Biathlon: when the two nuggets of French women’s biathlon meet in the IBU Cup
Anaëlle Bondoux and Voldiya Galmace-Paulin are a year apart. The former celebrated her twentieth birthday last July, while the latter turned 19 just over a month ago. In the small world of French biathlon, they have been known for several winters as the queens of precocity, progressing at breakneck speed.
In the younger categories, they have achieved a great deal. Voldiya Galmace-Paulin , for example, dominated the 2021/2022 U17 season head and shoulders (without defeat!) before continuing her success in recent years at U19 level (double French Cup winner, twice French summer champion, French sprint and pursuit champion).
A year older, Grenoble’s Anaëlle Bondoux had also impressed from an early age. A cross-country skier, she became French U17 mass-start champion in 2021, before going on to win the U19 title for the next two years. In this category, she also won the overall of the 2021/2022 French Cup.
Anaëlle Bondoux “inspiring” for Voldiya Galmace-Paulin
It was from that season onwards that the Iséroise went international, taking part in the EYOWF in Vuokatti (Finland). Parachuted into the IBU Cup the following winter after some convincing selections, she made her mark there, going on to become European junior pursuit champion.
At the time, she was competing against Voldiya Galmace-Paulin on the national circuit. For the Montblanc native, the international races began in 2022/2023, with the Junior Cup and then the EYOWF in Forni Avoltri (Italy). That’s how similar the courses are.
Last winter, when she saw Anaëlle Bondoux shine in the IBU Cup, Voldiya Galmace-Paulin’s eyes sparkled. “It was inspiring. She’s very strong on skis and has won twice on this circuit, also winning a small globe,” she tells Nordic Magazine.
Together in the IBU Cup
Constantly improving, the native of Lille (Nord), a triple medallist at the last World Youth Championships, has managed to join her elder sister in the IBU Cup at the start of the season. A strong performer in the Bessan selections, she will be competing alongside the other French biathlon prodigy.
“We get on very well and given the level she’s shown over the last few seasons, this selection comes at just the right time, says Anaëlle Bondoux. She performed well at junior level and now she’s clearly at IBU Cup level.”
It remains to be seen what this explosive duo will achieve on the World Cup satellite circuit starting this Thursday. In Idre Fjäll (Sweden), where Anaëlle Bondoux discovered the IBU Cup and where Voldiya Galmace-Paulin will also be taking the plunge.
- IBU Cup: full programme for the inaugural leg at Idre Fjäll
- Firsts for Martin Botet, Axel Garnier and Voldiya Galmace-Paulin: the full French team selection for the IBU Cups in Idre Fjäll and Geilo
- “I know that my form will improve as the races go on”: Anaëlle Bondoux, who was ill in Bessans after suffering concussion, remains confident ahead of the start of the IBU Cup.
- Voldiya Galmace-Paulin, aged just 19, on her first IBU Cup selection: “It’s really good to discover a new circuit, it makes you want to do it”.
