Cross-country skiing: Léna Quintin has a great chance of success in the skate sprint at the World Championships
On 14 December in Davos (Switzerland), Léna Quintin finished in the top 10 of a skate sprint for the third time in her career. Fifteenth in the classic sprint of the cross-country skiing world cup in Falun (Sweden) a few days ago, the Haut-Savoyard matched her best performance in this format.
Constant progress for the Aravis cross-country skier, who has arrived at just the right time, with just one week to go to the skate sprint of the World Championships in Trondheim (Norway), the major event of the 2024/2025 season. Speaking to Nordic Magazine, the Bornand native talks about her ambitions before flying off to Scandinavia on Monday 24 February.
- Before we talk about the world championships, how would you rate your winter so far?
There have been a lot of positive things and progress, but there have also been a few disappointments. My objectives are more for the sprints and the skateboarding, but there have been some good things with regular qualifiers and a nice top 10 in Davos. I didn’t miss too many each time but it’s still a sprint and we know it’s close. The good feeling I’ve had in skating bodes well for the future!
- In the Classics, you still managed to elbow your way into the quarter-finals in Falun (Sweden)…
In the classic sprint, it was a bit more complicated. But I’m happy to be back from Falun and that it went well, and I felt that my body was responding well. And I didn’t suffer once I was in the quarter-finals either.
- What are you expecting from these World Championships in Trondheim (Norway)?
The main objective of my Worlds will be the sprint skate, where I have the best chance of performing. It’s a format I really like and it’s where I’ve had my best results, so I’m really looking forward to it! I want to have a good qualifying round to give myself a good chance of getting into the quarters. After that, going into the semi-finals and finishing in the top 10 would be really nice.
- Will the sprint team also be one of your objectives?
The second major race will be the team sprint, which I’ll be running with Mélissa Gal. For me, it’s a great way to take part in a team event because Mélissa and I train together all year round in the Aravis mountains and it’s important to me to take part in this competition with her. I think we can achieve great things.
- What’s your state of mind with just one week to go before the start of this global event?
I’m really looking forward to Trondheim! It’s going to be a crazy atmosphere because I’ve heard there are quite a few tickets already sold out. It’s going to be a very special atmosphere and I really want to enjoy myself. I also want to go in with a light heart without putting myself under enormous pressure, which can sometimes produce the opposite of what I want in terms of results. I’m going there with a smile on my face and with motivation, because I’m sure there are some great things to be done.
“I would have really liked to have seen a team fielded”Léna Quintin talks to Nordic Magazine about the absence of a French women’s relay at the Worlds
- However, with only three selected, the French team will not be fielding a women’s relay. Is this a disappointment?
There’s no doubt that I’m disappointed about this relay. I’d really have liked to see a team lining up. In the younger age groups, there’s a really good level and it’s growing. I think we could have had a great team despite the absence of Delphine [Claudel, who suffered a stress fracture in her foot, editor’s note] this year. After that, we’ll only come back stronger next year at the Olympics and we’ll have our revenge then.
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