Simon Dumont

Dumont (http://oakley.ca/sports/ski/athletes/146)

For Simon's whole life, he has been on skis. The first time he took up the sport of skiing was when he was three and he skied with his mother, Barbra Dumont. Simon Dumont is now a 21 year old free skier from Bethel, Maine, who has changed the world of free skiing in many ways, and is a hero for many young skiers.

Simon was first recognized at the x-games when he was only fifteen, at this age most kids would be amazed to get to the Telus spin competition. At seventeen, he won his first x-games gold medal. When he was eighteen, Simon over-shot a jump in Park City. The video of Simon hurtling eighty feet to flat ground became one of the most watched videos on YouTube. Simon fractured his pelvis, and ruptured his spleen. Only six weeks later he was back on the hills after such a bad accident.

Simon Dumont's amazing ski abilities made many companies want to sponsor him or in some way be a part of his team. Simon has many sponsors.

Not only is Simon amazing at skiing, he is a great goal achiever. Simon has broken and set some world records. His most recent world record that he set was in the "quarter pipe." On April 11th, 2008 Dumont set the current world quarter pipe record at Sunday River in Bethel, Maine. Simon aired 35.5 feet out of a 38 foot quarter pipe, while performing an incredible cork 900 tail grab. Dumont's previous attempts of this amazing record lead to him falling 55 feet after hitting an over-vert section of the quarter pipe.

When people say, "everyone has a hero, even people we know ourselves as heroes," they are right. To many skiers, Simon Dumont is a hero, but did anyone think about if he has a hero? Simon Dumont has many people he considers as heroes or mentors. JF Cusson, and Phil Pourier are two people that Dumont considers his heroes of skiing. His mom Barbara and, dad Francis Dumont are Simon's mentors.

For this final paragraph I'd just like to stress that it is true, everyone has a hero, even people we know as heroes. My hero is Simon Dumont, free ski pro, and hero/inspiration to many young skiers, including me.