Penticton (BC), Canada – Olivier Rochon, the 2012 FIS World Cup Freestyle Crystal Globe Winner and Canadian Olympic medal hopeful in aerials skiing has torn the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his left knee and ended his season.
Rochon and his teammates who are training at Apex Mountain Resort near Penticton, British Columbia went for a free run last Monday. While skiing through the fresh powder, Rochon lost his balance, hit a bump and heard a pop.
“It was pure bad luck,” Rochon said on Thursday after finding out from the doctor that the ACL was torn and his Sochi dreams were over. “I will get through this. Next year are World Championships and I plan on being on the podium.”
When it comes to overcoming obstacles to victory, few have been as triumphant as Rochon. In 2011 he was suspended from the team for bad behavior. He took the year to re-evaluate, trained like never before and as his coach Daniel Murphy says, “He came back with the perfect balance. A bit of bad boy craziness that keeps you in the sport, but more professional and precise with his training.” So precise that he became the best overall aerialist in the world in 2012.
In 2013, Rochon’s season began with podium in China, followed by a groin injury. Determined to compete, he filled himself with painkillers and finished fourth at the Sochi test. But, having overcompensated for his first injury, he created a stomach hernia that required surgery last May. Once again, Rochon devoted himself to rehab.
“Oli’s work ethic this summer after the surgery was 150% dedication,” says his trainer and physiotherapist, Jonathan Pelletier-Ouellet. “We would get up in the morning, go to physio then really focus on corrective exercises, then after a small break we’d spend 90 minutes in the gym pushing him to his limit. It was six days a week of that and Oli never complained. He overcame every obstacle and challenge I threw at him.”
Upon his return to snow, Rochon’s jumping had improved significantly and everyone at the Canadian Freestyle Ski Association had high expectations in this Olympic year.
“It’s a disappointment,” says coach Murphy, “but he’s overcome so many things to get here, I have no doubt he’ll be back in full training mode in no time.”