Jim De Paoli
Questions for Jim De Paoli
What motivates you every day to excel?
Even though it's sometimes hard to find the motivation to keep training and keep pushing yourself, the simple fact of seeing a photo or video of a good memory from a competition or event (a podium, a magical place where we had a race) is enough for me to work hard enough to maybe relive one of those great moments.
What is your best sporting memory?
I have so many good memories of my sport, but if I had to pick just one, it would be my 6th place in Munich in 2011. The result itself isn't incredible, but the feeling I got from it was just incredible. It was my first top 8 finish of my career (a semi-final), and with that ranking I was able to break into the world's top 10 and stay there for over 15 years.
What message would you give to young people who want to follow in your footsteps?
My advice to young people who want to take up Ice Cross would be to skate as much as possible, in any form. Play ice hockey, rollerblade on a pump track, or even take a rollerblade ride around town. Just skating in different environments is great preparation for our sport.
If you had to keep just 4 of the brand's products, which would you choose?
If I had to keep only 4 Alpina models, it would be the Alpiner Extreme Automatique (my favourite), the Startimer Heritage (for a classy evening out), the Alpiner Skeleton (which I don't have, yet), and the first model I owned, the Alpiner 4 GMT Business.