D-19 before curtain up at the La Grande Motte International Regatta 2024

Trofeo Princesa Sofia IBEROSTAR © Sailing Energy / Trofeo Princesa Sofia IBEROSTAR

Wednesday April 17 at 11:00 a.m., At 100 days before the launch of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, the La Grande Motte International Regatta 2024 was officially presented at a press conference held at the Hôtel de Région in Montpellier, in the presence of officials and partners: Pascal Etienne, Director of the Regional Directorate of Youth, Sports and Social Cohesion (DRAJES), representing Pierre-André Durand, prefect of the Occitanie region, Kamel Chibli, Vice-President of the Occitanie Region, Stephan Rossignol, Mayor of La Grande Motte and President of the Pays de l'Or Urban Area, as well as Paul Bastard, President of the La Grande Motte Yacht Club.

"Today we are on D-100 of the Olympic and Paralympic Games. And what a great, symbolic opportunity to welcome this extraordinary event which will muster some the greatest champions in the world " highlighted Kamel Chibli, summarizing the visible, unanimous enthusiasm for the even of all the assembled institutional partners From May 4 to 12, La Grande Motte International Regatta 2024, (Nacra17 World Championship, 49er and 49erFX European Championships) will be the last major international event before the Games for the Olympic teams at these three class championships.

(L to R): Michel Camboulive, Franck Citeau, Noah Chauvin, Paul Bastard, Stephan Rossignol, Margot Billy, Pascal Etienne, Kamel Chibli, Hugues Puimatto, Pierre Carayon, and Jean-François Catagna - photo © Didier Hillaire

A big entry from all around the world

138 crews (276 men and women athletes), representing more than 30 nations are already entered, some come from very far from La Grande Motte like the New Zealand, Australia, America, Argentina, China and even Korea.

Around thirty teams are already here, the first training sessions on the La Grande Motte waters will begin this weekend.

The elite of international sailing

In Nacra17 (mixed foil catamaran), the three top teams from Tokyo Games will race at La Grande Motte: the Italians Tita/Banti (Olympic champions and triple world champions), the Brits Gimson/Burnet and the Germans Kohlhoff/Stuhlemer all taking on the challenge from the rising stars of the series.

In the 49er (men's skiff), Erwan Fischer and Clément Pequin, France's newly crowned world champions, will be opposed - among others - to the formidable Dutch Lambrieux/van der Werken.

In FX (women's skiff), the Dutch Odile van Aanholtt and Annette Duetz, 2024 world champions, or the Italians Jana Germani/Giorgia Bertuzzi will be among the big favorites.

The French Olympic sailors will be in La Grande Motte

Around twenty French crews will be race but inevitably the focus will fall on the three duos who will have the privilege and honor of sailing under the French tricolour in Marseille, venue for the Olympic Sailing Regatta events.

In the Nacra17 Tim Mourniac and Lou Berthomieu are the most recently selected after performing well at the season's first World Cup in Palma (4th overall, winners of the medal race). And in the 49ers, after their domination of the last world championships, Frenchies Erwan Fischer and Clément Pequin are the men to beat in 49er.

Finally, Sarah Steyaert (whose 4th participation in the Games it will be) and France's great champion Charline Picon (Olympic gold medal in Rio, silver in Tokyo, 5 European titles and a world title in windsurfing) are the dream pairing who teamed up for this Olympiad in 49er FX who will be keen to prove where they stand in the world right now, in the final run in to the Games.