Barbara Bossi

"Everything happens for a

reason"

World #2 Speed Slalom (Jan.13)

2012 Facts:
- 5 competitions in 2012
- Best 4: 1083 (Total score: 1263)

After 22 months at the top of the world ranking, Barbara Bossi's first place was challenged by her Italian team mate Cristina Rotunno in July. She briefly managed to get it back in August but lost it as soon as September for the remaining of the season.
Despite some good results, including a 1st place at the Parisian PSWC, an Italian title and a World Vice-Champion title, her overall 2012 performance was not stable enough for her to keep the throne.

What are your conclusions on these 22 months of ruling, and on your 2012 season?
I had some "up and down" periods in 2012 and I felt tired by the end of the season. Talking about speed slalom, where the only thing you need is a good training, I have to confess that I didn't manage to regain what I lost during the year. At the first few competitions of 2012 I was ok because I had a good training coming from 2011, but in the end it was difficult to keep what I had done before. My 2012 season finished with a lot of stress and doubts because I felt that I wasn't able to do what I was doing before, and it seemed to me that there was no reason for that change, but thanks to my friends, family and some changes in my life I got better and now I'm training more and more. I hope this season will be better!

What results did you get in 2012 ?
I got the 1st place at the PSWC, finished 1st at the Italian Championships, 2nd at the Xmasters Senigallia and at the WFSC in Lishui, and 4th at EFSC in Berlin.

Your best and worst 2012 memory ?
This is hard to choose! I try to enjoy as much as I can each competition but I think that the PSWC was great because it was the first big event of 2012 I took part in and I found many friends I hadn't seen for a long time… And it's always great to skate under the Tour Eiffel (even if the floor is one of my worst enemies!)
I have good memories of Lishui too, I love China and I really liked the whole competition: organization, people... (Note: World Championships)
I don't have a "worst" memory, I think that everything happens for a reason and if there was something that went wrong for me, it happened just because it was necessary for me to grow.

How are you going to get the first place back ? Your plans for 2013 ?
Well, "how" is a difficult question... I'm training as much as I can (and I hope in the best way), then I hope to compete at my best and I hope to get the first place back but it's not just up to me! My plans... I don't have a real "plan", it depends on what happens, but anyway I hope to enjoy this season.

You did only 5 competitions in speed this year. Will you do more next year ?
2012 was a bit unlucky because we had some competitions in Italy (that we couldn't miss - for being called for Worlds) which were at the same time as other competitions abroad. I hope to compete more than last year to get more chances, but I prefer quality rather than quantity.

It seems there is only you and Cristina Rotunno fighting on top of the world. Are you afraid of other competitors ?
I'm not afraid of anyone. I think speed slalom is a real competition: The fastest will be the winner, so I think we should just focus on ourselves and not be influenced by anyone else. Anyway, there are some good athletes who are growing and who can be "dangerous" (for example Barbara Codazzi) and some others who were already and are still good (let's mention Tiffany Derisbourg).

What do you think of the Asian girls ?
Asians are good, too. They are so mysterious that I don't have a real opinion about them. I mean, they show up at a competition and you say "Whoa, they are so good!" But you don't have any other opportunity to compare, you don't know if they are always at that level or not.

Interview by Chloe Seyres for WorldSlalomSeries.com / January 2013