Biathlon: Antonin Guigonnat returns to Grand-Bornand
This Thursday, Antonin Guigonnat will be back in the sprint at Le Grand-Bornand (Haute-Savoie). However, his participation in the Bornand World Cup was by no means a foregone conclusion just three weeks ago.
After being relegated to the French B team in the spring, he had to play in the IBU Cup again at the start of the season. A move from Group A to Group B that he had not expected.
“It really was a surprise, he confirmed on Wednesday afternoon at a press briefing organised on the eve of the start of hostilities. It hurt because it was announced a bit abruptly, and I was a bit offended. Not even a year and a half before, I was in the world champion relay with a performance that I consider to be at a high level. I took the liberty of being offended, I didn’t appreciate it.”
“I was motivated by the idea of training with the youngsters”
Once the anger had passed, Antonin Guigonnat saw the bright side: becoming the road captain of the French B team. “I could have said to myself that I was preparing on my own, but the project of training with the youngsters motivated me,” he explains.
After enjoying himself alongside the up-and-coming talent, the Morzinois has returned to the World Cup, taking part in the Bornand races this week. “The last time I was here in Le Grand-Bornand, it didn’t really feel like my last. It gave me a bit of a fright this summer, he admits. I would have been sad if 2022 had been my last Grand-Bornand without me knowing it. This time, it may not be my last, but I’m going to pretend…”
At 33, the doyen of the French team is still putting in some fine performances, lining up solid top 20 finishes over several races. What if he were to return to the flowers this weekend in the Aravis mountains?
- The full programme for the Annecy – Le Grand-Bornand World Cup, third leg of the 2024/2025 season
- Grand-Bornand World Cup: the Sylvie-Becaert stadium from the air
- Corinne Niogret: my best memory of… Annecy – Le Grand-Bornand
