After the successes in the World Cup, Justine Braisaz-Bouchet, Julia Simon and Lou Jeanmonnot hope to transform the unprecedented French domination into medals at the Biathlon World Championships from Wednesday in Nove Mesto (Czech Republic) and until Sunday 18 FEBRUARY.
Here's everything you need to know about these Worlds.
Les Bleues for a raid?
Fifteen individual podiums, eight victories out of fourteen possible, three different winners, four athletes mounted on the box: never has French women's biathlon had such a dense start to a season, and never has it tackled a major championship (Worlds or Olympic Games). Olympic Games) in this position.
Usual in the past for nations like Norway or Germany, this density among the best in the world is a real novelty for France among women.
“The idea is to assume our status.
The girls are having an exceptional start to the season, with a density of girls capable of playing leading roles,” appreciates the coach of the women’s team, Cyril Burdet.
“When you show up with such a team at the World Championships, there is ambition.
We will show up at the start of each race to aim for at least a medal,” adds Burdet.
This season, the French have several bullets in their magazine to achieve a historic harvest in the heart of the Bohemian-Moravian Mountains, at a little over 600 meters above sea level, and improve the 2016 vintage, the best so far (two titles, five individual medals and relay silver).
After Lou Jeanmonnot's double in Östersund in Sweden for the opening of the World Cup, it was Justine Braisaz-Bouchet who signed an extremely rare quadruple, straddling two stages (Lenzerheide in Switzerland in December and Oberhof in Germany in January), before Julia Simon gained momentum (two victories too).
Both aged 27 and licensed at the Saisies club, Julia Simon and Justine Braisaz-Bouchet are the driving forces of this French team.
They are at the same time opposed on the legal ground since the filing of two complaints against Simon, including one by Braisaz-Bouchet, for bank card fraud (Simon for his part filed a complaint against X for identity theft).
Among men, fewer hopes
On the side, the winter of 2022/23 ended without a victory, a first since the 1996/97 season, when Raphaël Poirée started.
They are entering the World Championships this season without any individual podium, something never seen in more than three decades.
On three occasions with Émilien Jacquelin and Quentin Fillon Maillet, they were however in the fight for victory until the end, but failed to get on the box.
They must face the voracity of the Norwegians, who left only eleven places on the podium (out of 42 possible) to other nations, with six biathletes among the favorites for gold in Nove Mesto, and in the lead Johannes Boe.
Calendar and times
It is the mixed relay which will launch these Worlds on Wednesday, Wednesday at 5:20 p.m.
The French Justine Braisaz-Bouchet and Julia Simon were lined up alongside Éric Perrot and Quentin Fillon Maillet for this first race, the management announced Tuesday evening.
A new composition this winter.
Here is the rest of the program for these Worlds:
Wednesday 7, 5:20 p.m.: mixed relay
Friday 9, 5:20 p.m.: women’s sprint
Saturday 10, 5:05 p.m.: men’s sprint
Sunday 11, 2:30 p.m.: women’s pursuit.
5:05 p.m.: men’s pursuit
Tuesday 13, 5:10 p.m.: women’s individual
Wednesday 14, 5:20 p.m.: men’s individual
Thursday 15, 6 p.m.: single mixed relay
Saturday 17, 1:45 p.m.: women's relay.
4:30 p.m.: men’s relay
Sunday February 18, 2:15 p.m.: mass start women.
4:30 p.m.: men’s mass start
TV broadcast
As with the rest of the World Cup, the Biathlon Worlds will be broadcast live on television on the Chaîne l'Equipe and Eurosport.
Le Parisien will also be live on all the events.