Independent SYNC Team athlete Simon Fournier is entering his next chapter as a ski racer in new situation, with a university degree in hand. Notably, he kicked off the 2023-24 season with a victory in the Beaver Creek, Birds of Prey NorAm giant slalom.
After five years at Denver University, the 26-year-old Canadian graduated in June 2023 with a degree in Finance and minor in Marketing. Although he won’t be seeking a full-time job in his field anytime soon, he’ll still be putting his academic skills to the test. As an invitee with Alpine Canada, Fournier will be paying his own way, but luckily has some help and a fresh outlook.
“It’s been a roller coaster with the Canadian team,” he says. “Finishing last season, I wasn’t sure what they’d offer me. I was quite happy to get that invitee status. Obviously, it comes with a cost challenge. It becomes expensive when you’re doing it on your own.”
Growing up with parents who were ski instructors at Mont-Tremblant, Fournier developed an early love of the sport.
Moving naturally up the ranks
“For me, with ski school and the racing club, it was more about the environment. I loved the skiing aspect of it, but the greatest part was that it was something to do with friends and have family around. I loved growing up with the community,” he says.
As for getting serious about competition, Fournier says it happened naturally.
“Obviously, here in Quebec, we don’t have the same mountains,” he says. “You can’t go backcountry skiing much and you don’t have the same powder access. Ski racing is one of the most fun things you can do. The change between ski school and race club when you’re 10 or 12, then it becomes a little more serious. It built to my early teens, when I made the regional team, then when I turned to FIS and made the Quebec team. It was a gradual increase of intensity to make the national team.”
After joining the Canadian team through its development program in 2016, Fournier began competing in all disciplines on the Nor-Am circuit, finishing 23rd in his first race – a giant slalom – in January 2017 and notching top 20s in other disciplines. He wrapped up that season with a 14th place in the Junior World Championships slalom. His results improved through the 2017-18 season as he developed more consistency in each discipline, popping into the top 10 in a handful of Nor-Am races. By the end of that season, however, Fournier was beginning to realize that he preferred the technical events, and also that he wanted to attend university.
“I had a lot of people around me who were alumni of universities. I had just turned 21 and knew my eligibility years were counting down,” he says. “My coach at the time, his son was at university and he was quite supportive of the system. It worked out well. I ended up having the best season of my life my freshman year.”
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Standout season
Starting at DU in fall 2018 and narrowing his competition focus to technical events, Fournier instantly began crushing racecourses, in slalom especially. He landed his first podium in Panorama, B.C. in December 2018 and then his first victory the next day and yet another victory the day after that, also notching his first win on the university circuit. Fournier opened 2019 with yet another Nor-Am win and swept a handful of university slalom races, as well as winning a GS. He also got a taste of the big stage, competing in the 2019 World Championships in Are, Sweden, finishing 24th in slalom and 30th in GS. Fournier closed the season with the Nor-Am slalom title and as First Team NCAA All-American in GS.
“I think a lot of head space accounted for that,” he says of his 2018-19 success, “I knew I was locked into four years at school and having a plan B secured, it opened a different outlet for me to focus on. I knew I was supported by the Canadian team and also getting this cool new experience with new people. I put aside results. The head space I was in was really good.”
Earning a spot on the World Cup in 2019-2020, Fournier stuck to slalom but did not manage to put points on the board in several races. He returned to North America in February 2020 and proceeded to put down solid results, including a couple of podiums, in Nor-Ams and University races. Then, the world shut down in March. With no Nor-Ams in 2020-21 and limited University races, Fournier went overseas again, trying a couple of Europa Cups as well as a few more World Cups, but again failed to qualify for a second run. Returning stateside for University racing, he wrapped up the season as First Team All-American in slalom at the NCAA Championships, but didn’t make Alpine Canada criteria and was off the team the following season.
The rollercoaster
With just a couple of attempts at World Cups in 2021-2022, Fournier spent most of that season making a name for himself once again in Nor-Ams and university races, landing a handful of podiums and crowning the season with a slalom win at the 2022 Canadian National Championships.
Back on the Canadian team last season, his fifth and final year at DU, Fournier again fell short of making the flip in World Cup races, but did earn his first Europa Cup points and notched a few top 10s in Nor-Ams and University races.
At age 26, Fournier says his only option for making criteria on Alpine Canada would be to perform on the World Cup. Thus, still on the team as a “pay-to-play” member, Fournier plans to work his way up to the top in Nor-Ams again this season, with the support of sponsors like SYNC Performance.
Valuable support
“It’s a new partnership for me. My status on the Canadian team allowed freedom for apparel and I was always happy with their products. After spending the last five years in Colorado, being part of a brand out there is awesome,” he says.
Fournier is one of 49 athletes to receive a grant through the SYNC Fund. He used part of this support to independently partake in slalom training in Europe this fall.
“It allows a little mental freedom knowing you have some support financially and you’re able to do those camps,” he says. “Mentally, it puts you in a better place. That support for gear and funding is extremely valuable.”
Having raced in the big leagues and knowing what it feels like to be the best in North America, Fournier’s most cherished time racing so far was with his university team.
“The greatest experience in my life was NCAA. It’s the people I’ve met and the bonds I’ve created with people there along the way.”
That said, Fournier is looking forward to the fresh autonomy he’ll have for this post-University period of his career.
“Talking about mindset, going into races confident, in recent years, I felt I didn’t have full ownership of my program,” he says. “I’ve had a foot in school and always felt I was in between two programs. I feel I’m in a better head space again. I’m looking forward to racing. This year, not being at school and being able to focus on what I need to do as a skier, I’m quite confident coming into the season.”
About the Author: Shauna Farnell
