Martin Fourcade
Encyclopedia
Martin Fourcade is a French biathlete
. Fourcade won the pursuit
at the 2011 Biathlon World Championships
, and is also an Olympic
silver medalist and winner of the 2009–10 Pursuit World Cup
.
. The younger Fourcade competed for France in the 2007 and 2008 Junior World Championships, winning a bronze medal in the relay in 2007.
Fourcade first competed in the Biathlon World Cup
at Oslo
in March 2008, finishing 61st in what would be his only World Cup appearance that season. The next season was already much more successful for him, as he grabbed his first World Cup points at Hochfilzen
, placing 36th in the individual race and 10th in the sprint. His best results that year came at the 2009 World Championships
, where he finished in the top 20 in every competition, including an 8th place in the pursuit and a 4th place in the relay. Fourcade finished 24th in the overall World Cup that year.
, together with his brother. Fourcade grabbed a silver medal in the mass start
, marking the first time he made the podium in a World Cup event. Fourcade then claimed his first victory in a pursuit at Kontiolahti
, and followed up with two more first places at Oslo
, in a sprint and another pursuit. The two pursuit victories meant Fourcade won the 2009–10 Pursuit World Cup
, edging out Austria
's Simon Eder
by just one point. In the overall World Cup he finished 5th, sixty-four points ahead of his brother Simon, who finished a career-best 7th.
has also been highly successful for Fourcade. He opened the season at Östersund
with three top 5 finishes, including two 3rd places. After somewhat weaker showings at Pokljuka
and Oberhof
, Fourcade placed runner-up in all three races at Ruhpolding
. Fourcade won mass starts at both Antholz and Fort Kent
, and entered the 2011 World Championships
in Khanty-Mansiysk
, Russia
as one of the favourites.
The first event at the World Championships was the mixed relay
, where the French placed 3rd after Fourcade as anchor showed the best male performance in the race to lift his team up from 5th. Fourcade then claimed the silver medal behind Arnd Peiffer
in the sprint
, despite missing two shots at the prone stage; Fourcade was the fastest skier in the competition. The next day in the pursuit
Fourcade won the gold despite three penalties, thanks to turning in another fastest skiing performance.
Fourcade is currently 3rd in the overall World Cup and leading the mass start cup
.
Biathlon
Biathlon is a term used to describe any sporting event made up of two disciplines. However, biathlon usually refers specifically to the winter sport that combines cross-country skiing and rifle shooting...
. Fourcade won the pursuit
Biathlon World Championships 2011 – Men's pursuit
The men's pursuit competition of the Biathlon World Championships 2011 was held on March 6, 2011 at 14:00 local time. The best 60 athletes from the sprint participated.- Results :...
at the 2011 Biathlon World Championships
Biathlon World Championships 2011
The 44th Biathlon World Championships was held in Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia from March 3 to March 13 2011.There was a total of 11 competitions: sprint, pursuit, individual, mass start, and relay races for men and women, and mixed relay...
, and is also an Olympic
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
silver medalist and winner of the 2009–10 Pursuit World Cup
2009–10 Biathlon World Cup – Pursuit Men
The 2009–10 Biathlon World Cup – Pursuit Men will start at Saturday December 13, 2009 in Hochfilzen and will finish Saturday March 20, 2010 in Oslo. Defending titlist is Ole Einar Bjørndalen of Norway.-Competition format:...
.
Early career
Fourcade took up biathlon in 2002 and started competing internationally in 2006, following in the footsteps of his older brother Simon FourcadeSimon Fourcade
Simon Fourcade is a French biathlete. His younger brother Martin Fourcade is also a biathlete.-External links:**...
. The younger Fourcade competed for France in the 2007 and 2008 Junior World Championships, winning a bronze medal in the relay in 2007.
Fourcade first competed in the Biathlon World Cup
Biathlon World Cup
The Biathlon World Cup has been held since the winter seasons of 1977/78 and 1982/83, for men and women, respectively ....
at Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
in March 2008, finishing 61st in what would be his only World Cup appearance that season. The next season was already much more successful for him, as he grabbed his first World Cup points at Hochfilzen
Hochfilzen
Hochfilzen is a small village in Tyrol, Austria, in the Kitzbühel district. It is located at , in the Pillersee valley 5km west of Fieberbrunn. Population was 1,109 in 2001.It is a popular winter sports resort, especially for cross country skiing...
, placing 36th in the individual race and 10th in the sprint. His best results that year came at the 2009 World Championships
Biathlon World Championships 2009
The 43rd Biathlon World Championships were held in Pyeongchang, South Korea from February 13 to February 22, 2009. It was the first time that the Biathlon World Championships were held in Asia ....
, where he finished in the top 20 in every competition, including an 8th place in the pursuit and a 4th place in the relay. Fourcade finished 24th in the overall World Cup that year.
2009–10 season
Fourcade again improved in the 2009–10 season, consistently finishing in the top 10 and making the French team for the 2010 Winter Olympics2010 Winter Olympics
The 2010 Winter Olympics, officially the XXI Olympic Winter Games or the 21st Winter Olympics, were a major international multi-sport event held from February 12–28, 2010, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, with some events held in the suburbs of Richmond, West Vancouver and the University...
, together with his brother. Fourcade grabbed a silver medal in the mass start
Biathlon at the 2010 Winter Olympics – Men's mass start
The men's mass start competition of the Vancouver 2010 Olympics was held at Whistler Olympic Park in Whistler, British Columbia on February 21, 2010.- Results :- External links :* , from http://www.vancouver2010.com/; retrieved 2010-02-20....
, marking the first time he made the podium in a World Cup event. Fourcade then claimed his first victory in a pursuit at Kontiolahti
Kontiolahti
Kontiolahti is a municipality of Finland.It is located in the province of Eastern Finland and is part of the North Karelia region. The municipality has a population of and covers an area of of which is water. The population density is ....
, and followed up with two more first places at Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
, in a sprint and another pursuit. The two pursuit victories meant Fourcade won the 2009–10 Pursuit World Cup
2009–10 Biathlon World Cup – Pursuit Men
The 2009–10 Biathlon World Cup – Pursuit Men will start at Saturday December 13, 2009 in Hochfilzen and will finish Saturday March 20, 2010 in Oslo. Defending titlist is Ole Einar Bjørndalen of Norway.-Competition format:...
, edging out Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
's Simon Eder
Simon Eder
Simon Eder is an Austrian biathlete. First World Cup win in Khanty-Mansiysk Mass-start 29 March 2009.- External links :* *...
by just one point. In the overall World Cup he finished 5th, sixty-four points ahead of his brother Simon, who finished a career-best 7th.
2010–11 season
The ongoing 2010–11 season2010–11 Biathlon World Cup
The 2010–11 Biathlon World Cup was a multi-race tournament over a season of biathlon, organised by the International Biathlon Union...
has also been highly successful for Fourcade. He opened the season at Östersund
Östersund
Östersund is an urban area in Jämtland in the middle of Sweden. It is the seat of Östersund Municipality and the capital of Jämtland County. Östersund is located at the shores of Sweden's fifth largest lake, Storsjön, opposite the island Frösön, and is the only city in Jämtland. Östersund is the...
with three top 5 finishes, including two 3rd places. After somewhat weaker showings at Pokljuka
Pokljuka
Pokljuka is a foresty plateau at the altitude of around 1300 metres, situated partly in the municipality of Bled and partly in municipality of Bohinj in northwestern Slovenia. It is part of Triglav national park...
and Oberhof
Oberhof
Oberhof may refer to:*Oberhof, Austria*Oberhof, Germany, a village and resort in Thuringia.*Oberhof, Switzerland, a village in the canton of Aargau*Oberhof bobsleigh, luge, and skeleton track, located in Oberhof, Germany...
, Fourcade placed runner-up in all three races at Ruhpolding
Ruhpolding
Ruhpolding is a municipality of the Traunstein district in southeastern Bavaria, Germany. It is situated in the south of the Chiemgau region in the Alps. Ruhpolding has a population of approximately 6,400....
. Fourcade won mass starts at both Antholz and Fort Kent
Fort Kent, Maine
Fort Kent is a town in Aroostook County, Maine, United States. The population was 4,097 in the 2010 census. Fort Kent is home to an Olympic biathlete training center, an annual CAN-AM dogsled race, and the Fort Kent Blockhouse, built in reaction to the Aroostook War and in modern times designated...
, and entered the 2011 World Championships
Biathlon World Championships 2011
The 44th Biathlon World Championships was held in Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia from March 3 to March 13 2011.There was a total of 11 competitions: sprint, pursuit, individual, mass start, and relay races for men and women, and mixed relay...
in Khanty-Mansiysk
Khanty-Mansiysk
Khanty-Mansiysk experiences a subarctic climate . The climate is extreme, with temperatures as low as -49 C° and as high as 34.5 C°. On average, however, the region is very cold, with an average tempurature of -1.1 C°...
, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
as one of the favourites.
The first event at the World Championships was the mixed relay
Biathlon World Championships 2011 – Mixed relay
The Mixed relay of the Biathlon World Championships 2011 was held on March 3, 2011 at 16:30 local time. 26 nations participated. The two participating women athletes raced over 2 x 6 km, while the men's distance was 2 x 7.5 km.-Results:...
, where the French placed 3rd after Fourcade as anchor showed the best male performance in the race to lift his team up from 5th. Fourcade then claimed the silver medal behind Arnd Peiffer
Arnd Peiffer
Arnd Peiffer is a German biathlete. In 2008, he ran his first single World Cup Race, and the at the end of the same season he retrieved his first world cup victory.-Career highlights:IBU World Championships...
in the sprint
Biathlon World Championships 2011 – Men's sprint
The men's sprint competition of the Biathlon World Championships 2011 were held on March 5, 2011 at 14:00 local time, 125 athletes participated.- Results :...
, despite missing two shots at the prone stage; Fourcade was the fastest skier in the competition. The next day in the pursuit
Biathlon World Championships 2011 – Men's pursuit
The men's pursuit competition of the Biathlon World Championships 2011 was held on March 6, 2011 at 14:00 local time. The best 60 athletes from the sprint participated.- Results :...
Fourcade won the gold despite three penalties, thanks to turning in another fastest skiing performance.
Fourcade is currently 3rd in the overall World Cup and leading the mass start cup
2010–11 Biathlon World Cup – Mass start Men
The 2010–11 Biathlon World Cup – Mass start Men will start at January 9, 2011 in Oberhof. Defending titlist is Evgeny Ustyugov of Russia.-Competition format:In the mass start, all biathletes start at the same time and the first across the finish line wins...
.