A Family Universiade

 Denis Du Pasquier celebrates his gold medal in alpine skiing at the 1983 Winter Universiade by wearing a red nose with the Swiss flag taped on it

TRENTINO – In 1983, Switzerland’s Denis Du Pasquier claimed gold in alpine skiing at the Winter Universiade in Sofia, Bulgaria.

30 years later, in Trentino, Italy, his two sons are chasing a similar dream.

But there’s one difference; his eldest son, Arnaud, competes in cross-country while his youngest, Gregoire, stuck with alpine skiing.

“He’s a good guy. He stayed in alpine skiing,” Denis says of Gregoire with a broad smile.

Arnaud and Gregoire are making their debuts at the Winter Universiade after their father appeared in three Winter Universiades between 1981-1985.

“It’s great. I really like it,” Arnaud said. “The level is really high, especially in cross-country skiing… this year it seems that there are a lot of really good guys.”

In 1983, Denis became the first Swiss skier to win a gold medal in alpine skiing. To celebrate his victory, he wore a red nose, but stuck white tape vertically and horizontally across it to make it resemble the Swiss flag. The picture has become one of the most iconic photos in Universiade history.

30 years later, Denis says the 2013 Winter Universiade is the perfect time to celebrate his own achievements, as well as his sons, as he gets to watch both Arnaud and Gregoire compete at the highest level of university and amateur sport.

Filled with plenty of experience, Denis has only one simple piece of advice for his two sons.

“It’s not the matter of fact of winning or not, it’s the fact that you are in it…you are a part of the celebration of very high amateur sports.”

Matt Tidcombe, FISU Young Reporter