Hervé Balland (born January 7, 1964 in Champagnole ) is a former French cross-country skier , long-distance specialist in free technique , who was active in the World Cup from 1990 to 1998. At the Nordic World Ski Championships in Falun in 1993 , he won the silver medal over 50 km in free technique. This was the first ever World Championship medal for a French cross-country skier.
Balland's best placement at the Winter Olympics was 5th place over 50 km in free technique in 1992 in Albertville . In total, Balland took part in three Olympic Games. In his last Olympic race over 50 km in Nagano in 1998 he reached 14th place.
In the 1994 World Cup he achieved 2nd place over 50 km in Thunder Bay (Canada) and a total of 3 top 10 placements. Balland was the first French cross-country skier to win the legendary 76 km Worldloppet run Transjurassienne in the French Jura (1991 and 1996), as well as the Engadin Skimarathon (1993, 1994 and 1996) and the Marcialonga (1995).
Since his resignation, Balland has owned a sports and ski shop in his home village of Morbier (Jura, France).
France
