Siegfried Mazet has officially closed his long chapter with the Norwegian biathlon staff and returned to the French national team after ten years in Norway. In an interview with Nettavisen, the French coach spoke warmly about his former Norwegian colleagues, especially physical trainer Egil Kristiansen, whose influence he describes as central to what he brings back to France.
Mazet said he would like Kristiansen to help the French athletes if the former Norwegian team staffer is willing and available. According to Mazet, the expertise he gained in Norway was strongly shaped by Kristiansen, whom he credits with a long-term vision for physical preparation and exceptional technical knowledge. He praised Kristiansen as one of the best in the world in that area and said that learning from him had a lasting impact on his coaching approach.
Now back in the French setup, Mazet is considering a limited collaboration with Kristiansen, who currently works with Sweden’s cross-country ski team. The idea has already been discussed internally with Simon Fourcade, the French biathlon staff member. Mazet clarified that any involvement would be occasional and purely advisory, not a full-time position.
He suggested that even one or two sessions with Kristiansen could be valuable for French biathletes, particularly in helping them improve their ski performance. Mazet described the plan as a personal project and said he is convinced that Kristiansen could make a meaningful contribution to the team. The comments underline both Mazet’s respect for his former Norwegian environment and his desire to import some of its training strengths into French biathlon.
