Until then, Canada had never had a world champion in both men’s and women’s competitions.
The 19-year-old athlete accomplished the feat the first time in Whistler, in January, as a junior and the second in Planica, Slovenia, as a senior.
” You know, this is very interesting to me! This is only my second season at the World Cup. […] Famous athletes congratulate me. Like Mikael Kingsbury who commented on my Instagram post. I was a bit dumbfounded that he knows who I am! »
Six months ago, Lotet was recovering from knee surgery and a broken foot (Lisfranc sprain).
The physiotherapists laughed at me when I told them I would be the first woman to win both the junior and senior versions of the World Championships. They looked at my feet and told me that if I could walk, I would actually have a chance.
While this injury could have ended her career, Albertane used it as motivation to win.
My dad always encouraged me to work hard,” she says. It comes from my family far north. My grandfather was a boarding school survivor, and even though he had to deal with painful things at such a young age, it was always important to him. He has to work hard to succeed.
Lotet was also part of the Canadian roster that took home a historic team bronze medal at the 2022 Olympics, as did compatriot Abigail Stratt who won her first ski jumping World Cup medal in Hinterzarten, Germany in January.
” It’s definitely the right time to be a skateboarder. We’re kind of finally getting this ball rolling. It has taken nearly ten years of fighting to finally obtain fairly fair compensation for our expenses, and our travels, for an equal opportunity in the competition. »
The Canadian ski jumping team has been forced into exile since June 2021 in Slovenia due to a lack of facilities and support in the country.
Since the closure of jumps in Calgary in 2018, many athletes have given up on the sport due to a lack of funding. A season costs an average of $20,000 to $40,000 to ski jump.
We’re having trouble finding sponsors because the Canadian sponsors don’t want to support the skateboarders because we’re not present enough in the Canadian media.
displays the bird.
Then you add that the European sponsors don’t want to sponsor us because they want to sponsor their athletes.
Although many Canadian ski jumpers do well in competition, the majority have to work in the off-season survive
.
She says all my funding comes from prize money. So if I’m not competing, I’m not making an income. So when the season is over, I have no way of making money. And it’s the same with my teammate Abby.
Alexandria Lott and Abigail Strat
Photo: Getty Images/Maja Hitij
” I also fight for Aboriginal athletes. And I’m fighting for girls who want to be ski jumpers in Canada. If I can show them that it is possible to travel to the US and Europe and go back to school for a few weeks, it shows them that it is possible. »
A world champion at just 19 years old, Alexandria Lottet has no intention of stopping there. But instead of dreaming of a possible Olympic medal in three years’ time in Cortina d’Ampezzo, the jumper has set itself the goal of winning the discipline soccer game, which is awarded to the winner of the World Cup general classification.
For me, winning a Crystal Globe isn’t just about being the best in one year, as you say, it’s about always being good, overcoming obstacles along the way, and being mentally strong.
The World Cup will resume on March 10 in Oslo, Norway.
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