The French Ski Federation has unveiled the composition of the training groups for the upcoming biathlon season, confirming Siegfried Mazet’s return and Cyril Burdet’s retention on the coaching staff.
While spring is in full swing, winter is already on the minds of the French Ski Federation, which revealed on Monday the composition of the training groups for the upcoming season. The 2026-27 season will be marked by nine World Cup stages between November 24th and March 21st (including a stage in Grand-Bornand from December 8th to 13th) and the Otepää World Championships in Estonia from February 8th to 21st. Interestingly, no biathlete has decided to retire at the end of this Olympic season. They are all gearing up for another round, most notably aiming for the 2030 Olympics at home.
In the men’s group Elite, Emilien and Fabien Claude, five-time Olympic champion Quentin Fillon Maillet, Emilien Jacquelin, Oscar Lombardot, World Cup winner Eric Perrot, and 22-year-old Gaétan Paturel, winner of the IBU Cup, will be present. Paturel earned the right to compete in the World Cup in the last stage last month. This group will continue to be coached by Simon Fourcade, with Siegfried Mazet making a comeback as the shooting coach after ten years with the rival Norwegian team.
On the women’s side, the Elite group will have one less member than the men’s group. Starting from November 24th in Kontiolahti, the reigning overall champion Lou Jeanmonnot, three-time Olympic champion Julia Simon, experienced athlete Justine Braisaz-Bouchet, and young talents Camille Bened, OcÉane Michelon, and Jeanne Richard will compete. Cyril Burdet, after much consideration, will continue to coach the women’s team, while Julien Robert replaces the retired Jean-Paul Giachino as the shooting coach. Now, it’s time to prepare well in the coming months to have a season as successful as French biathlon just experienced.
