Cross-country skiing: Jules Chappaz finishes the race with a bang
Two tenths. That’s the gap between Lauri Vuorinen, the new bronze medallist in the sprint skate, and Jules Chappaz, fourth in the sprint skate at the world cross-country skiing championships in Trondheim (Norway). On Thursday afternoon, on the Granåsen stadium, the Frenchman came within a whisker of still being tanned two years after his feat in the classic sprint in Planica (Slovenia).
The cross-country skier from La Clusaz (Haute-Savoie) came back from the devil after a difficult start to the final, and for a long time thought he could overtake the Finn on the line. Finally in fourth place, the Haut-Savoyard once again showed his muscles in a world final. The 25-year-old talks to Nordic Magazine about his superb day in Scandinavia.
- A few days ago, you told us that you wanted to do your “best skateboard sprint of the season”. Have you done it yet?
It really is my best sprint skate of the season. Afterwards, it’s hard to say that it’s my best sprint performance of the year. It’s also hard to think that I came so close to winning a world medal and in the end I would have loved to relive those emotions or even something different. Today was really a dream day. There was a crazy crowd and it’s really not the same as in Planica.
“I got to the final a bit tired”.Jules Chappaz at Nordic Magazine
- What did you need to do in the final to climb to the top of the podium?
I arrived at the final a little tired and a little dulled by the semi-final. The conditions weren’t easy to ski and I was really surprised by the start. I attacked the second bump in sixth place and let go before I realised that things were slowing down a bit in front of me. That’s when I realised that things were starting to get better. I believed in it little by little and got back into it. I knew I had to get behind [Lauri] Vuorinen and do the best last straight of my life. Unfortunately, that wasn’t enough.
- In fact, for several weeks now you’ve been pulling off some pretty crazy finishes…
Yes, and I was really surprised by my straight skateboarding all day. It was really cool. Then, in the final, I missed my exit from the corner a bit when I went into the bulge. The conditions made it really hard to avoid falling. I wanted to be sure and maybe I lost some speed at that point. But history can’t be replayed and Vuorinen also has a good straight and he’s shown that many times before.
- Are there any positives despite the frustration of coming so close to another medal?
I’m still happy because I believed in it right to the end. I played all day. I hadn’t qualified for a skateboarding event all year and now I’m eighth. Those were already good signs. After that, I had a great time all day, doing some spectacular cross-country skiing in front of 25,000 people who were on fire.
- Especially as you were the most represented nation in the final, with Lucas Chanavat also taking part…
Putting two Frenchmen in the final against just one Norwegian was really cool and I think we would have loved to have won a medal or even a double. We’re going to leave disappointed, but I think we should leave happy. It’s still crazy. We know how to respond on the big day. Even if we weren’t successful enough to win a medal, it’s only the first day of the World Championships and we have to keep moving forward. The staff are doing a fantastic job and there are still some great things to come. We’re going to be right behind the distance runners over the next few days.
“I had put a lot of things in place to reach this deadline in canes”.Jules Chappaz at Nordic Magazine
- Would you have signed up for this result after your difficult start to the season?
Before the season and the first races, I thought I was really capable of going for a medal. After Davos, I wasn’t sure I’d be selected for the Worlds. I think I came up just short because compared to Renaud [Jay, editor’s note], we had the same level of skateboarding. But on the other hand, I felt that my form was gradually improving, so I had put some things in place to get to this event on poles. Before the season, I wouldn’t have signed up, but at Christmas, that would certainly have been the case.
- After Planica (Slovenia), you are also back in the final of a world sprint. Is that something to be proud of?
Apart from Lucas Chanavat and Johannes Hoesflot Klæbo, there aren’t many people who have won two world finals in a row. I’m showing once again that I’m capable of taking part in major events. I’ve experienced some great emotions today and it’s a day I’m bound to grow from. I just really wanted to go and get the medal for the team. But we’re going to move on and build for the future.
- Are you going to use this little frustration to take on the classic sprint team with even greater determination?
I think we’re coming into the race in great shape and the Norwegians have one guy who’s a cut above the rest, but today we didn’t see the second guy. We can’t wait for the sprint team.
- Tell us more about the atmosphere, which seemed crazy throughout the day…
That was also one of the cool things about the day! It was a crazy atmosphere and that helped me. I said to myself that I might only experience a World Championship in Norway once in my life. I really enjoyed racing in front of all those people. It’s a rather passionate crowd and in the semi-finals, we didn’t have any Norwegians with us, so I had the impression that we were still supported. It was incredible with this track, which really gives you the impression of being in a stadium.
Read also
- Trondheim: Jules Chappaz within a whisker of bronze in the Worlds sprint skateboard event, Johannes Hoesflot Klæbo’s tenth world title
- Trondheim: disappointed to have missed out on a medal in the sprint, the French will have to turn the page
- Trondheim: Johannes Hoesflot Klæbo leads the way on home soil in the skateboard sprint qualifier, while France’s four teams progress to the quarter-finals
- Trondheim: Jonna Sundling strikes a huge blow in the sprint skateboard qualifier, Mélissa Gal the only Frenchwoman in the quarter-finals
- Jules Chappaz on the morning of putting his world medal on the line at the Trondheim Worlds: “My goal is to do my best skateboard sprint of the year”.
- Trondheim: before their clash in the Worlds skate sprint, Lucas Chanavat and Johannes Hoesflot Klæbo appear together in the Bornandin podcast
- “It’s about time we put our money where our mouth is and bring home a medal”: in the skateboard sprint at the Trondheim Worlds, Lucas Chanavat will be one of the main contenders for a place on the podium.
- “I’ve been thinking about it all summer during my preparation”: Rémi Bourdin sets his sights on his first senior World Championships
- The full programme for the 2025 World Cross-Country Skiing, Ski Jumping and Nordic Combined Championships in Trondheim
