For more than 20 years Gilles Grindler was the National Director of the French XC Master Skiers. His first participation at a Masters World Cup has been in Finsterau/Germany in 1994. Four years later at the Masters World Cup in Lake Placid/USA the Members of the Board of WMA confirmed his nomination as National Director of the French Ski Federation.
He was first a career soldier from 1971 until 2002 and was also responsible for the French Military Cross Country Ski Team for many years.
Gilles and his wife Marguerite have three children and seven grandchildren and luckily there is always work enough.
Gilles is a great sportsman and has been active in many sport disciplines, such as swimming, cycling, downhill skiing, cross-country skiing, hiking, handball, football, volleyball, athletics, running, windsurfing. He also climbed mountain peaks around the world, such as Aconcagua in Argentina and Mont Blanc. His great passions are also writing books and photography.
Under the leadership of Gilles Masters cross-country skiing became more popular and the French Masters Team bigger and stronger. Since 1998 French number of participants at Masters World Cups increased steadily and many medals went to France.
For his dream, to host also in France a Masters World Cup, he worked hard and the MWC, held in 2009 in the former Olympic Village in Autrans, was a great and successful event. He remains as consultant for the bidding committee of Les Saisies for the MWC 2022.
During the MWC 2018 in Minneapolis Gilles has decided to transfer his volunteer job to a new leader, i.e. Gilbert Levrino.
Many thanks to Gilles Grindler and his wife Marguerite. We hope to see both at many more Masters World Cups!
We also wish Gilbert Levrino good luck for his task as new National Director of France!
