Despite a few injuries, the Target skiers have been hard at work prepping for the upcoming ski season. In between mornings on the mountain and afternoons in the gym, we got the chance to catch up with Simon Dumont, Torin Yater-Wallace and Roz Groenewoud (the newest addition to the Target team). Check out our exclusive interviews, below!
What have you been doing during the off-season?
SD: Unfortunately, I tore my ACL in March and have spent most of the off-season trying to get healthy. I went to the U.S. Ski Team facility in Park City, Utah and worked with their trainers to strengthen my knee. I spent many full days in the gym and road biked like a mad man.
What do you want to accomplish this season?
SD: I would like to stay healthy and train for the Olympics. It would also be nice to get back up on the podium.
How have you evolved as an athlete since last season?
SD: I feel like I’ve found my love for skiing again. I have been competing since I was 13, and never really had a break. My ACL might have been a blessing in disguise and a big help to reignite the fire inside.
What is your favorite mountain to ski?
SD: I always go back to Sunday River in Bethel, Maine—it’s my home mountain and I know it better than any other. I also love St. Anton in Austria.
What’s next for you?
SD: Hopefully win an Olympic medal, then lots of filming and maybe some driving.
You’re planning on competing in the 2014 Winter Olympics. How are you preparing?
SD: I’m getting as strong as I can mentally and physically, and will probably ski more Pipe than I ever have in my life. Overall, I’m just going to ski with a lot more focus.
How is your shoulder recovering?
TYW: My shoulder is recovering well. I’ve been at physical therapy five days a week working hard to get it back to normal.
What do you want to accomplish this season?
TYW: I don’t have any set goals for the season—I just would like to ski as much as I can because, currently being injured, I’m going crazy not being able to ski!
As a young athlete, how have you evolved in the past year?
TYW: I’ve evolved in so many ways in the last year. My life has switched from being a normal high school kid to a professional skier traveling the world with many responsibilities. As hectic as my life has gotten, I am still enjoying every minute of it and feel very fortunate to be where I am at today.
What is your favorite mountain to ski?
TYW: Aspen Snowmass, hands down.
Welcome to the Target team! Are you excited for your first season as a Target athlete?
RG: I am so excited to be rocking the Bullseye for the first time this season—I feel honored and proud.
What do you want to accomplish this season?
RG: Like any season, my goal is to ski consistently and to push myself every day. Of course, standing on top of every podium is a goal, so I’ll be working at bringing my “A game” to every competition. This is qualification year for the Canadian Olympic Team for Sochi, so podium finishes are even more important than ever. It’s going to be an exciting year!
As a young athlete, how have you evolved in the past year?
RG: I think that I’ve evolved the most in my “mental game.” I’ve finally started to train with the aggression and drive I always put into my competition runs.
What is your favorite mountain to ski?
RG: I love skiing at Whistler Blackcomb in Canada. I don’t get the opportunity to ski there enough because of my busy competition schedule. I always enjoy my time on the glacier in the summer—it’s always fun to go from skiing, to mountain biking to laying in the sun by a lake on the same day.
What events and competitions are you most looking forward to this year?
RG: I always look forward to X Games in Aspen, even though it is the most nerve-wracking event of the season. The pipe is always perfect, the organization is always immaculate, the crowd is fun and the level of skiing is the highest of the year.
Have your fellow Target skiers given you any sage advice?
RG: I love watching the aggression with which both Simon and Torin ski and their amazing amplitude, so I’ll take that as “learn by example” advice. And, Torin sent me a “welcome to the team” tweet, which I really appreciated.