Cross-country skiing: EYOF silver for Prémanonière Gaëtane Breniaux
On Tuesday, Gaëtane Breniaux excelled in the women’s 5km cross-country ski classic at the Bakuriani 2025 European Youth Olympic Festival. Starting with bib number 25, at the end of the first half of the start list, the Prémanonière skier put in a good performance, taking the lead at each intermediate stage and lighting up the green at the finish.
“Starting out in front can be more complicated for the intermediates, but in any case, you have to stay in your race and give it your all, she tells Nordic Magazine. I don’t really know how I managed this race. I started off at a slightly faster pace than usual because 5 kilometres isn’t what you’re used to. I picked up the pace as I went along and it went well.”
After that, only Sweden’s Alva Nisen, who won by more than 30 seconds, was able to dislodge Gaëtane Breniaux from first place. So it was a fine silver medal that the Franc-Comtoise will receive at the end of the day in Bakuriani (Georgia).
Second French cross-country skiing medallist in EYOF history
“Classics are a bit of my thing, so this was a race I really wanted to do well! I’m really happy to have had a good feeling and to have done it, she enthuses. I’m so happy and it’s so good, especially as I’ve been struggling a bit in the last few races. I wasn’t expecting this medal. I just wanted to have a good race and give it my all.”
These efforts have enabled Gaëtane Breniaux to become the second French female cross-country skater to win an individual medal at the EYOF, after Margot Tirloy, who won the 5km individual skate race two years ago.
- The full programme for the Bakuriani 2025 European Youth Olympic Festival
- Bakuriani: Anouchka Neuville carries the flag for the French delegation at the EYOWF 2025 opening ceremony
- Anouchka Neuville carried the French flag at the opening ceremony of the EYOWF Bakuriani 2025
- EYOWF Bakuriani 2025: Gaëtane Breniaux takes silver in the individual 5km classic, Anouchka Neuville fourth
