Annelise goes her own way

September 2005. Geneva. It's raining. Annelise Bailly fetches me from the airport. "I just come from a training session, that's why all my stuff is still in the car. But we'll find some space for the luggage."

She is not all the time as optimistic as in the case of loading her little Peugeot. In spring she had finished her biathlon career and decided to have a try in cross-country. "I've had enough of shooting. It wouldn't work and I was always disappointed of myself." Although she has been a European Champion in indidividual already in 2001, as well as having reached 7 podiums in European Cup and having won twice bronze with the relay at big championships (all as junior). The last big achievements go back to 2004 when she was in the age of 20. Then there came this disappointing season 2004/2005 when not much was worth to be celebrated, though she participated in her first World Cup races.

When we and the luggage have finally found space we start into the direction Ruffieu. My memory of the French streets is much better than the reality … and not that full of bends. Her motto is : "Always believe in you and your dreams." According to my opinion she could have a little less trust in her driving abilities and sometimes lift her foot from the gas pedal. But after a dead frog and a nearly knocked down construction site sign ("It's not been there earlier on !") I'm still alive and intact, so her motto seems to be right.

Her first season in cross-country is a proof for it, too. Certainly the integration in the team went by without problems, but her season proceeded then "very averagely".
"I'd trained too much. My body was tired and that's why it wasn't fun.

The races were extremely hard. I'd never experienced this before." Moreover she missed something : "In the beginning I didn't miss the shooting, but in the winter I'd to take back the rifle and I made some national Biathlon races.
And at the end of the season she finally had a positive experience ! "The Military World Championships were great ! I had prepared myself well, I enjoyed it and my races went on well. The atmosphere was tremendous and the people very kind. I loved it !" Not at least because of once gold (cross-country team), once bronze (patrol competition) and the victory with France in Nations Cup.

9 months after my nocturnal experience in the narrow streets of France I talk with Annelise about her aims and dreams for the upcoming season. Contrary to the trend in cross-country she does not want to specialize herself, but of course she has a favourite discipline : "10km mass start in free style, because I prefer skating and I'm better at it. In addition you're more motivated in a mass start race and it's more exciting both for

skiers and spectators." She will spend the post-Olympic season in the United States of America to study business, marketing and communication in Colorado and to "represent the university in cross-country races where the teams of different universities affront each other for the glory."
Besides one is in Colorado a step closer to Vancouver, the host for the upcoming Olympic Games, at least geographically. During the Olympics in Torino it was no problem for her to be only spectator. "I felt comfortable being a spectator, because I had the chance to encourage my friends and my sister." Her optimistic site comes to light again and with 23 years she has still enough time for the Olympics.

But is it not difficult to be all the time only the little sister of Sandrine Bailly, I want to know. "That's no problem.", she answers, "you've got to accept it and go your own way. It's not evident, but you get some kind of used to. Somehow it's the destiny of all little sisters."
Sandrine had had the dream of competing in one mixed-relay with Annelise and their little brother Sylvain. But as both of them now "go their own ways" and have changed to cross-country, the fulfilment of this dream is far away. Except to persuade Sandrine to … "I don't think she'd agree to ! And Biathlon is a nice sport, so maybe we'll meet in Biathlon again !!" Anne Gassner

2005/2006

2006/2007