French Squash Championship: The National Elite comes to Chartres in four days!
The elite French championships in Chartres are a first! But in the past, the city of Beauce has welcomed great people from this particular sport, where athletes compete mercilessly for a rubber ball, as big as a ping-pong ball but ten times heavier, all in a glass cage.
Chartres will host the French championships
International tournament in 2004
During the Horizon de Beaulieu era, which eventually became C’Chartres Squash and Badminton, the club hosted a national and even international tournament with a glass court installed on the Place des Épars. It should be noted that the Egyptian Mohammad Hafiz won the Open. We were in 2004. The glass cage experience was even opened a year ago at the expense of the 4th Jean-Michel Arcucci during the national tournament won by the then 5th French Stephane Galifi. Under the eye of a certain Thierry Lincou, he comes to make an exhibition.
The Reunionnais, now 46, helped popularize his sport by becoming world No. 1 in 2004. Gregory Gaultier succeeded him in 2009. Thus, these two champions made it possible to promote their sport and make France the global fortress it is today. .
Former British colonies (Pakistan, Australia, New Zealand or even South Africa) have seen squash invited to the table by France, which is still dominated by England and, for the past fifteen years, Egypt at individual level. adults. Thus, the men’s and women’s tricolor clan ranked 3rd worldwide between 2016 and 2019. During the European championships, the tricolors have no complex against Great Bretons, such as Camille Serme, who has been European champion six times in a row since 2012. Until 2017.
n°9 with the world
While Cristolienne will not be participating in the debates this week, her male alter ego Victor Crouin will be in Chartres. And not to fix the figure. The 23-year-old Marseillais, who was world No. 9 and European vice-champion in Hamburg (Germany) last year, will be the No. 1 representative of the Avrel Plateau, amputee from US-held French champion Gregoire Marc. .
On the women’s side, two first-time nationals, Kamil Serme and Melissa Alves, will also be absent. But the table won’t be devalued by all that, with the finalists of France 2022, defending champion Marie Stephane of Guyana and her runner-up Aixoise Enora Villard.
Program of elite French championships:
The French championship is held from February 1 to 4 at the C’Chartres squash and badminton complex, located at 12 avenue François-Mitterand. Free entry.
Today: round of 16 men and women from 12:00 p.m.
Tomorrow: qualifying games from 11:00; 1/4 final H+D from 15:00.
Friday: qualifying games from 12:00; H+D semi-finals from 16:00.
saturday: qualifying games from 10:00; 12:00 p.m. 3rd place game; H+D finals from 2pm.
It will also take place in Chartres, outside the elite of “France”. -13 and -17 French league championships, Friday through Sunday. Among the under-17s, there will be four Chartrains as part of the Centre-Val de Loire selection led by Denis Bourret, including Mathias De La Colina, 15 and the 2nd national athlete in his category.
Jean-André Provost
