"My first memory of freestyle aerial skiing dates to 1988 when Canadian Jean-Marc Rozon won the gold medal at the Calgary Winter Olympics. Freestyle skiing was a demonstration sport, but I remember being mesmerized by daredevil athletes, thinking that their aerial somersaults had to be the best feeling in the world. A few years later, a ski buddy saw a brochure promoting a Red Deer, Alberta, camp where kids could learn flips on the trampoline and into the water while wearing skis. I went, and when the weekend was over, I was doing double back flips on my skis. I left camp with a perma-grin, and it still hasn't gone away."
How do you feel preparing for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games ?
For the past 10 years, my goal has been to represent Canada at the Olympics. When the announcement was made that the 2010 winter games were coming to Vancouver, there was a palpable excitement that swept through the winter-sport community. The chance to fulfill my Olympic dream on home soil, in front of roaring Canadian fans, excites and motivates me.
How has the sport changed over the course of your career, and where is it headed?
Freestyle aerial competition is still a new sport but, since 1988, it has rapidly evolved and gets crazier each year. We launch off four-metre–high jumps, or kickers, at 70 kilometres per hour, sometimes performing triple flips with up to five twists. A decade ago, I would never have imagined that the jumps would grow so big. It's a tremendously sophisticated sport. To ensure athlete safety as the sport progresses, there needs to be a high level of dedication and professionalism. Every so often, I step back and look at what we do and shake my head at how crazy the sport is, and I wonder how much crazier it will get.
How will you prepare for your Olympic journey?
There is no “off season" for freestyle skiers. With the Olympics just around the corner, training has intensified. This summer was the final chance to prepare so I spent time on the water ramps in Quebec City perfecting my tricks and building consistency so I'll be ready to perform on demand in February. There was also lots of trampoline training, core and cardio circuits and weightlifting. Once the snow falls, we are right into the World Cup circuit, which leads to the Olympics.
How do you know when you've reached your peak level of performance?
My rule: less is more. The less movement I require to accomplish my tricks, the closer I am to peak performance. Freestyle aerial skiing is tremendously difficult, and almost anything can — and does — go wrong. At peak performance, your moves flow naturally. For me, I'm in autopilot mode when everything happens without effort. Of course, it's difficult to get into this mode and hard to maintain.
What are some of your training rituals?
For the most part, I'm very rational and not superstitious. I do, however, have many rituals that help me focus mentally in training and competition. One of my quirks is that, for the most part, I don't watch other athletes take off from the jump. Thousands of things can go wrong during a jump and the majority of them happen on take-off. I don't want to see that. It's not because I feel superstitious or believe bad things will then happen to me. But in terms of my focus and concentration, I feel that if I see something bad then I have to work that much harder to overcome the picture in my head in order to mentally prepare for my jump. If I don't watch, I save mental energy that I can channel more productively.
Do you use visualization?
I relied more on visualization early in my career. Walking down grocery store aisles, I'd be swinging my arms, accidentally knocking displays down as I went. There's a team joke that you risk getting hit by my wild arm swings if you stand too close to me. Now, I tend to visualize during training only. I needed to give my brain a break.
What do you visualize to calm your mind?
I'm a very social person. On competition day, you'll rarely see me alone listening to music or in the corner visualizing. I stay relaxed and calm by moving around, talking to people and joking with other athletes. I always try to keep the moment light and remind myself to enjoy every part of this. I'm a better aerialist when I'm happy, relaxed and engaged with other people.
How do you conserve energy before an event?
I don't conserve energy in any special sense. I try to treat contest days the same as training days. As a general rule, I stick to my routine, going to bed early and eating a big breakfast when I get up. I don't conserve energy in any special sense. I try to treat contest days the same as training days. As a general rule, I stick to my routine, going to bed early and eating a big breakfast when I get up.
What are your power-smart snack secrets?
I often turn to oatmeal and blueberries with crunchy peanut butter mixed in. It's easy to make a batch and throw it in the fridge for days when I'm too exhausted to prepare anything else.
Learn more about Ryan Blais >>