Selected for the first time in the French team in 1986 in this discipline, Edgard Grospiron won his first podium in the World Cup at the age of 18, on March 23, 1987 in La Clusaz. From a very young age, he has aspired to be the best skier in the world in his category. He first tries to reconcile a BEP in commerce with his sports career. After two complicated years, his sporting obligations becoming too important, he had to give up his studies to devote himself full-time to his high-level career.
First gold medal in the history of freestyle skiing
In 1988, during the Olympic Winter Games in Calgary, Canada, the young French champion won the bronze medal during the demonstration event of the freestyle ski competition. The following year, he won the world championships in mogul skiing.
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The consecration comes at the Olympic Winter Games in Albertville. On February 13, 1992, Edgar Grospiron won the gold medal in freestyle skiing. An Olympic title that has remained in the history of skiing, because it is the first year that the discipline has been recognized as an Olympic sport. For some, if his talent is not the shadow of a doubt, the “leaping skier” also has (a little) a big head: he had announced before the start of the Olympics that he would win the gold medal… After this success, he will collect a second bronze medal at the 1994 Olympic Games in Lillehammer.
A second career in motivational consulting and coaching
“I explain to companies how to manufacture performance…”
A four-time overall winner of the Moguls World Cup (1990, 1991, 1992 and 1994), Edgar Grospiron retired after the 1995 season, aged 26, after winning a third moguls title. world champion, thus ending his sporting career. He is now a sports commentator on television and radio for mogul skiing events (France Télévisions, RMC), coach for athletes and corporate speaker, specializing in motivation and leadership. For him, there are obvious bridges between sport and business, the two environments using a common language (performance, collective, self-transcendence, etc.). Since 2001, Edgar Grospiron has given more than 1,000 business conferences and has also made a foray into politics.
Resident in Annecy-le-Vieux, the former champion thus presented himself in the municipal elections of 2008, in last position on the list of his friend the outgoing deputy-mayor on the right Bernard Accoyer, president of the National Assembly (2007 -2012).
At the same time, Edgar Grospiron acts as a consultant to the French freestyle ski team, sharing his advice drawn from his experience as an Olympic medalist. Managing Director of Annecy’s bid for the 2018 Winter Olympics, Edgar Grospiron created the “En Piste” association in 2017, which aims to support and coach young athletes throughout their careers, in order to to accompany them to victory.