Biathlon: Caroline Colombo remembers Hochfilzen
“After two weeks in Sweden, where you almost become bitter, it’s really good to be back in the sunshine, in the mountains and, above all, eating good food! I often talk about it in these little chronicles, but when all you do in life is ski, it’s good to rediscover the pleasure of eating properly. What’s more, it’s often a place where the family comes to see us, which is great!
“Hochfilzen is also one of the finest hotels owned by the French Ski Federation. It’s a cosy little place, run by a very nice family, and it feels really good! You can enjoy every possible treatment here, and there’s even a sauna. It makes the time go by quicker when you’re off!
“In purely sporting terms, the track is fairly fast with just one big bump, but the pitch is quite demanding, particularly because of the altitude. You have to make some small adjustments because you soon feel a bit out of breath and the transition can sometimes be complicated! What’s more, there’s a small bump before you get to the shooting range, which means that the biathletes get tired very quickly.
“You run with the smell of sausage in your nose the whole race”.Caroline Colombo at Nordic Magazine
“On this shooting range, there are lots of people and lots of noise. It’s the first event of the season with a big crowd and a lot of noise on the mats. On the track, there are a lot of changes of direction, schuss and placements to manage to keep your speed up. The watchword is not to fall asleep! The descents are technical and don’t necessarily allow you to recover. Strategy is very important at Hochfilzen, especially with the wind. Sometimes it’s smarter to stay behind than to go in front.
“Personally, I loved this site! You run with the smell of sausage in your nose the whole race [laughs]. I loved the changes of direction and the fact that I could play on this track. There were a lot of one-steps, a lot of power, especially on the big climb. The ones who do best are the ones who manage to push that one-stroke to the max!”
“I have a few anecdotes about Hochfilzen! Once, in December 2019, during a chase, Lisa Theresa Hauser shot at my targets. It was the first time it had ever happened to me. I was completely flustered, and the Austrian public were also very disturbed. I didn’t know how to react… The other story is that there’s a toboggan run right next to the hotel, and we often go there, especially at night! We had some great laughs on the sledges at Hochfilzen… “
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The first seasons of “Mon meilleur souvenir à…” (My best memory of…)
Winter 2024/2025
- Corinne Niogret: my best memory of… Kontiolahti
- Corinne Niogret: my best memory of… Hochfilzen
- Corinne Niogret: my best memory of… Annecy – Le Grand-Bornand
- Corinne Niogret: my best memory of… Oberhof
- Corinne Niogret: my best memory of… Ruhpolding
- Corinne Niogret: my best memory of… Antholz-Anterselva
- Léna Arnaud: my best memory of… Lenzerheide
- Corinne Niogret: my best memory of… Nove Mesto
- Corinne Niogret: my best memory of… Pokljuka
- Corinne Niogret: my best memory of… Oslo-Holmenkollen
Winter 2023/2024
- Gilles Marguet: my best memory of… Östersund
- Gilles Marguet: my best memory of… Hochfilzen
- Gilles Marguet: my best memory of… Oberhof
- Gilles Marguet: my best memory of… Ruhpolding
- Gilles Marguet: my best memory of… Antholz-Anterselva
- Marine Bolliet: my best memory of… Nove Mesto
- Gilles Marguet: my best memory of… Oslo-Holmenkollen
- Gilles Marguet: my best memory of… Soldier Hollow
- Gilles Marguet: my best memory of… Canmore
