Biathlon | “Help them reproduce what they have done so far” : what Cyril Burdet expects from Camille Bened and Amandine Mengin at their first World Cup in Oslo-Holmenkollen

Biathlon: Amandine Mengin and Camille Bened head for the World Cup

This weekend, no fewer than nine French biathletes will be taking part in the World Cup in Oslo-Holmenkollen (Norway). Among them are two rookies: Amandine Mengin, 20 years old and top athlete at the Junior World Championships in Östersund (Sweden), and Camille Bened, 24 years old and winner of the overall IBU Cup ranking.

“It’s really interesting to have girls with us who will be discovering the World Cup and who will be coming here to reap the rewards of an exceptional season, whether it’s Camille [Bened] or Amandine [Mengin]. It’s going to be an opportunity to discover new athletes on the circuit,” Cyril Burdet, coach of the French women’s team, told Nordic Magazine.

Although he admits that he doesn’t know much about Amandine Mengin from the Vosges, the Savoie-based coach reveals that he spotted her speed on skis at the Summer Tour in Arçon (Doubs) last October. “ I saw she was very fast and she came to join in the battle with the girls in group A,” he recalls.

“Just because they’re on the top circuit doesn’t mean they have to change things”.

On the other hand, I know Camille [Bened] a little better, I’ve been following her results in the IBU Cup for a long time and we’ve had the opportunity to share some training courses together with the B group,” adds Cyril Burdet. We know how good she is on the shooting range and she’s had a great end to the season on skis, so it’s going to be interesting to see how she performs on the top circuit.

In terms of what he expects from his new pupils as they take their first steps on the World Cup circuit, the French coach is hoping above all that Camille Bened and Amandine Mengin will “produce some good biathlon and set some benchmarks”.

“Just because they’re on the top circuit doesn’t mean they have to change things. Our aim will be to help them reproduce what they’ve done so far so that they can see what it’s worth in the World Cup,” concludes Cyril Burdet.

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_{[With Julie and Marie Le Bobinnec, in Pokljuka].}

The programme for the Oslo-Holmenkollen Biathlon World Cup 🇳🇴

Friday 21 March

• 1.30pm: Men’s 10 km sprint
• 4.15pm: Women’s 7.5km sprint

Saturday 22nd March

• 1.45pm: Men’s 12.5 km pursuit
• 3.50pm: women’s 10km pursuit

Sunday 23rd March

• 1.15pm: women’s 12.5 km mass-start
• 3.40pm: men’s 15km mass-start

The French selection for the Oslo-Holmenkollen Biathlon World Cup 🇳🇴

Ladies

• Camille Bened – Chablais Nordic (Mont Blanc) 🇫🇷
• Paula Botet – ARMY OF CHAMPIONS / La Bressaude (Massif des Vosges) 🇫🇷
• Justine Braisaz-Bouchet – CUSTOMS / Les Saisies (Savoie) 🇫🇷
• Sophie Chauveau – ARMY OF CHAMPIONS / Le Grand Bornand (Mont Blanc) 🇫🇷
• Lou Jeanmonnot – ARMY OF CHAMPIONS / Olympic Mont d’Or (Massif Jurassien) 🇫🇷
• Amandine Mengin – La Bressaude (Massif des Vosges) 🇫🇷
• Océane Michelon – Bauges Ski Nordique (Savoie) 🇫🇷
• Jeanne Richard – POLICE NATIONALE / Les Gets (Mont Blanc) 🇫🇷
• Julia Simon – DOUANE / Les Saisies (Savoie) 🇫🇷

Men

• Emilien Claude – ARMÉE DE CHAMPIONS / Basse sur le Rupt (Massif des Vosges) 🇫🇷
• Fabien Claude – ARMÉE DE CHAMPIONS / Basse sur le Rupt (Massif des Vosges) 🇫🇷
• Quentin Fillon-Maillet – DOUANE / Grandvaux (Massif Jurassien) 🇫🇷
• Antonin Guigonnat – ARMY OF CHAMPIONS / Morzine Avoriaz (Mont Blanc) 🇫🇷
• Emilien Jacquelin – DOUANE / Villard de Lans (Dauphiné) 🇫🇷
• Oscar Lombardot – ES Saugette (Massif Jurassien) 🇫🇷
• Eric Perrot – ARMÉE DE CHAMPIONS / Peisey Vallandry (Savoie) 🇫🇷

• Firsts for Camille Bened and Amandine Mengin, the boys’ sevens: the French team selection for the Oslo-Holmenkollen World Cup finals