Para cross-country skiing: France in Gålå for the Continental Cup
This weekend, France will be represented at the continental para-cross-country skiing cup in Gålå (Norway). Coupled with a round of the valid Norwegian Cup, this competition will give the next generation of French skiers the chance to get their winter off to a flying start.
Karl Tabouret, Anthony Chalençon, Benjamin Daviet and Chloé Pinto, who will be launching their World Cup season in December in Vuokatti (Finland), won’t be there. In their place will be a number of para-athletes with no experience of the international scene: Anaïs Delavier, Maxime Gayet, Cléo Blanc, Alexis Sanchez and Angélique Godeau.
Although Didelle, who was due to race with her guide Lilou Didelle, will not be able to do so in the end due to administrative problems, the other four will be present on the track.
Alexis Sanchez, from para-rowing to para-cross-country skiing
Starting with Alexis Sanchez in the sitting category. Paddler for the French para-rowing team , finalist at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games in the single sculls, he will even be taking up a daring challenge: qualifying for the Milan/Cortina 2026 Paralympic Games. In other words, the opposite path to Benjamin Daviet.
“He’s never skied, but he’s making it a priority to get classified, French team coach Vincent Duchêne tells Nordic Magazine. If he scores well this year in this type of race and then goes up at the end of the season in the World Cup, he could do it. The window is small, but it’s possible.”
Robin Mahillon, technician and guide, Julie Pépin and Joëlle Fangmann will be in charge of the team. “We’ll be waiting to see the results of this race to see if the youngsters have the international criteria to go to the World Cup. I’m thinking in particular of Anaïs Delavier and Maxime Gayet, who took part in this competition last year”, reveals the French coach.
- Gålå: Karl Tabouret triumphs in the individual continental cup classic
- Continental Cup in Gålå: three podium finishes for France in sprint skating
- “I’ll go all the way to the 2026 Games and then I’ll stop”: Paralympic and world champion Anthony Chalençon sets his retirement date
