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Back in competition after a month's paternity leave for Erwan Fischer, the French duo formed with Clément Péquin won a precious gold medal in the 49er class at the Semaine de Kiel in Germany. This regatta is the third leg of the brand-new Olympic world circuit, the Sailing Grand Slam, which is gradually replacing the previous World Cups.
A victory built on consistency
The tandem, already world champions in 2024, had only three days' training in their legs before the start. Despite this, they were able to capitalize on their shared experience and strong technical complicity to remain at the top of the rankings throughout the competition. Five consecutive top 5 finishes in the final heats put them in the lead going into the medal race. They finished the medal race in fifth place, enough to secure overall victory ahead of Germany's Jakob Meggendorfer and Andreas Spranger, and Uruguay's Hernán Umpierre and Fernando Diz.
Varied conditions, one incident overcome
The competition was marked by changing weather conditions, with windy phases favorable to the French, but also more technical moments in light airs. The duo also had to deal with damage on the very first day, with a leak following a collision. After a complaint, they were reinstated in the general ranking. An episode which testifies to their resilience and their ability to deal with unforeseen circumstances in a regatta.
Ramping up for the Games
While the performance augurs well for the rest of the circuit, it also takes on a special dimension after the disappointment of the Marseille Olympics, where the duo finished twelfth. "This victory is a fine response, a step towards rebuilding," comments their coach Emmanuel Dyen.
In the other series, French results were more mixed. In 49er FX, the temporary duo of Mathilda Lovadina and Youenn Bertin finished 13th. In ILCA 6, Louise Cervera took 14th place, while Marie Barrué finished fifth. The 470 and Nacra 17 duos will enter the fray in the coming days.
