A day after the men concluded their first training camp of the new season, the French women’s squad convened at Premanon’s Centre National Ski Nordique for a seven-day internship. The two gatherings were polar opposite ways of starting the season.

“When we meet, we know why we meet”

While the men cycled 300 km to Ceillac and immediately jumping into intensity and intervals at 1800 metres of altitude. The women arrived at their camp and started with testing and evaluations, before the hard work in unusually hot conditions started.

As Coach Cyril Burdet said, “In the last four years, we are not used to coming to camp to chill; of course, at times we have some fun. When we meet, we know why we meet: to train, to improve, to train a bit harder than when we are at home.”

After an afternoon arrival and a run, the scene shifted the next day to the Stade de Tuffes. The covered shooting range features electronic targets that calculate and show the precise position of every shot. This eliminates using the spotting scope, providing an instant score.

“Following the Shot”

Shooting Coach Patrick Favre worked with each athlete individually, although a few overlapped. The covered range atop the hill is perfect for testing, isolated and virtually windless. The process started with slow-fire 20 prone shots and 20 standing, with no pulse. Besides hitting centre, the athletes focused on following the shot, knowing where each shot hit, which Favre who confirmed or corrected. Between each bout, coach and athlete conferred, with the coach commenting and making suggestions. The second part was shooting more “biathlon-style,” not especially fast but with a steady cadence. Everyone spent more time on this, with more shots fired and Favre noting small points for improvement. The process remained the same, with each shot’s location called out.

The veteran coach admitted, “The goal is knowing where every shot goes and how you are controlling the rifle.” After her session with many 10 (centre circle) scores but a few wild shots, Camille Bened admitted, “There is a lot of work to do.”

VO2 max Testing

Testing Day Two moved indoors to the treadmill at the training centre. Shooting tests were a piece of cake compared to this. An hour was blocked to warm-up, complete the 40+ minute test and cool down/recover.

It looks pretty easy to begin. Hop on the treadmill and easily rollerski at a leisurely pace for 10 minutes, then get hooked up to the various monitors and the truly uncomfortable mask to test VO2 max until the 3-2-1 countdown.

The treadmill then raises to a 5% grade, and the pace has to quicken. After three minutes, a quick finger lactate stab and the next stage started. With each 3-minute stage, the speed of the roller band increased. At the sixth stage, the speed ups again and the climb goes up another percent.

Despite the air-conditioned room and fan blowing directly on the athlete, the effort was clearly visible. Once at the final stage, the speed jumped one more timem with the grade climbing to 8% and more for some.

Full Gas…and fatigue

Burdet watched every stage closely, analysing technique and monitoring fatigue. When the final stage hits, it is full gas with the coach loudly counting out each stride and urging his charge to hold form until the tank is empty. Seemingly as quickly as it started, it’s all over. The band stops and the athlete falls into a heap of fatigue.

Typical of high-level athletes, several were disappointed in their result, not hitting personal goals, but the coach was there, consoling and soothing disappointment. It is just the beginning of the season.

Rollerskiing, Shooting in mid-thirties temperatures

After two days of mostly testing, the next day it was back to the reality of shooting and rollerskiing. The group ventured out in temperatures that touched the mid-thirties, quite unusual for this 1100-metre site in the Jura Mountains. Rollerskiing on the roads kicked off the day before moving to the stadium. Typical of early season, the first full group shooting session focused on slow-fire, sans pulse; laying the base for intensity and faster shooting as the summer progresses.

“They are in good shape, better than expected”

Burdet admitted low expectations before the camp but was more than satisfied with the testing and training. “We have been here for three days, and I did not know what to expect. I am quite pleased: they are in quite good shape, better than expected. We decided to give them three or four weeks of extra rest before this first big camp; last season was very hard and we all needed a break. But I am pleasantly surprised, everyone put in some good work at home and they came here full of enthusiasm and ready to work.”

Photos: IBU/Christian Manzoni, Nordic Focus, Jerry Kokesh