electronic battery of her grandchildren to create space. 33 years ago, almost 34, she gave birth to a champion in the making. Her son’s successes have filled her with happiness. Thanks to him, she has been able to travel, dance in an Italian hotel room with a gold medal around her neck, and realize that she had accomplished something grand herself, by giving her son the means to succeed. “It takes love, that’s all,” she says. “It sounds cliché. You let your children dream as big as possible. It takes guidance, and you give them all the tools. It’s not that complicated. Your job is to welcome him at the bottom of the slope with a smile, whether he wins or not. That’s the job of a mother.” Her boy, before being a double Olympic gold medalist, “is a really good person.” And that’s enough for her.
Recent Canadian Sporting Achievements:
- Stephen Gogolev finished fourth in the men’s individual program at the World Figure Skating Championships.
- Evan Bichon secured his first career podium finish in snowboard cross at Mont-Sainte-Anne.
- Hannah Schmidt earned a third-place finish in ski cross at the World Cup in Gallivare, Sweden.
Mikaël Kingsbury has always credited his support system for his success. Now that his career is winding down, it’s his turn to receive praise for his contribution to mogul skiing.
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