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The French Sailing Federation has announced the composition of the 2026 French Team, the first step towards the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games. This new selection, presented to the CNOSF, marks a strategic shift with a group reduced to 9 athletes compared to 14 in the previous cycle.
This tightening up is explained by the tightening up of selection criteria: only athletes who have reached a top 6 in the world in 2025, or who are Olympic medallists or world champions in 2024, have been retained. The objective is clear: to maximize podium chances by focusing on the best-performing profiles.
A small but highly competitive team
Among those selected are Lauriane Nolot (Kitefoil), Olympic medallist and European champion, and Louise Cervera, world champion in ILCA 6, who embodies the rise of a highly competitive women's sector.
In iQFOiL windsurfing, Tom Arnoux (world vice-champion) and Nicolas Goyard (5th at Worlds, European vice-champion) spearhead a high-potential duo. In the Kitefoil class, Benoît Gomez, unexpectedly 3rd in the world, completes the line-up alongside Nolot.
In the 470 class, the young duo of Matisse Pacaud and Lucie De Gennes, three-time world junior champions, continued their progress with a fine 6th place in the world rankings. Finally, Erwan Fischer and Clément Péquin, crowned 49er world champions before Paris 2024, confirm their status with two Grand Slam victories this season.
Notable absences and assertive choices
This selection is also notable for its absentees. No female representative in iQFOiL, no duo in 49er FX, no athlete in ILCA 7 (the men's single-handed dinghy series), and no representative in Nacra 17.
This absence illustrates the rigor of the criteria: no top 6 in the world, no selection. For example, Tim Mourniac and Aloïse Retornaz, who came 8th in the last Nacra 17 World Championship, did not make the French Team, but remain supported by the French Team Collective. An intermediate position, with federal support but fewer resources.
A clear performance strategy
For Loïc Billon, manager of the French team, this "selective" approach responds to a simple logic: aim for excellence. "At the last Olympiad, a world top 3 was required. In 2025, it was a top 8. For 2026, we're raising the bar to a top 6," he explains.
The aim is no longer to be satisfied with an 8th or 10th place finish at the Worlds. "85% of Olympic medallists were already medallists at the Worlds. You have to be in the mix right away," insists Franck Citeau, performance manager. In short, a long-term performance strategy that can be adjusted according to results: an athlete can be integrated during the season if he or she achieves a world podium.
One thing is certain: French sailing enters an Olympiad under the banner of rigor, ambition and performance. The road to Los Angeles has begun, but only the strongest will remain.
