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PyeongChang 2018 was a highly-positive experience for Paralympic debutant Arthur Bauchet. The French teenage sensation claimed four alpine skiing silvers in the men’s super-combined, super-G, downhill and slalom standing.
He will most surely continue to be a one to watch in the years to come.
It was only his second season as a competitive athlete. On his debut season, he also delivered an outstanding performance by winning gold in the men’s giant slalom and slalom standing at the World Championships in Tarvisio, Italy. He also added silver in the super-G.
Bauchet also ended seventh in the 2016-17 World Cup overall rankings and third in the super-G.
He has hereditary spastic paraplegia, a condition affecting his spinal cord that causes weakness and tremors in his legs and makes him fatigued.
Biography
Impairment information
Origin of Impairment
Congenital
Classification
LW3
Further personal information
Residence
Briançon, FRA
Occupation
Athlete, Student
Languages
French
Sport specific information
When and where did you begin this sport?
He began able-bodied skiing at age five while on holiday. "From the beginning I loved the sensation, so I told my parents I wanted to go ski racing. After my first experience skiing at age five, I fell in love with the sport at age seven. Over the following years my parents would take me every weekend to ski in Serre Chevalier, at first just for fun, and later as I began to compete."
Why this sport?
From age 10, the symptoms of his impairment began to limit his ability to ski in able-bodied competitions. He was invited to start competing in Para skiing in 2016 after he relocated to Briancon, France. "It was my professor of sport at high school who spoke to me about Para skiing. He put me in contact with the French Handisport Federation."
Club / Team
Club des Sports d'Hiver du Brianconnais [FRA] / Douanes [FRA]:
International debut
Year
2016
Competing for
France
Location
Landgraaf, NED
General interest
Nicknames
Roi Arthur [King Arthur], Tutur, Arturito [after a Spanish TV series], Tremblote [after his frequent tremors due to his impairment]. (laprovence.com, 28 Dec 2018; sport.fr, 21 Jun 2020)
Memorable sporting achievement
Winning gold in slalom and giant slalom at the 2019 World Championships in Slovenia and Italy. (paralympic.org, 23 Jan 2019)
Most influential person in career
His coaches, and his family (Athlete, 07 Mar 2018)
Sporting philosophy / motto
"A doctor once said, 'Athur was not made for walking, but for skiing'. For me, skiing is an essential part of my mental fight against my impairment. Just wearing my ski boots helps keep my feet stretched out, which is beneficial for my condition." (arthurbauchet.com, 01 Apr 2020)
Awards and honours
A sports complex in Grimaud, France, has been named after him. (varmatin.com, 08 Apr 2019)
In 2018 he received the Knight of the National Order of Merit medal from the government of France. (laprovence.com, 28 Dec 2018; republicain-lorrain.fr, 11 Apr 2018)
In 2018 he received the Knight of the National Order of Merit medal from the government of France. (laprovence.com, 28 Dec 2018; republicain-lorrain.fr, 11 Apr 2018)
Milestones
He was the youngest French athlete at the 2018 Paralympic Winter Games in Pyeongchang when he took part in his first event at the Games, the downhill, at age 17 years and 151 days. (SportsDeskOnline, 01 Nov 2020; laprovence.com, 28 Dec 2018)
Ambitions
To compete at the 2022 Paralympic Winter Games in Beijing. (sport.fr, 21 Jun 2020)
Impairment
He has hereditary spastic paraplegia, a condition affecting his spinal cord that causes weakness and tremors in his legs and makes him fatigued. (Athlete, 07 Mar 2018; ledauphine.com, 05 Jan 2017; enroutepourrio.eu, 14 Dec 2016)
Other information
EARLY DAYS
He competed in able-bodied skiing as a boy, until age 10 when the symptoms of his impairment began impacting his ability to walk. "From age 10, the symptoms of my impairment began to manifest. I kept competing, but as my condition deteriorated, my father would have to carry me towards the end of a race, and I would end up on crutches more often than I was able to stand on my skis. At age 14, things got even worse. I could no longer walk and barely sit up. After many months of testing, I was finally diagnosed with a damaged spinal cord, which caused a failure to the nervous system in the lower half of my body. This leads to uncontrollable tremors, painful cramps, balance issues, and of course, an inability to ski. In 2015 I underwent a heavy treatment that allowed me to walk again with the aid of crutches, and to ski again. I got into Para skiing in 2016 after I moved to Briancon with my mother." (arthurbauchet.com, 01 Apr 2020)
He competed in able-bodied skiing as a boy, until age 10 when the symptoms of his impairment began impacting his ability to walk. "From age 10, the symptoms of my impairment began to manifest. I kept competing, but as my condition deteriorated, my father would have to carry me towards the end of a race, and I would end up on crutches more often than I was able to stand on my skis. At age 14, things got even worse. I could no longer walk and barely sit up. After many months of testing, I was finally diagnosed with a damaged spinal cord, which caused a failure to the nervous system in the lower half of my body. This leads to uncontrollable tremors, painful cramps, balance issues, and of course, an inability to ski. In 2015 I underwent a heavy treatment that allowed me to walk again with the aid of crutches, and to ski again. I got into Para skiing in 2016 after I moved to Briancon with my mother." (arthurbauchet.com, 01 Apr 2020)
Results
| Unit | Date | Rank |
|---|
| Event | Medal | Unit | Date | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Men's Downhill Standing | Race 1 | 2017-01-25 | 5 | |
| Men's Super-G Standing | Race 1 | 2017-01-26 | 2 | |
| Men's Super-Combined Standing | Race 1 | 2017-01-28 | 8 | |
| Men's Giant Slalom Standing | Race 1 | 2017-01-30 | 1 | |
| Men's Slalom Standing | Race 1 | 2017-01-31 | 1 |
| Event | Medal | Unit | Date | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Men's Downhill Standing | Final | 2018-03-10 | 2 | |
| Men's Super-G Standing | Final | 2018-03-11 | 2 | |
| Men's Super Combined Standing | Final | 2018-03-13 | 2 | |
| Men's Giant Slalom Standing | Final | 2018-03-14 | 9999 | |
| Men's Slalom Standing | Final | 2018-03-17 | 2 |
| Event | Medal | Unit | Date | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Men's Giant Slalom Standing | Race 1 | 2019-01-21 | 1 | |
| Men's Slalom Standing | Race 1 | 2019-01-23 | 1 | |
| Men's Downhill Standing | Race 1 | 2019-01-30 | 3 | |
| Men's Super-Combined Standing | Race 1 | 2019-01-31 | 1 | |
| Men's Super-G Standing | Race 1 (from SC) | 2019-01-31 | 2 |
