French Biathlon Teams Announced for 2026-27 Season with Focus on 2030 Olympic Preparation

The French Ski Federation has officially revealed the composition of its biathlon teams for the 2026-27 season, marking the start of preparations towards the Paris 2030 Winter Olympics. The season's schedule includes nine World Cup events running from November 24 to March 21, highlighted by a stage in Grand-Bornand in early December and the World Championships in Otepää, Estonia in February.

No retirements were reported among French biathletes following the Tokyo Olympic cycle, with all athletes committed to competing through 2030. The men's elite group features Olympians Emilien and Fabien Claude, five-time Olympic champion Quentin Fillon Maillet, Emilien Jacquelin, Oscar Lombardot, Eric Perrot, and young talent Gaëtan Paturel, who recently made his World Cup debut after an IBU Cup victory. This squad will be coached by Simon Fourcade, with renowned shooting coach Siegfried Mazet returning after ten years with Norway.

The women's elite team is slightly smaller but equally formidable, with reigning overall World Cup champion Lou Jeanmonnot, triple Olympic champion Julia Simon, Justine Braisaz-Bouchet, and emerging competitors Camille Bened, Océane Michelon, and Jeanne Richard. Cyril Burdet remains the head coach, while Julien Robert assumes the role of shooting coach, replacing Jean-Paul Giachino.

Athletes hail from diverse ski clubs across regions such as Mont-Blanc, Savoie, and Massif Jurassien. Groupings extend beyond elite ranks into competitive tiers managed by coaches including Baptiste Desthieux and Louis Deschamps, reflecting a robust development structure across French Nordic skiing.

With coaching continuity and fresh talent, the French teams aim to build momentum ahead of the Olympic cycle, underscoring a strategic focus on success on home soil in 2030.