credit: Chip Kalback

credit: Chip Kalback

Achieving a world record and multiple X Games medals would be enough for most athletes’ careers to be deemed successful. Not Simon Dumont. He will not even think about hanging up his skis until he has competed for his ultimate dream: winning a gold medal in the half-pipe in the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics.

Native to Maine, Dumont has made a home for himself in the beautiful mountain town of Dillon, Colorado but plans on moving to the bustling city life of Denver soon. While Dumont is famous for his freestyle skiing tricks, he has also been made famous for his wipe-outs. One specifically that left him with a shattered pelvis and ruptured spleen – ouch. In addition to a wild skiing career Dumont has a clothing line, but admits that it is taking a backseat until the Olympics are over.

Dumont took time out of his busy training schedule to talk to 303 about: training for the Olympics, what keeps him going after serious injuries, and his love life.

 

credit: Chip Kalback

credit: Chip Kalback

Age: 26

Age when he first started skiing: 3 — 13 professionally.

Favorite artist to listen to pre-competition: This year it was Jay-Z and Kanye West.

Favorite Food: Sushi. I’m more of a sashimi fan. I like to go to Matsuhisa in Aspen.

Favorite Colorado sports team: The Nuggets.

 

 

 

303: What is your favorite Colorado ski slope?

Dumont:  I’ve been doing the X Games in Aspen for 13 years so I would say Aspen.  My first win in Aspen [2004] was probably my most memorable.

 

303: I hear that in the summer you road bike. Is that part of your training or something you do for fun?

Dumont:  It’s just a way of staying sane and not being in the gym. I’m already in the gym for like 4 hours a day. If I have to stand for 2 hours in the gym or bike in the gym it would be pretty strenuous. When I injured my ACL, biking was really good because it is low impact. It is still good for training purposes.

 

303: Skiing and road biking, sounds like you fit into the Colorado lifestyle pretty well. Are there any other outdoor sports you enjoy?

Dumont: Pretty much everything. I don’t mountain climb, I mean I would do it if I had the opportunity. Beach volleyball, I love golf, pretty much anything I can get my hands on that’s outdoors — dirt biking, hiking, camping, and fishing. If I’m outside it’s usually a pretty good day.

 

303: So when you are not busy setting crazy world records or injuring yourself, what do you enjoy doing?

Dumont:  I enjoy the business world. I have my own restaurant in Florida, and then working with my glove company. I’m very physically active, that’s my first priority — the rest is just when I have down time.

 

303: Do you have plans to make your glove company bigger once you bring manufacturing back in to the United States?

Dumont: That’s the game plan. I’d like to have a great glove company, and I think the cosmetics of the glove are awesome. Right now I am kind of putting it on the backburner for a little bit, just until the Olympics are over. That is really pulling my focus — to make this last push to the Olympics.

 

303: Would you consider yourself an adrenaline junkie?

Dumont: I don’t know about an adrenaline junkie. I like to test my body and mind in ways that I can. I guess if that is adrenaline based then I guess — yeah you could put that name on me. I think I am more of a tester — tester of limits.

credit: Chip Kalback

credit: Chip Kalback

 

303: Having so many serious injuries would discourage a lot of people from competing. What has kept you going after all of your injuries?

Dumont: I guess all of the success I’ve had is kind of that balance. It is all about what’s worth it. If there was not an Olympics I would hang up the skis from competing and start on filming and other aspects. I think to solidify my legacy and hopefully go down as one of the best and most iconic skiers — I think an Olympic gold medal would really help me to succeed in my master plan.

 

303: Besides skiing- what are you most excited about for the 2014 Olympics?

Dumont: It is the first time our sport will be in the Olympics for free-style skiing. I can’t think of anything else — if I start thinking of anything else my objective changes. I am very one track to do my best and put on the best show. At the same time — I want to convey how awesome free skiing is, and hopefully turn some more people on to skiing.

 

303: On behalf of all of the Mile High ladies I have to ask, if I were to look on your Facebook page what would your relationship status be?

Dumont: [chuckling] “I have a beautiful girlfriend that I have had for a year, sorry to break any hearts. Just putting it all on the table — way to cock block me.” He says laughing as he adds, “She is from Ohio but went to school in Aspen, she’s a Colorado girl now.”

 

303: What advice would you give younger athletes trying to achieve their goals?

Dumont: I would just say enjoy the process of getting where you want to get. It is always great to finally succeed in what you do, but if you don’t enjoy all of the steps it takes to get there, and learn from the ones that bring you down it is counter intuitive.

Neither freezing temperatures nor broken bones will cool this competitor down, “This is just one chapter of hopefully a pretty long successful book that I am hoping to write” Dumont said.