Flashing along at 255.5 km/h, Frenchman and Varsinc Simon Billy marks a turning point in the history of speed skiing and becomes the world’s fastest man this March 22 in Vars (Hautes-Alpes). Here’s a look back at his performance!
Glory day for the young skier, who seized the world record witha speed of 255.5 km/h and the world champion title in the discpline. The previous record was held by Italy’s Ivan Origone, flashed at 254.958 km/h in 2016.
Simon Billy, the Vars rocket, breaks the record on the legendary Chabrières piste
Simon Billy prepares for the run of his life
A legendary run that goes down in the history of speed skiing
A deserved victory at the end of the suspense
From a famous family of speed skiers, Simon Billy has been training on this mythical Chabrières slope, scene of world records, from an early age. The 32-year-old Haut-Alpin has followed in the footsteps of his father,Philippe Billy, who won the world record in 1997 with a speed of 243.902 km/h. It took 7 years to find perfect snow conditions for a summit start.
Since I was a kid, I’ve witnessed all the records here in Vars, and today I’m writing my name in history, after my father did it a few years earlier. Today, it’s a childhood dream come true.
Worthy of a top-level sportsman, Simon Billy gave himself the means to go for this victory: it was with his family and his team that he analyzed his previous day’s run to make the final adjustments that enabled him to beat this record.
Starting with his old helmet optimized for this final run, the young skier was able to regain his bearings and recover the last few hundredths he was missing to overtake his main rival Simone Origone.
Supported by his family, his entourage, his team and the resort of Vars, Simon Billy won his personal record and claimed a victory he would cite as a “collective” victory.
The local champion writes a new page in the history of speed skiing.
2013 to 2017: He never stops performing, reaching even crazier speeds every year.
2016: He becomes the fastest Frenchman in history with a time of 252.809km/h.
March 2017: He takes the start at the Chabrières summit but falls at over 230km/h.
2018: After long months of rehabilitation, he takes part in the Speed Masters (world record attempt) but fails to reach high speeds, the fear of falling is still very present and holds him
unconsciously back.
He nevertheless takes the French Champion title ahead of the best Frenchman of the moment, Bastien Montes.
2019: He becomes runner-up to the World Champion just behind the Italian, Simone Origone.
2021: The pandemic gets in the way and only allows the athletes to race in one competition in Sweden, where Simon takes his first crystal globe.
2022: The year of the World Champion crown
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