Rio welcomed from August 15 to 22, 339 athletes from 52 countries for a general competition one year before the Olympic Games. The best sailors of the 10 Olympic series competed in conditions identical to those of next yearâ??s Olympic Games. Among the champions present for this Olympic Sailing Test Event were the athletes of the French Sailing Team. In total, 15 athletes â?" 8 men and 7 women â?" raced in the bay of Rio de Janeiro. Even if their participation in the event is not yet assured, it was an opportunity for them to test themselves and to train and acquire experience.
Fierce competitors
It is with the windsurfing (RS:X) men and women and the Laser and Laser Radial that opened the day of Saturday, August 15, in the bay of Guanabara. With two races for the Laser and Laser Radial and three for the windsurfers, this first day was prolific for the French. Pierre Le Coq (RS:X) and Charline Picon won their first race. For the Laser sailors, the day was more difficult as Jean-Baptiste Bernaz and Mathilde de Kerangat were placed at 23 e and 27 e place in the provisional general ranking.
The second and third days are also an opportunity for everyone to show that they are hungry for victory. On the French side, the majority of the runners in contention are before the 10 e position in the general ranking. The 4th e day, some competitors were resting (49er and Nacra 17) while others were forced to do so. Indeed, the conditions were not met to launch the regattas. Thus, only the RS:X (windsurfing) men and women, Laser, Laser Radial and 49er FX were able to race, but with fewer races than expected.
Five medals for France
After seven days of competition, Charline Picon won the gold medal in the girls' RS:X Test Event in Rio. In the boys' event, Pierre Le Coq took the third step of the podium, winning bronze. In the final of the Olympic Sailing Test Event, Jean-Baptiste Bernaz won the silver medal in the Standard Laser. In the 49er, Manu Dyen & Stéphane Christidis gave their all in their Medal Race (final) but finished at the foot of the podium in the overall ranking. Finally, two other medals were added to the first three. Billy Besson and Marie Riou won silver in the Nacra 17, as did Sofian Bouvet and Jérémie Mion in the 470.
One year after the Rio Olympic Games, the French team brought back five medals and three series finished at the 4th place e place (49er, 470 F, Finn). A great performance that allows France to hold the largest number of medals (1 gold, 3 silver and 1 bronze).
The French Sailing Team in competition:
- NACRA 17 : Billy Besson (SNO Nantes / Army of Champions) & Marie Riou (USAM Voile/Armée de Champions)
- 49ER : Emmanuel Dyen (CNV Aix-les-Bains/Equipe de France Douane) & Stéphane Christidis (EV Cagnes sur Mer/Army of Champions)
- 49ER FX : Sarah Steyaert (CN Chatelaillon) & Aude Compan (CV Marseillan)
- RS:X (H) : Pierre Le Coq (CMV St Brieux /ENGIE)
- RS:X (F) : Charline Picon (CN La Tremblade/Armée de Champions)
- 470 (F): Camille Lecointre (SR Brest / Army of Champions) & Hélène Defrance (ASPTT Marseille / ENGIE)
- 470 (H) : Sofian Bouvet (SR Antibes / ENGIE) âeuros Jérémie Mion (SR Havre)
- LASER : Jean-Baptiste Bernaz (CN Sainte-Maxime)
- RADIAL LASER : Mathilde De Kerangat (SR Rochelaises)
- FINN: Jonathan Lobert (SNO Nantes/Army of Champions)
Photo credits: Christophe Launay / FFVoile
