Biathlon: Belgian Sam Parmantier has discovered the World Cup
Late on Friday morning, 20-year-old biathlete Sam Parmantier w ore a World Cup number for the first time in his career in the sprint at Hochfilzen (Austria). Ranked 92nd in this race, this pure Belgian moved to France at the age of 17 to continue his progress in the biathlon.
A former member of the Savoie ski committee, he now lives in the Vercors where he trains with the Belgian national team alongside Maya Cloetens and Julien Petitjacques. Sam Parmantier spoke to Nordic Magazine about his Austrian sprint.
Sam Parmantier recounts his World Cup debut
“I was delighted to hear the news that I would be taking part in the World Cup! We had selections at the start of the season for the preparatory sprint in Geilo and, unfortunately, I missed out by a very narrow margin, just seven seconds behind César Beauvais. I cramped up on the last lap, so I was pretty disappointed with that race, especially as I really wanted to go to the World Cup.
“I started the international season at the IBU Cup in Obertilliach with Marek [Mackels]. I rode some decent races, but not excellent ones. The staff still decided to take us on in the World Cup to replace César [Beauvais] and Julien [Petitjacques]. I was delighted to hear the news because it changes a lot of things when you come from the IBU Cup!
“I had stars in my eyes to be with the best”.Sam Parmantier at Nordic Magazine
“The first few days, I was really like a kid in a toy shop. I wanted to discover and I had stars in my eyes to be with the best. It was great and I tried to keep the momentum going. The night before the sprint and on the day itself, I was a bit more stressed. It wasn’t the same stress as usual, but you have to accept it because it’s normal.
“I’m very happy to have competed in this first World Cup in Hochfilzen because the crowds are huge, my parents came to see me… and the weather’s great too! Everything came together to make the most of it.
Stress was the order of the day
“I started with bib number 100, in the last group. There was a lot of movement on the track, but I really wanted to do my race, my biathlon, without trying too hard just because it was the World Cup. On the shooting range, I made one mistake on the prone and one on the standing. Even though it was a decent result, it was one fault too many to really make a difference. I was a bit stressed when I was shooting and I found it hard to let go of my balls.
“On the skis, I quickly got some acid in my legs. I tried to put my skis down as much as possible, even though the piste is very hard, with little recovery and few flat sections. It’s a lot of ascents and descents, so it’s complicated. If I have to be disappointed about anything in my race, it’s my skiing time. I expected better and I know I can do better. But it’s still my first World Cup and I’ve still got a lot to prove afterwards!
“I can’t wait to discover even more of this circuit”.Sam Parmantier at Nordic Magazine
“The results are very positive. I didn’t have a disgusting race either (sic), even if there are still a lot of things to improve on. It’s still the big leagues, there’s no higher level. I can’t wait to discover this circuit even more. I’ll be in Le Grand-Bornand, I’m very happy about that and I want to have a great race there!
“This Sunday is my first World Cup relay, but also my first relay with Florent [Claude] and Thierry [Langer]! I’m really looking forward to it. I love this relay race: it’s a bit shorter and I don’t mind at all!
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- Julia Simon makes her comeback, Oscar Lombardot replaces Antonin Guigonnat: the French team selection for the Hochfilzen World Cup revealed
- Corinne Niogret, 1992 Olympic relay champion, on the return of Julia Simon after her suspension: “She was punished, she’s back and I wish her a good season”.
- “She had a strong desire to return to competition as soon as possible”: Stéphane Bouthiaux on Julia Simon’s return to the French team for Hochfilzen
- Hochfilzen: Eric Perrot second in the sprint dominated by Italy’s Tommaso Giacomel
- “I had no fear”: Tommaso Giacomel’s risky but successful gamble on the standing sprint shot in Hochfilzen
- “I’m happy to already be in the match”: after the “rage” of Östersund, how Eric Perrot picked up the gauntlet to take second place in the Hochfilzen sprint.
- The joy of Philipp Horn, who scored his first World Cup podium in Hochfilzen: “I’ve finally managed to have a perfect race”.
- Hochfilzen: Lou Jeanmonnot triumphs in the sprint, Camille Bened takes flowers, Julia Simon returns with a top 20 finish
- Hochfilzen: Sweden’s Anna Magnusson snatches the overall leader’s yellow number from Suvi Minkkinen, with Lou Jeanmonnot in second place
- “I wanted to focus on the manner”: a change of mindset synonymous with victory in the Hochfilzen sprint for Lou Jeanmonnot
- Julia Simon, 19th in the Hochfilzen sprint on her comeback: “It’s difficult to get back on a train that’s already moving”.
- Hochfilzen: Eric Perrot, the boss with 20/20, triumphs in the pursuit
- Hochfilzen: Johan-Olav Botn will wear yellow in Le Grand-Bornand, Eric Perrot new third overall and red bib in the pursuit
- “For me, that’s happiness”: winner of the Hochfilzen pursuit with the perfect shot, Eric Perrot treated himself to a shot of “pleasure”.
- Hochfilzen: Sweden crushes the relay ahead of Norway and Germany, but no podium for Les Bleues, only sixth
