Between Autrans and the biathlon, the story dates back to the 1968 Olympics, and it is not ready to stop after the renovation of the shooting range of the Gève plateau. The noises of the rifles resonate on the site since 2005, Martin Fourcade and Marie Dorin built their greatest successes here, but the firing point was beginning to show signs of weakness, and of age. “It was necessary to go and look for the targets in Vassieux, there were not even two that belonged to the municipality.“, points out Hubert Arnaud the mayor of Autrans,”the targets were placed on the melting snow, so they had to be replaced before each session“, agrees Thierry Dussert the trainer of the best young people in the committee of Dauphiné, in short”it didn’t look like anything“summarizes Capucine, a young Austrian biathlete.
A firing point for the champions and the next generation
Near 160,000 euros have therefore been invested in work completed before winter to allow Autrans to have a firing point worthy of international standards. 30 targets, lighting, and snow often more present than elsewhere, the Gève plateau will remain for a while yet an ideal setting for biathletes, as Emilien Jacquelin. Le Villardien, current world number one, has been an assiduous user of the shooting range for many years: “J‘made my debut there, it was the first times that I found myself with a Martin Fourcade or a Jean-Guillaume Béatrix, for me the Gève launch pad is above all the transmission, the moments when we are found with the youngest.“A tradition that continues since Monday while the double world champion was finishing his training, Capucine and the other young shoots of Vercors also made their ranges on the new targets of this shooting range named David Moretti, in honor of this pioneer of French biathlon, notably trainer of the France team during the 1992 Olympic Games.
An application for the French championships in preparation
With such a tool, Autrans can hope to welcome larger competitions. If the World Cup is wishful thinking given the costs it entails, the station and the Autrans club are considering applying for the French championships. It will not be in 2022, but in the years to come, Émilien Jacquelin could therefore win a title at home, on the shooting range where he cut his teeth “oh yes, that would be wonderful, I sign!“, smiles the one who for the moment has his head above all in Beijing where the Olympic Games will open in a little over a month.