Simon Dumont is a legend in the ski game, even known as "the godfather" of his sport, but you wouldn’t know it from talking to the 27-year old.
Dumont has won all there is to win in freeskiing, minus his next goal, the 2014 Olympics in Sochi, and he’s even inspired young champs in his annual Dumont Cup, an event Dumont created to replicate the environment and challenges of the events he has come to dominate. He's also set records while attempting his daredevil stunts on the mountain, while nailing tricks like a superman double-frontflip or a cork 900 tailgrab.
Despite all his success — which includes nine medals at the X Games, with four golds, and 12 podiums in various other events — the skier from Maine who currently resides in Colorado is about as down to earth as they come.
“I get to ski outdoors in the mountains, go to beautiful places, and the surroundings are awesome,” Dumont told TSL on the phone. “The job has some ups and downs every now and again, but I couldn’t pick a better office than a mountain at like 13,000 feet. It’s pretty awesome.”
That’s just where the awesome begins for Dumont. While many companies and businesses talked a lot about bringing manufacturing jobs back to the United States, Dumont made it happen with his company, Empire Attire. Though he was unable to bring full production back to the States, he moved key parts of the business back home and hopes to start creating more jobs soon.
Actions, not words, define the humble Dumont. But the Sochi Olympics could be the final chapter of his career and he will ultimately be judged by the masses for his performance on the grandest of stages.
To some, that would be a nerve wrecking experience, particularly following injuries that have prevented him from skiing year round like he did during the prime of his career. It's hardly his first run with injuries, after fracturing his pelvis in three places and rupturing his spleen a few years back.
For Dumont, injuries are just more lemons from which to squeeze lemonade.
“I feel like I’m kind of a gym rat and I’m in the best shape of my life,” he said before moving onto his mental state for Sochi. “If I wasn’t hurt for the last two years I wouldn’t even be questioning anything. To miss two years of progression in this sport is huge. I missed a lot of time to train, learn new tricks, try airbags and learn all these new things. At the same time, it’s exciting, because it’s a venue I haven’t been to and it’s not about being the best halfpipe skier of the year, it’s about being the best skier on that night. I’ll be happy if I go there, put one down, ski to the best of my ability, and do the best I can. After that, it’s out of my hands.”
Though it would be super dope for Dumont to drop the mic on his pro career with a gold for Team USA, Dumont doesn’t have any expectations, and he’s accomplished enough in his career to be content at the end of the day…whenever that may be.
Though many pro skiers would have dipped out of the limelight by now, Dumont can still compete, so he doesn’t have specific plans for “after his pro career” because he doesn’t know when that’s going to be. His only goal is to make the Dumont Cup the best possible event he can — and he’s well on his way to doing so after signing a deal with Sunny River Mountain in Maine, who cut a new run specifically for the Dumont Cup with an additional park all designed by the guys who design the X Games. Other than that, he still has his business, has dabbled in auto racing and could be interested in course design.
“It’s really hard for me to think beyond the Olympics. I want to, because I’m excited to know what I’m gonna do next, but there’s so many things that I’m interested in and I know that if I have a little extra time to put my passion elsewhere I know that I can succeed. So who knows? I’m 27, there’s a lot of time left, this is only one aspect of my life and hopefully I can make a bigger difference than just being a great skier.”
With his passion and humble attitude, the world is a mountain for Dumont to ski. But first he’s got to deal with a big one in Sochi. After that, it’s all downhill.
