The 61-year-old ski grandpa: king of the slopes in Saalbach!

The 61-year-old ski grandpa: king of the slopes in Saalbach!

An unusual participant is causing a stir at the Alpine Ski World Championships in Saalbach-Hinterglemm: Jean-Pierre Roy, 61 years old, is not only the president of the Haitian Ski Association, but also the world's first racing grandfather. With his round face, a graying beard and a colorful ski hood, he wants to achieve his personal goal in his qualifying race: finishing the race. Despite all the adversities, he appreciates the atmosphere and the people in Austria: "You are the skiing people. You are born and you ski," says Roy, who laughs and explains that he is also called the "King of Saalbach" because his last name "Roi" means king in French salzburg.orf.at reported.

But not only Roy inspires the audience, the art world is also inspired by the works of Jean-Pierre Roy. The artist is described as a “Visionary Landscape painter” or “Dystopian Storyteller” and tries to create emotional spaces in his paintings that reflect the inner human being. His works visualize the distance between the real world and people's inner lives, as if he were holding a mirror up to the viewer. This is evident in his way of depicting concepts of love, loss, joy and uncertainty, making the paintings generators of empathy, like secondstreetgallery.org describes.

In a thrilling marriage of sport and art, Roy not only showcases his tireless spirit on the slopes, but also his ability to express complex emotions through his painting. Both goals present their own challenges, be it racing at high speeds on the slopes or creating thought-provoking works of art.