Cross-country skiing: successful change of team for Tania Kurek
A new member of the i3 Ski Team since the spring after two seasons with the Haute-Savoie Nordic Team following her retirement from the federal groups, cross-country skier Tania Kurek was heading into the unknown. How would she react to this big change in training environment?
Clearly she’s doing well, as evidenced by her good results(eleventh in the sprint skate, eighth in the individual classic) at last weekend’s French summer championships in La Bresse (Vosges). “I’m delighted with these results, especially as everyone was there for the competition, she tells at Nordic Magazine. It shows that my preparation is going well and that I can still play up front.”
Now coached by Pierre Belingheri, the Haut-Savoyard has changed the way she trains since the start of her preparations.
“We did a lot of very long sessions, which I wasn’t used to, says the Montblanc native, who turned 23 a few days ago. I was a little apprehensive, but it quickly became routine to do 4 hours of ski touring in the morning. In the end, it suited me just fine! Compared to last year, when I was injured, the volume has been made up.”
The FESA Cup and then the World Cup in the sights
After suffering a serious ankle injury in the summer of 2023, Tania Kurek was unable to complete her preparation, returning to the game during the winter. The other difference compared to last year is that the Rochoise is training with a smaller group, supported only by Léonie Besson and Daphné Patois in the i3 Ski Team (Suzette Christin stopped her high-level project during the summer).
“It’s going really well and we’re managing to pull each other’s weight, confirms the cross-country skier from SCN Pays Rochois. All the training helps me, I feel physically stronger than before and, mentally, it’s helped me get over the hurdles of doing long sessions.”
At U23 level, Tania Kurek will have to win on the national circuit from the start of the winter to secure a place in the FESA Cup and then, why not, in the World Cup… with the Les Rousses (Jura) stage in January in her sights. “I’ve put a lot of things in place to reach this level, she says. I’ve learnt a lot about myself and gained in maturity. I’m doing this for myself and not for others, I’ve got nothing to prove to anyone.”
- Tania Kurek is back in the FESA Cup after a serious injury and an operation: “It’s a huge achievement to have managed to take this selection”.
- “I had to find a new goal to keep going”: Tania Kurek signs for the i3 Ski Team with a dual project in her sights
