Biathlon: many French biathletes protected for the launch of the IBU Cup
On 15, 16 and 18 November, the FFS biathlon selections in Bessans (Savoie) will have several objectives. As well as determining the two women who will complete the French team selection for the start of the World Cup, they will enable the French staff to establish their group for the launch of the IBU Cup.
As is customary, France can retain six boys and six girls on this circuit. However, not all twelve tickets will be at stake during the two sprints and the mass-start held in Haute Maurienne Vanoise.
“All the athletes who won’t be in the World Cup and who are in training group A or who finished in the top 15 of last year’s IBU Cup are protected for the first two stages [scheduled for Obertilliach and Ridnaun-Val Ridanna],” Stéphane Bouthiaux, director of the French biathlon teams, told Nordic Magazine.
These include Camille Bened, outgoing winner of the IBU Cup overall, Voldiya Galmace-Paulin, Paula Botet, Gilonne Guigonnat, Amandine Mengin and Sophie Chauveau on the girls’ side, and Oscar Lombardot, Gaëtan Paturel, Antonin Guigonnat and Théo Guiraud-Poillot on the men’s side.
Many will be eyeing tickets for the IBU Cup
This means that once the selections for the World Cup are complete, there will be two women’s places and three men’s places up for grabs for the first two weeks of the 2025/2026 IBU Cup. That’s not a lot of tickets for a lot of contenders.
Célia Henaff, Fany Bertrand, Lisa Siberchicot, Violette Bony, Léonie Jeannier, Camille Coupé, Louise Roguet, Maëla Correia, Lola Bugeaud, Caline Pic, Thémice Fontaine, Coralie Perrin, Lou-Anne Dupont Ballet-Baz, Martin Botet, Ian Martinet, Valentin Lejeune, Corentin Jacob, Rémi Broutier, Edgar Geny, Axel Garnier, Mathieu Garcia, Léo Carlier, Judicaël Perrillat-Bottonet, Camille Grataloup-Manissolle, Flavio Guy and Antonin Guy will all be on the starting line.
Note that the best two results from the three races on the programme will be taken into account for the selections ranking.
The full programme for the FFS selections in Bessans (Savoie)
Saturday 15 November
- women’s U21/SEN 7.5 km sprint
- Men’s U21/SEN 10 km sprint
Sunday 16 November
- women’s U21/SEN 10 km mass-start
- mass-start 12.5 km U21/SEN men
Tuesday 18th November
- women’s U21/SEN 7.5 km sprint
- Men’s U21/SEN 10 km sprint
- The full 2025/2026 IBU Cup programme
- A colourful new feature for the 2025/2026 season: the IBU Cup overall leaders will now wear a distinctive number.
- Three races in four days, two sprints and a mass-start: the programme and dates for the traditional FFS selections in Bessans.
- The last men’s place awarded to Geilo, two women’s tickets at stake in Bessans: we know where and when the French team selections will take place for the start of the World Cup.
- Camille Bened, Voldiya Galmace-Paulin, Paula Botet, Gilonne Guigonnat, Amandine Mengin and Sophie Chauveau: they will be fighting for two World Cup tickets in Bessans.
- Three men for one place: Antonin Guigonnat, Oscar Lombardot and Gaëtan Paturel will battle it out for the final ticket to the World Cup on 15 and 16 November in Geilo.
