FasterSkier

Tag: Sherbrooke

  • 20-for-20 with Jules Burnotte

    20-for-20 with Jules Burnotte

    Canada’s Jules Burnotte (Biathlon Estrie) training in July 2016 in Squamish, British Columbia. (Courtesy photo)

    In another 20-something-question, fill-in-the-blanks series, we checked in with the world-class U.S. and Canadian biathletes before they competed at 2017 International Biathlon Union (IBU) Youth & Junior World Championships Feb. 22-28 in Osrblie (also known as Brezno-Osrblie), Slovakia.

    Here’s 20-year-old Jules Burnotte, of Biathlon Estrie, who represented Canada at his second Youth/Junior Worlds. Burnotte competed in all four junior men’s races over the past week, finishing 43rd in the pursuit, 55th in both the sprint and individual races, and 12th with his team in Tuesday’s 4 x 7.5 k relay. 

    ***

    “My full name is Jules Burnotte, but you can call me Jules. I was born in Sherbrooke, Quebec, raised in Sherbrooke, and one thing you should know about my hometown is that it’s a fantastic student-athlete town (and it is bigger and nicer than what people think it is).

    Jules Burnotte (Biathlon Estrie) racing in Maine in January 2016. (Courtesy photo)

    I started cross-country skiing when I started walking and started biathlon when I was 12. I currently train in Sherbrooke with Biathlon Estrie at Stoke.

    If I’m not skiing, you might find me sleeping (at home or in class), running or just daydreaming somewhere unexpected.

    If I had to pick a favorite book, it would be ‘Asterix‘.

    One of the things I’m most excited about for Youth/Junior World Championships in Brezno-Osrblie is the races and the calibre that Europe can provide.

    This will be my second Youth/Junior World Championships, and this year, I’m competing as a junior. One race I’m especially targeting there is all of it!!!

    The best advice anyone ever gave me about skiing or racing was have fun but don’t get hurt.

    Jules Burnotte (l) with his Canadian teammates Alexandre Dupuis and Aidan Millar after they placed second in the youth men’s 3 x 7.5 k relay at 2014 IBU Youth World Championships in Presque Isle, Maine. (Courtesy photo)

    One of the best race memories I have is the finish of youth relay in Presque Isle 2014. I could talk an hour about it.

    If I could meet one World Cup skier, it would be… don’t really care. I feel like it would be nice to congrats those surprises and good performers from world champs. I prefer to look a them racing, I guess (they do it very well).

    If I don’t end up being a professional skier, I’ll probably be working in prevention health and social and personal development adapted to children (phys ed teacher).

    I’m missing a month of school to be here, and my teachers/professors are probably thinking, ‘Where is he?‘

    You can follow me on Instagram @ptit_lievre.”

  • 20-for-20 with Charlotte Hamel

    20-for-20 with Charlotte Hamel

    Charlotte Hamel (Biathlon Estrie) competing in the sprint at Canada’s trials for 2017 IBU Youth/Junior World Championships in Valcartier, Quebec. (Photo: Andrée Dufresne)

    In another 20-something-question, fill-in-the-blanks series, we checked in with the world-class U.S. and Canadian biathletes before they competed at 2017 International Biathlon Union (IBU) Youth & Junior World Championships Feb. 22-28 in Osrblie (also known as Brezno-Osrblie), Slovakia.

    Here’s 20-year-old Charlotte Hamel, of Biathlon Estrie, who represented Canada at her third Youth/Junior Worlds. Hamel started the 12.5 k individual but did not finish due to illness.

    ***

    “My full name is Charlotte Hamel, and I don’t have a nickname so just call me Charlotte! I was born in Sherbrooke, Quebec, raised in this beautiful city, and one thing you should know about my hometown is even if it small, it’s the best place if you are a sports lover.

    I started cross-country skiing when I was born because my parents use to bring me in a baby glider when they were skiing. I learned to ski the same time I started to walk. I started biathlon when I was 8, thanks to big brother Félix, who introduced me to this wonderful sport.

    I currently train in Sherbrooke with Biathlon Estrie at our training center in Stoke, a little village close to Sherbrooke.

    If I’m not skiing, you might find me in the kitchen doing some cooking or in a cafe doing some homework.

    Canada’s Charlotte Hamel racing at the IBU Junior Cup in December in Hochfilzen, Austria. (Photo: Bryan Dickson)

    If I had to pick a favorite book, it would be… I really don’t know!! I read a lot, about five book a year or more, but if I had to chose only one it will be ‘Le voleur d’ombre’ by Marc Levy because I read it really quickly.

    One of the things I’m most excited about for Youth/Junior World Championships in Brezno-Osrblie is to be one of the oldest athletes here! I will be sharing my experience, and that’s really nice.

    This will be my third Youth/Junior World Championships, and this year, I’m competing as a junior. One race I’m especially targeting there is the individual.

    The best advice anyone ever gave me about skiing or racing was to always cross the finish line with a smile. Whatever happed in your race, there always be something good and something that you can learn about. If you can’t see that, that’s means you’re too hard on yourself, and it will be harder to make improvements.

    One of the best race memories I have is when I won my first gold medal at nationals. It was at my first year as a senior girl and it was the first time I cleaned a race. I wasn’t the fastest skier so be able to win the sprint was really impressive for me and it showed me that I can do anything!

    If I could meet one World Cup biathlete, it would be Ole Einar Bjørndalen, because he is the greatest biathlete of all time and even if his not the fastest, he is always shooting great and he is still doing podiums.

    If I don’t end up being a professional biathlete, I’ll probably be opening my own coffee/bakery shop or I’ll be in the woods doing some research for an environmental group.

    I’m missing 18 days of school to be here, and my teachers/professors are probably thinking, ‘That’s not good for her grades.’

    You can follow me on Instagram @hamel.charlotte.”