SNOWBOARD The German Roman Phenomenon
A great hope of world snowboarding, Plagnard Romain Allemand (16) burst onto the screen this winter, whether at the European Youth Olympic Festival and during the senior world championships. Portrait.
A first imprint in the world of Olympism. At the end of January in the depths of Italy, Romain Allemand flew over the European Youth Olympic Festival in big air. Forty-eight hours later, the Plagnard won, at 16, his place on senior world championships to gain experience.
“I see him becoming a little legend”
“He’s a kid with a talent for space who is having a hammering winter,” ignites Andy Boudias, the coach of the Savoie committee in contact with the Savoyard nugget since he was eight years old.
“He told me he wanted to win the Olympics not once, but three times. He wants to invent “tricks” (figures). He is talented, humble, hardworking and endowed with a good spirit. That’s four big qualities for the top level. I see him becoming a little legend. »
A huge potential detected very early on to the point of building a snowboard section for him when he wowed the gallery on the slopes of La Plagne at only six years old where he was already riding 720s.
“The kind of athlete you have once in a lifetime”
“When I saw the kid, I quickly realized that he was the kind of athlete you train once in a lifetime,” continues Andy Boudias, from Grand-Bornand. “He has ease and a huge margin for improvement. It’s not a hothead but a thinking rider who doesn’t hurt himself and thus saves time on everyone. »
Second, at the end of March, in the final of the World Rookie Tour in slopestyle, Romain Allemand impresses with his ability to shine in everything he touches. “In skateboarding and kitesurfing, he shattered everything among young people. He even did some BMX competition in pumptrack. » A fun way to work on the aerial field and the grabs during the off-season from Hyères where he spends all his summers at the Almanarre beach where Didier, his dad, teaches kiteboarding.
For one day perhaps, leave a giant imprint on the snowboard.
Julien TRIVERO
