Candide Thovex facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Candide Thovex
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Thovex at the 2012 premier of
Few Words, Paris, France |
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| Born | 22 May 1982 Annecy, Haute-Savoie, France
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| Occupation | Skier, filmmaker, entrepreneur |
Candide Thovex, born on May 22, 1982, is a famous French professional skier. He is also a filmmaker and a business owner. His sister, Mirabelle Thovex, is a snowboarder.
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Early Life and Skiing
Candide Thovex was born in Annecy, France. He grew up in a village called La Clusaz. He started skiing when he was just 2 years old in the French Alps. When he was 14, he won his first French National Junior Championships in a skiing style called moguls.
Candide's Skiing Adventures
Becoming a Freestyle Star
Candide signed his first professional sponsorship deal in 1997. It was with a big sports brand called Quiksilver.
First Big Wins
In 2000, Candide went to the United States. He competed in the Gravity Games in California. He won the Big Air contest there. He also made a huge jump over "Chad's Gap," landing a D-spin 720. This was a major trick over a gap.
He won his first gold medal at the Winter X-Games in the Big Air event. Sadly, his season ended when he hurt his left knee.
In 2001, Candide was invited to Superpark 3 in California. He landed an amazing 110-foot (33.5 meter) cork 540 tail grab. That year, he won both the Halfpipe and Big Air contests at the X Games in Australia. His knee injury gave him time to start making films. He created a company called 'WW Prod'. His first film series, 'Rastafaride', began that year. He was also named 'Skier of the Year' by European ski magazines.
In 2002, Candide kept making films and competing. He won many Big Air events in New Zealand, Lebanon, and Switzerland. He also placed second in Superpipe and third in Slopestyle at the US Open.
Pushing the Limits
In 2003, Candide Thovex and another skier, CR Johnson, changed halfpipe skiing. They went higher than any snowboarders at the Winter X Games in Aspen, Colorado. Candide won his second X-Games gold medal in Superpipe. This was a big deal because there were no superpipes in Europe for him to practice on.
To celebrate, Candide hosted the first 'Candide Invitational' at his home resort, La Clusaz. This event brought together the world's best freestyle skiers. He also signed a deal with Salomon to create his own ski model. This season also ended with another knee injury.
In 2004, Candide performed the first-ever '810° to rail' trick. This was a new and difficult move.
In 2005, the Candide Invitational was voted the best European freestyle event. Candide also signed a big deal with Rossignol to be a main ambassador for their 'Scratch' ski program.
In 2006, Candide helped design a huge quarter-pipe. He set a world record by jumping 33 feet (about 10 meters) above the top edge of the pipe.
Injury and a Strong Return
In 2007, Candide won his third gold medal at the Winter X Games. He won in Slopestyle with a record score of 95 out of 100.
Candide's Film Career
Candide's film 'Few Words' came out in 2012. A French TV channel bought the rights to show it. The film won several awards, including best male performance and best documentary.
His film series One of those days became very popular. The third film in the series was compared to James Bond movies. Ski magazines praised his creativity and said he kept setting new standards in ski filmmaking.
"Explore Mont Blanc" with Google
In January 2016, Google released a video called 'Explore Mont Blanc'. It showed famous adventurers, including Candide Thovex, exploring the Mont Blanc mountain. Candide's part was to help build a jump on top of Mont Blanc. Then he performed amazing tricks off it. This was a never-before-seen feat. Candide said it was "the hardest jump of my life." Ski magazines called him a "skiing legend" and a "true ambassador of skiing."
Special Appearances
In March 2016, Candide took part in a special event in China. He also competed in the B&E Invitational in France. This was his only competition that year. He won two awards there, including the "Public Choice Winner." A video of his performance was viewed over 1.7 million times online.
Audi and Candide Thovex
"quattro"
In December 2015, Candide released a video for Audi to promote their new car. Candide created, produced, and directed the video himself. In it, he skied and did tricks on many surfaces like dirt, grass, leaves, and even asphalt, but no snow! The video was viewed over 1 million times on its first day. It has been watched over 7.5 million times since then. A ski magazine simply said, "Candide doesn't need snow."
In October 2016, the 'Candide Thovex – quattro' film won two awards in Paris. It won for best online advertisement and a special prize for expression.
"quattro 2: Ski the World"
In January 2017, Candide continued working with Audi. He released "Ski the World," featuring Audi's Q7 car. In this film, Candide skis on the Great Wall of China, Mongolian statues, and even through a jungle and on a beach in Jamaica.
Popular in America
Candide Thovex is very popular in the American ski community. He has often been voted among the top skiers in Powder Magazine's Readers Poll. He won the Annual Men's Powder Poll four times, including three years in a row from 2017 to 2019.
Candide Invitational
Candide Thovex organizes the Candide Invitational in his hometown of La Clusaz. This competition brings together the best freestyle skiers and snowboarders. The event was first held in 2002 and the last one was in 2007.
Candide Collection
In 2020, Candide Thovex launched his own brand called Candide Collection. It sells outerwear, clothing, and accessories.
Candide's Films
Candide has been in many ski movies, including his famous Rastafaride series.
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See also
In Spanish: Candide Thovex para niños
