The eldest, 24, is Tristan. The youngest, 21, is called Louna. It still happens that people on the circuit do not know their first names. But everyone knows it’s about “brothers”, the Ladevant brothers, not twins but it’s just like, always together, even on the catwalks. The proof at the end of January during the Ice Climbing World Championships: on the difficulty course, Louna finished first, and Tristan third.
→ ANALYSIS. Not so simple, the ascent of climbing to the top
“The senior world title was the last one we missed. Now we can say that we have won everything,” comments Louna Ladevant. With this “we” which signs the merger between the two champions. When one starts a sentence, the other can finish it without any problem. And it’s always been like that, “a relationship that is working wonderfully well”, summarizes Tristan.
It must be said that the two have been doing everything the same since childhood. In the Barcelonnette valley (Alpes-de-Haute-Provence), the green years are in the open air, on “the chamois lands”, at “picking genepi”, with a single mother who homeschools and lets the two kids roam freely. Sport is obviously on the program, skiing first, and also basketball, then climbing during a discovery day, by chance. Tristan is 13, Louna 10, and little by little climbing will prevail, but especially after their move to Grenoble, when they will both join a club.
A real sports and life project
Because the competition motivates the inseparable. “We invest a lot in what we do.says Luna. This comes from our upbringing: a great ability not to let go. » So when Tristan discovers ice climbing, gets caught up in the game very quickly, and obtains convincing results, Louna is quick to follow. In this discipline, which consists of climbing as fast as possible (speed) or on very technical routes (difficulty) with ice axes and crampons, the tandem breaks through quickly. So finished music studies at the conservatory with Louna on drums and Tristan on guitar, the brothers will play another score.
“We became more professional and we defined a real sporting and life project five years ago”, says Luna. Efficiency is also one of their watchwords. They grab titles, carve cruppers from specialists in the discipline, Russians and Koreans. “It’s a crazy investment in training, but we each have a strong ego and we push each othercontinues Luna. Today, we are a bit like a start-up. Sport is our job, as a team. »
→ INVESTIGATION. Climbing continues its ascent indoors
Their mother financed the beginnings of their passion, but now they can make a living from it. “For two years, we have managed to get reasonable salaries, even if we are not rolling in goldsays Tristan. The equipment is very expensive, and the financing of expeditions and trips is also very expensive. » A dozen partners follow them, including the Arkose group, which sets up climbing gyms in cities and supports athletes like a start-up incubator. Their small business, the two brothers, close to nature, obviously want it to be ethical and do not dodge the questions that their practice also raises.
Renew the paths of adventure
“Any high-level sport has an ecological impact, and must ask itself about a way of doing things differently.explains Tristan. For example, limiting travel on a World Cup circuit: we are campaigning for this with our federation. »“Our own projects take this dimension into accountcontinues Luna. Last year, we went to Brazil and Kyrgyzstan. This summer, we are staying in Europe on a collective and original project combining cycling and climbing. »
This marriage between several disciplines is also their credo for the future. If they hope to see ice climbing on the Olympic program(read below)they also intend to write new pages in the adventure department, in their own way. “We may find that everything is already well marked out in this area, but what tempts us precisely is to rediscover the gardens that we thought we knew by betting on versatility, points out Tristan. We believe a lot in combinations, for example mountaineering, skiing and paragliding. It is a possible path of renewal for our practices. »
Obviously, they intend to explore them together. Without fear, even if the risk necessarily hangs over their story. “The worst fear is that one of us will leaveconcludes Luna. We experienced an alert two years ago with a big fall in mountaineering for Tristan. A call to order. Doing everything together is also a way to be sure, because it’s our greatest strength. »
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The hope of an Olympic destiny
Ice climbing at the Olympics? The discipline seemed on the right track: demonstration sport in 2014 in Sochi, then twice on the program of the Youth Olympic Games (YOG). However, she has just been retaken at the 2028 YOG. “I think there is a real chance of integration for 2030wants to believe Louna Ladevant. Climbing at the Summer Games is a real success, which we could emulate, so I’m hopeful. » Today, the practice would attract around 10 million climbers around the world. But less than 300 athletes evolve on the world circuits. “We are still young, so if the integration comes in less than fifteen years, I hope we will be there. We dream of it. »
