Technician for Cyprien Sarrazin and Maxence Muzaton, Fabrice Mermet has once again been hard at work all day before the season’s final event.
“Of course we are preparing to race!” Even though there are real uncertainties for Sunday’s downhill (11:15am), the final event of the season, Fabrice Mermet has not changed his routine. After a super-G training session in the morning, he spent a good part of the day in the basement of the Team France hotel preparing the skis for Cyprien Sarrazin and Maxence Muzaton. The 54-year-old Annecy native knows the importance of the race where “Cyp” can compete for the globe with Marco Odermatt.
“But I don’t feel any more pressure,” admits the FFS technician, who looks after the two athletes equipped by Rossignol. “It’s still a miracle that we are here because just a week ago, they were struggling to even put on their ski boots due to their injuries.”
For this final challenge, “Fafa,” as he is known, has found a “magical” pair of skis. “These are the skis that Cyprien used during the second training in Beaver Creek.” With a great performance before the American race was cancelled. Since then, his pair of 2.23 m (Sarrazin prefers long skis), previously used by Nicolas Raffort and Roy Piccard, had been stored away, nice and warm. “I discuss my choices with the guys and they trust me.”
Fabrice Mermet is starting to gain experience, having been in the industry since 1997 and having worked with many renowned and medal-winning athletes such as Joël Chenal, Cristel Pascal, Nastasia Noens, and Veronika Zuzulova. This is the second season he has worked with the Sarrazin (speed) and Muzaton duo.
He is at the heart of the success of the new French skiing star… even though he had a setback during the winter. Due to a health problem (an embolism) during a training camp in Orcières-Merlette. A real scare! “I’m doing much better now,” he reassures by the fireplace in the Team France hotel. In Wengen, Kitzbühel, and Garmisch, he entrusted materials and pilots to Paul Delberghe. “I was on the phone with him for at least two hours every day,” says the smiling “technician” who knows his impressive ski collection inside out.
He returned to business in Kvitfjell… where the two speedsters crashed. Before coming back strongly here in Saalbach. With the firm intention of getting the job done and “enjoying” until the end. “It’s not every year that we have seasons like this.”
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