Patrice Martin Retires from Water Skiing

Here is a translation as close as possible of the 2 AFP press release

Redeem(pension off) Patrice Martin: departure on the toes of a Small Prince

Patrice

PARIS, sept. 3 ( AFP) - Patrice Martin declared on Monday to the 8 pm news of France 2 where he had decided to hang up his water-skis after a long career of nearly 30 years which made him the French champion ,by far, with the most titled (34 times champion of Europe and 12 times world champion).

" Yesterday (on Sunday), I arranged everything. I put everything in the garage. It is finished. It is the end of the movie. You have to know when to stop. All that I know, it is that on Thursday morning, I will take my kid for his first day of this schoolyear ", declared, his voice a little choked by the emotion, the one that, pushed by his father on the "boards", had begun to train seriously from the age of eight years.

The very premature successes and the angelic blondeur had been worth him being nicknamed " the Small Prince " from the first international successes. At the age of 14 years, he already obtained his very first European title for the Tricks. One year later, a world title followed, in Toronto (Canada).

An ample collection began, which was going to last until these last weeks. In the end of July, he had indeed just taken away his 33-rd and 34-th titles during the Europeen Championships organized in Lincoln ( England), within a team of France which had obtained six medals.

A great conscientiousness

Those that he had accumulated were so numerous as one had eventually not paid them any more a lot of attention. Born on May 24, 1964, Patrice Martin, who is only 37 years old, seemed eternal. And the successes had such a magic character as one wondered not to see him walking on the water when he removed his skis.

Nevertheless, behind the beautiful image which he presented in competition hid a very great champion giving evidence of a great conscientiousness in his preparation. An athlete who had been the first to execute a somersault skis in feet and who also collected records. He broke another overall record at the beginning of a season marked by an eighth victory in the US OPEN which looked as fruitful as the others.

For all this, the president of the French Republic, Jacques Chirac, had made him chevalier of the Legion of Honnour in February. On Monday, the rope of the boat which did not finish it any more to pull him broke. As all the Greats, Patrice Martin left on the toes.

Patrice Martin, the Small Prince, wants to become the ambassador of water-skiing (MAGAZINE)

By Christian CHARCOSSEY

PARIS, sept. 4 ( AFP) - Patrice Martin, who announced on Monday to the general surprise that he put at 37 years old a term in his exceptional career taken on an aura 12 championships of the world, wants to become " the ambassador " of the water-skiing, the sport which made him famous.

" I want henceforth to dedicate myself, besides my family, in the promotion and the popularization of the water-skiing " the one declared on Tuesday to the AFP that many, fallen under the charm by the précocité and its smile, continue to call the " Small Prince ".

" Few sportsmen, as Didier Deschamps and Laurent Blanc, have the chance to take their sports retirement at the top of their career " he asserts, in answer to those that wonder, as Alain Amade, the president of the French waterSki Federation, of the moment chosen as this announcement.

In three weeks indeed, it was foreseen that Patrice Martin would defends at the World championships in Recetto ( Italy) his overall title.

As for the Father's Pygmalion, Joël, he " would have preferred that I continue ", recognizes the champion.

Multiple projects

" To show all the water skiing events ", Patrice Martin wants to present the next summer, in France but also all over the world, " musical shows with water skiers dressed up on choreographies adapted to the general public ".

Purpose is " to incite to the practice of water-skiing, by means of the cableski, of which cost is from 10 to 15 times less than the practice behind a boat, the biggest number ".

But the one that obtained as many world crowns as the cyclist Jeannie Longo teems with other projects, while wishing to continue to work five months in winter in the Bank of France in Nantes, the city in which, as the film-maker Jacques Demy, it remained faithful all his life.

First of all, to open a clothes shop, with one of his two main sponsors, in the prefecture of the Loire - Atlantic. Then especially, that to participate in the adventure of "Paradise", a radio in gestation, based on the concept sport and tourism, " in the discovery of exceptional and unusual sites ", decorated with French songs.

But for the moment, the main enjoyment is to accompany, on Thursday, for the first time with its life, Sven, the elder son of his two children, in its school re-opening.