Jean-Pierre Vidal
Jean -Pierre Vidal ( born February 24, 1977 in Saint -Jean -de- Maurienne ) is a French former alpine skier. He specializes in slalom and was 2002 Olympic champion in this discipline. His uncle Jean -Noël Augert and his two-year older sister Vanessa Vidal were also skier.
Biography
1990 won the Trofeo Topolino Vidal. In the following years, he first participated in FIS races and in the European Cup. On January 3, 1998, he started for the first time at a World Cup race, the giant slalom in Kranjska Gora but the target is not reached. In 1999 he took part in the Winter Universiade in Jasna, and won the gold medal in the giant slalom and the bronze medal in the slalom.
In the 2001 / 02 season, the little known Vidal made his breakthrough at the top. As a ninth of the slalom in Aspen he brought on 25 November 2001, the first World Cup points. Just one day later at the same place he achieved the first podium finish. Finally, he was able to celebrate the first victory in Kranjska Gora on 22 December 2001. Vidal qualified for the 2002 Olympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City. In the Olympic slalom races he drove in the first run, the clear best time, was able to defend his lead in the second run and eventually won before Sébastien Amiez and Benjamin Raich the gold medal. At season's end, he finished fifth in the slalom World Cup.
In the following winter 2002/ 03 Vidal reached only once a podium finish at the 2003 World Championships in St. Moritz, he retired in both the slalom and giant slalom from. Similarly traversed was the balance of the winter 2003/ 04 and 2004/ 05, in which stood out each a fifth place on the otherwise mediocre results. Even his decision, only to deny Slalom race, at first brought no success. However, winning the bronze medal in the team competition at the 2005 World Championships in Bormio indicated an upward trend.
Vidal returned in the season 2005/ 06 back to the top. After four placings in the top ten, he won on 22 January 2006, Hahnenkamm slalom in Kitzbuehel. Vidal was before the 2006 Winter Olympics, the most cited favorite. However, one day before the Olympic slalom in Sestriere he crashed while free skiing and suffered a broken left arm, a start was impossible. Vidal then gave his immediate resignation from the top sports known.
Achievements
Olympic games
- Salt Lake City 2002: 1 Slalom
World Championships
- Bormio 2005: 3rd team competition
Junior World Championships
- Voss 1995: 15 Slalom, Giant Slalom 17
World Cup
- Season 2001/ 02: 3rd slalom rating
- Season 2002/ 03: 10 slalom rating
- Season 2005/ 06: 10 slalom rating
- 6 podiums, including two victories: