Biathlon | Cross-country skiing: National Police athletes in Bessans
After Clairefontaine (Yvelines) in 2023 and Saint-Raphaël (Var) in 2024, theFrench National Police Team, including Olympic and Paralympic medallists from Paris 2024, will be meeting for their annual gathering in… Bessans (Savoie).
The sportsmen and women under contract to the police force are grouped around biathlete Jeanne Richard and cross-country skiers Mathis Desloges, Rémi Bourdin and Théo Schely, who are on a training camp in the area. Housed at the La Bessanaise sports centre, the forty or so athletes are due to arrive in Haute Maurienne Vanoise late on Wednesday afternoon for a team-building course scheduled to run until Saturday morning.
The aim of this meeting is to provide members of theNational Police Team with an essential opportunity to exchange views before the winter sports athletes head off to Milan-Cortina 2026,” said a press release. This is a unique opportunity to strengthen ties and share experiences between these top-level athletes from more than 20 different disciplines.
The programme will include a hike in the Avérole valley, an introduction to cross-country skiing, a presentation on mountain rescue by Yann Claudepierre (world champion canoeist with the Briançon CRS), a police trail, a Nordic challenge on cross-country skis and snowshoes , and a talk on mental health by Marie-Laure Brunet, assisted by Caroline Colombo, a former member of the National Police Team.
A (very) big crowd in Bessans
Among the athletes taking part were Marielle Berger-Sabbatel (ski cross), Melvin Tchknavorian (ski cross), Marine Lefeuvre (roller racing), Anaïs Bourgoin (athletics), Gabriel Tual (athletics) and Oscar Burnham (para alpine skiing), Hyacinthe Deleplace (para alpine skiing), Makenson Gletty (athletics), Anastasiia Kirpichnikova (swimming), Damien Joly (swimming), Alexis Jandard (diving), Mehdi Filali (karate), Gatien Le Rousseau (para cycling), Thomas Peyroton Dartet (para cycling) and Vanina Paoletti (kayak sprint).
In the evening, they will be joined by the four Nordic teams, who will be combining their preparations for the event.
Some notable absentees include Olympic surfing champion Kauli Vaast, powerhouse Camille Cabrol, alpine skiers Léo Anguenot and Camille Cabrol and fencers Maxime Pianfetti and Sébastien Patrice.
The programme for the National Police Team meeting in Bessans (Savoie)
Wednesday 5th November
- 5.30pm-6.30pm: Welcome to members of the National Police Team, check-in for accommodation
- 7.00 pm: opening of the workshop, presentation of workshop content
- 7.30pm: welcome drink
- 8pm: dinner
Thursday 6 November
- 7.30am-9am: breakfast
- 7.00-10.00: free time, training (Carreley gym)
- 10.30am-12pm: walk in the Avérole valley
- 12.15pm-1.15pm: lunch
- 1.30pm-2.30pm: Communications update by Stéphane Benaim (Sports Mission communications officer)
- 3.00 pm – 4.30 pm: Introduction to cross-country skiing
- 17:00-18:30: presentation of mountain rescue (CRS Alpes) by Yann Claudepierre (world canoe champion, CRS Briançon) and Benjamin Valla (deputy chief of the CRS Alpes Grenoble)
- 6.30-7.30pm: free time, access to balneotherapy
- 7.30-8.30pm: dinner
- 8.30-10.00 pm: Discussion with Philippe Colin (double world kayaking champion)
Friday 7 November
- 7.30am-9am: breakfast
- 7.00-10.00: free time, training (Carreley gym)
- 10.30 am: police route
- 12.15pm-1.15pm: lunch
- 15:00-16:30: Nordic team challenge (cross-country skiing, snowshoeing)
- 17:30-18:30: Conference on mental health by Marie-Laure Brunet (Olympic biathlon vice-champion) and Caroline Colombo
- 6.45pm: Screening of the film “Saint-Raphaël 2024
- 7.00 pm: Closing speeches + award ceremony for the medals of honour of the national police force and of youth, sport and community involvement (for the seven world champions in the group)
- 7.45pm: reception (attended by coaches from the French cross-country skiing and biathlon teams, as well as local councillors)
- 8.30pm: dinner
Saturday 8 November
- 7.30am-9am: breakfast
- 9.00 am: return of accommodation and departure of members of the National Police Team
List of the main athletes taking part in the National Police Team training camp
- Jeanne Richard (biathlon)
- Mathis Desloges (cross-country skiing)
- Théo Schely (cross-country skiing)
- Rémi Bourdin (cross-country skiing)
- Marielle Berger-Sabbatel (ski cross)
- Melvin Tchiknavorian (ski cross)
- Hyacinthe Deleplace (para alpine skiing, visually impaired category)
- Oscar Burnham (para alpine skiing, standing category)
- Alexis Jandard (diving)
- Anastasiia Kirpichnikova (swimming)
- Damien Joly (swimming)
- Gatien Le Rousseau (para-cycling)
- Makenson Gletty (decathlon)
- Thomas Peyroton Dartet (para-cycling)
- Gabriel Tual (athletics)
- Anaïs Bourgoin (Athletics)
- Marine Lefeuvre (roller racing)
- Anthony Ammirati (pole)
- Julie Marano (para triathlon guide)
- Maxence Barouh (downhill kayak)
- Vanina Paoletti (kayak sprint)
- Téo Rayet (rowing)
- Mehdi Filali (karate)
- Grégoire Bireau (para rowing)
- Jeanne Richard joins the National Police team
- Rémi Bourdin and Mathis Desloges join the National Police team
- Théo Schely joins the National Police team
- Caroline Colombo on her arrival at the French National Police: “I’ve got 25 days to get up to speed”.
- “I was able to talk to the snipers”: Caroline Colombo recounts her day with the RAID
- Jeanne Richard, Mathis Desloges and Théo Schely received at the National Police Headquarters
