His trick is “skating” on water. This is what has driven 16-year-old Thibault Lagel for three years now. The two-time reigning French junior champion in wakeboarding, the teenager living in Vaux-sur-Seine (Yvelines) discovered this board sport, consisting of figures towed by a boat, near his home, around the island from Platt to Villins-sur -Sep.
In competitions he is judged by his completion of the sequence of pieces on the board, his intensity and his style. “The wave of the boat serves as a springboard for me to perform tricks,” admits Thibault, a former trampoline enthusiast. I climb as high as possible to look as stylish as possible, thanks to several parameters: the length of the cable and the speed…”
The first-year student at the Institute Saint-Thomas-de-Villeneuve in Saint-Germain-en-Laye is now on the ministerial list of high-level athletes and a member of the French national team.
Fast progress
Since his debut, the young man has made rapid progress thanks to his determination and the support of his two coaches, Daniel Dusquenoy and Laurent Delacroix, who advise him in Bordeaux (Gironde).
“Now that I’m starting my professional career, I’m accompanied by a physiotherapist and I’m doing bodybuilding,” he explains. At the French Championships, I did not set myself the goal of taking first place, but simply to show my best side…”
The goal has more than been achieved as Thibault prepares to compete at the European Specialty Championships, which will be held from October 30 to November 4 in Palermo (Italy). He is delighted to represent France in a sport that was a candidate for the 2024 Olympics but was ultimately not selected.
The French wakeboarding hopeful can count on the unwavering support of his father Eric. “He’s a bit like my manager, the one who manages my contracts,” smiles the teenager, who is already accompanied by sponsors – two French companies.
Workouts for 4 euros… per minute
It also benefits from the Performance Pact for high-level athletes, supported by the National Foundation for French Sports. “Sponsors give trust and support Eric, his father. Wakeboarding is not football, the costs are high, and the funding is small and scarce. “My son’s hobby is estimated at several tens of thousands of euros per year, including materials, training courses and trips. Just one lesson with a trainer costs 4 euros… per minute.
Eric, a father who also enjoys water sports, even had to break the bank to purchase the boat on which his son trains. “This special boat pushes water away and creates waves at 30 km/h,” explains an interested person. Besides snowboarding, this sport, which originated from the United States, also motivates my son to excel in English. His dream is to go rider there, among enthusiasts. It’s a small environment. »
The prodigy leaves himself two more years, time to complete his bachelor’s degree before seriously thinking about crossing the Atlantic. Provided that one day he can make a living from it, he will settle in Florida, the cradle of his discipline. And far from the Seine.
Source: Le Parisien
I have worked in the news industry for over 10 years. I have a keen interest in sports and have written for many different publications. I am currently working as an author at 24 News Recorder. I cover mostly sports news but also write about other topics such as current affairs and politics. I have a strong interest in social media and how it can be used to engage with audiences.
