Sailing: Noesmoen and Goyard’s crazy Olympic week!
The French sailing team, competing at home, outdid themselves during the French Olympic Week with a total of 11 podiums, including 2 gold medals in the iQFoil event won by Hélène Noesmoen and Nicolas Goyard, two athletes supported by Banque Populaire.
In a class of their own
With two years to go before Paris 2024, the French Olympic sailing team is chalking up some outstanding results. During the French Olympic Week, the sailing regatta held in Hyères from 23 to 30 April, the French athletes put up a particularly strong performance with, in particular, Hélène Noesmoen, supported by Banque Populaire Grand Ouest, and Nicolas Goyard, supported by Banque Populaire Méditerranée. Both of them won gold in the iQFoil category, the new foil windsurfing class adopted for the Olympics.
Hélène Noesmoen, a windsurfer from Les Sables d'Olonne, dominated the competition both during the first heats in strong winds and during the finals contested in light winds blowing between 5 and 7 knots. All in all, Hélène Noesmoen won 12 of the 15 races, proof of her overwhelming supremacy.
Nicolas Goyard also left his mark on the regattas, winning 11 out of the 16 races in the competition.
These results inevitably call to mind the 2021 world championships where the two French riders came top in the first world championships staged for this new iQFoil discipline on Lake Silvaplana in Switzerland.
It’s true that Nicolas Goyard wasn’t necessarily competing against all his principal rivals but the regattas in Hyères were an ideal opportunity to prepare for future events and, in particular, the European Championships due to take place in Italy on May 17 in the wonderful setting of Lake Garda. This is the same goal pursued by Hélène Noesmoen, all the more so as she triumphed in the iQFoil European Championships held last year in Marseille.
Favorable winds
The excellent second place in kitefoil racing achieved by Axel Mazella supported by the Banque Populaire Méditerranée is also a result worth mentioning. The discipline’s vice-world champion had a great week in Almanarre Bay in a discipline where French riders shine in particular.
Finally, there was also a pleasant surprise in the ILCA 6 class (the new name for the Laser Radial class) which saw outstanding performances from two athletes, again supported by Banque Populaire Méditerranée. Marie Barrué from Hyères finished second behind the unbeatable Agata Barwinska from Poland while Louise Cervera came in third place on the podium.
As Paris 2024 draws steadily closer, the winds are currently extremely favorable for the French Olympic sailing team.
French Olympic Week: to learn more about the results of the French Olympic Sailing Team, click here (article in French).
For the past 20 years, Banque Populaire has been supporting the French Sailing Federation, the French Sailing Team, leagues, clubs and sailing schools: the proving ground for the champions of the future with their sights on the Olympic & Paralympic Games Paris 2024, partnered by the bank.