Julien LIZEROUX

One of the few 30-somethings on the alpine World Cup, 30-year-old Julien Lizeroux from Moutiers, France, landed his first top-10 finish on the World Cup eight years ago (eighth in a slalom in Japan). Since then, he has steadily become one of the most consistent slalom skiers on the circuit, not to mention a two-time world champion silver medalist.

With a mountain guide for a father and a ski instructor for a mother, Lizeroux's competitive career began at the age of 7 and he was skiing for the French national team at 19, quickly earning his place as the national junior slalom champion (in 1998). The Dynastar racer who is always quick to smile entered his first world championships in 2001 in St. Anton and walked away with a 25th-place in slalom. He made that a 14th place in Are in 2007 and he barely missed his first spot on a World Cup podium the following year, finishing fourth in Kitzbuhel.

The 2008-09 season is when Lizeroux really began to shine. After notching about a dozen top 10s on the World Cup, he hit Kitzbuehel with real vengeance last season, not just making sure to arrive on the podium but making it to the top step. He followed up this first Cup victory with another slalom win in Kranjska Gora and a second place in the Sestriere super-combined. He also put his previous two world championship performances to shame this time around, taking silver in both slalom and super-combined at home in Val d'Isere - calling it the happiest day of his life. He then finished off the season with another second place in Are to put him in third place in the Cup slalom standings.

Claiming that he is "riding the wave" of success and embracing the good moments, when Lizeroux isn't punching slalom gates, you might catch him golfing, bowling, playing soccer or basketball or kicking back at the cinema.