Cross-country skiing: Les Bleues on the third step of the podium in Pragelato
On Tuesday morning, the long-awaited relay race for the French women competing in the cross-country skiing events at the Turin 2025 World University Games took place in Pragelato (Italy). Comprising Félicie Chappaz, Manon Favre Bonvin, Julie Marciniak and France Pignot, all members of the Haute-Savoie Nordic Team, the French team quickly took the lead.
Very early on in the race, Finland and Japan were in the lead. By the end of the first classic relay, however, the Finnish team was alone in the lead, followed by the Franco-Japanese duo at 12 seconds. The remaining 7.5 kilometres in classic style then finished to settle the race as Japan came back on Finland, while France lost ground and found itself competing with Switzerland for bronze, more than a minute behind the leaders.
In skateboarding, while the Finns (Hanna Ray, Elsa Torvinen, Iida Vuollet, Anni Lindroos) took off to win a well-deserved gold medal and the Japanese (Chika Honda, Takane Tochitani, Karen Hatakeyama, Kaho Nakajima) held out for silver, the French were caught by the Swiss one relay from the end. It was then a duel between France Pignot and Malia Elmer.
Initially, the Swiss rider dropped the Montblanc rider… who was still 10 seconds behind at the final interval. However, France Pignot put in a remarkable finish, particularly on the final climb, to catch up and overtake her rival. As a result, the French women won a fine collective bronze medal and were able to celebrate.
Full results
- Turin: the names of the eight Frenchmen selected for the 2025 World University Games
- Manon Favre Bonvin and Aubin Gaulier replace Justine Gaillard and Luc Primet for the World University Games
- Turin: an opening day that whets the French team’s appetite at the World University Games
- Turin: Aubin Gaulier suffers a shoulder injury after the individual skateboard event and is replaced by Hugo Serot at the World University Games
- Turin World University Games: Hugo Serot and Félicie Chappaz take silver in the mixed team sprint skateboard event
- “It’s amazing! It was unexpected”: the astonishment of Hugo Serot and Félicie Chappaz after their silver medal at the World University Games in Turin
