Para Nordic skiing: two more seasons for visually impaired Frenchman Anthony Chalençon
Anthony Chalençon, 34, from the Haut-Savoie region, has been one of the pillars of the French Para Nordic ski team for many winters. Suffering from retinal degeneration, he competes in the visually impaired category and has won a string of international medals.
After competing in para alpine skiing, taking part in the Vancouver 2010 Paralympic Games, he switched to para biathlon and para cross-country skiing, taking part in his first World Cups in 2014. Successively coached by Simon Valverde, the Brico Ottonello/Alexandre Pouyé duo and Florian Michelon since 2022, Anthony Chalençon‘s achievements include a Paralympic title in the open relay and a world gold medal in the individual biathlon.
However, those days are (almost) over, as the native of Evian (Haute-Savoie) has decided to retire in 2026, following the Milan/Cortina Paralympic Games, where the Nordic para-skiing events will be held in Val di Fiemme (Italy).
He will be a supporter at the 2030 French Alps Paralympic Games
“I’m going all the way to the 2026 Games and then I’ll stop, he told Nordic Magazine a few days ago at the media launch of the French disabled sports teams in Lyon (Rhône). I’m not going to create any false suspense and start a soap opera about the end of my career. In 2026, I’ll be almost 36!”
The prospect of competing in the 2030 Paralympic Games at home in Grand-Bornand (Haute-Savoie) won’t change his mind: “I’ll be there as a supporter,” he laughs.
Before taking part in the last international competition of his career in a year and a half’s time, Anthony Chalençon will be lining up next February for his final para biathlon World Championships in Pokljuka (Slovenia) and then the para cross-country skiing World Championships in Toblach (Italy). His ambition is to return covered in gold to kick off the final months of his Paralympic preparations in style.
“We want to go there to break new ground and experience something really sick,” confirms Florian Michelon, his guide, who is currently studying civil engineering in Grenoble (Isère).
A call for the next generation to follow in his footsteps once his career is over
Finally, Anthony Chalençon has no hesitation in appealing for the next generation of visually impaired players to take over from him– although they are shy in coming on board with Angélique Godeau and Maxime Gayet.
“I invite anyone with a disability who wants to take up cross-country skiing to contact the Federation or a club near them. There are some great experiences to be had, he says. In five and a half years’ time, there will be the Games in France, and it’s great that things are looking up.”
- Para biathlon | Prince George: guided by Florian Michelon, Anthony Chalençon clinches his first world title by winning the individual event
- “One of the most controlled races we’ve ever done”: Anthony Chalençon and Florian Michelon talk about their individual world title in Prince George
- Para biathlon | Östersund: Anthony Chalençon runner-up in the individual event
- Para-cross-country skiing | Beijing 2022: Benjamin Daviet and Anthony Chalençon runners-up in the Paralympic open relay
- Anthony Chalençon: “I put a lot of pressure on myself”.
