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In Marseille, the French Elite Olympic Sailing Championship made a comeback with a format that changed the way the French sailing scene was viewed. All series met on the same water surface, with 121 athletes, young up-and-comers and confirmed leaders. The result: champions crowned, but also very concrete lessons on performance, formats and the ability to cope with opposing conditions.
The same water surface for all series, and logistics become a sporting issue
Bringing all the Olympic series together at the Stade Nautique Florence Arthaud is practical for the public, but it's also a test of organization for the teams. When everyone shares the same stretch of water, the management of slots, starts, returns to shore and safety takes on a whole new dimension.
For the coaches, it's a clearer picture of French density. For the athletes, it creates emulation: we cross paths on land, observe adjustments, compare warm-up and recovery methods.
Strong wind followed by light airs: the championship forces us to change software
The weather scenario was clear: a strong mistral, then a final day of finals in light winds. Right from the opening, only the iQFoil sailboards raced before the conditions became too violent. The following day, with 30-35 knots and gusts of up to 45 knots forecast, racing was cancelled for all series. Then the races resumed, before a final in light airs.
For an Elite championship, this large gap is more than just a detail. It forces us to switch from commitment-based sailing, where control and safety dominate, to finesse-based sailing, where pure speed is no longer enough. This is exactly what Franck Citeau, performance manager, reminds us when he insists on the ability to link everything together, sometimes in the same day.
Performance cells: the tool becomes collective and visible
The championship was not conceived as a simple medal ceremony. The stated aim is to get the athletes working with the weather, engineering, mental preparation and dietetics teams. To put it plainly, we're putting some of what usually goes on in training or behind the scenes around the pontoon.
For young people, it's an important step. They're racing with the best, and they discover the same high standards of preparation, analysis and recovery. For the leaders, it's an opportunity to validate their routines and measure their ability to remain lucid when the water changes face.
The downside is that this density of support can also put pressure on you. You're observed, timed and compared. But that's precisely the point: to prepare for the construction of the 2028 project.
Shaking up hierarchies
Franck Citeau talks about hierarchies that are sometimes shaken. That's a key point. A strong national championship means constant selection in training. And it's also a source of progression, because internal competition prevents you from settling in.
On the iQFoil side, Hélène Noesmoen won the women's race, ahead of Manon Pianazza and Marion Couturier. Nicolas Goyard took the men's title ahead of Tom Arnoux and Louis Pignolet. In Formula Kite, Lauriane Nolot is French Elite 2026 champion in the women's category, and Nell de Jaham wins the men's title.
In ILCA, Alexandre Kowalski wins ILCA 7, Louise Cervera wins ILCA 6. In the 49er class, Erwan Ficher and Clément Pequin take the title. In 49er FX, Manon Peyre and Amélie Riou win in their first regatta together. In 470, Matisse Pacaud and Lucie de Gennes are champions. In Nacra 17, Tim Mourniac and Aloïse Retornaz take the title.
What Marseille 2026 already says about the 2028 project
The championship kicks off the Olympic season, but above all it serves as the first building block for 2028. The ambition expressed by management is clear: to aim for the top 3 nations at the Olympic Games, which means going for gold medals.
On the water, Marseille offered a simple lesson: you have to be versatile, robust and capable of changing register without losing your bearings. On land, the event showed a structured French team, with performance tools deployed and internal competition that doesn't go to sleep.
And in the end, perhaps that's the best definition of an Elite championship. Titles, yes. But above all, points to work on from the next launch.
