The French Ski Association FFS recently presented the various squad groups for the 2026/2027 biathlon season and thus made the inclusion of Leo Carlier, who is only 20 years old, in training group B official. Mind you, at an age at which he would actually still be eligible to join the “Excellence 2030” youth development group. The youngster feels ready for the new challenge.
Leo Carlier’s 2025/2026 season was a complete success: The 20-year-old recorded podium places and victories in the Junior Cup, celebrated a successful debut in the IBU Cup with two top 10 placements and finally won three medals at the U21 World Championships on Arber.
The reward: The French association FFS nominated the ski hunter to the B squad for the coming winter.
“I knew I had a chance of being accepted there, and I hoped for it too – but I didn’t necessarily expect it,” Carlier commented on the good news to Nordic Magazine.
The Frenchman added: “When I found out that I was there, I was of course really happy! I’m proud to be training in a group with some of the greats – like Damien Levet, who competed in the World Cup last winter. That will help me enormously.”
Promotion for biathlon jewel “almost mandatory”
For Carlier, the nomination is a decisive step in his career.
“If you start biathlon and want to make this sport your career, it is of course a clear goal to go through this stage. I am even firmly convinced that it is absolutely essential to take this path. It is almost mandatory,” explained the 20-year-old.
For Carlier, the promotion now brings with it a number of changes. “I’m getting new trainers and changing the training group,” he explained.
A large part of the training courses are completed together with the French A squad. Carlier said: “It will be great to be able to train with the best in the world like Quentin Fillon-Maillet and Eric Perrot. It will be very interesting and we will benefit enormously from it.”
