From Thursday to Sunday, the final event of the Olympic Sailing World Cup was held. The Medal Race, which counts double points, took place in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. And the French won six podiums including two first steps.
Louis Giard in RS:X Men
The young Frenchman excelled the first two days of the race, and was already in the lead in the morning, despite a difficult third day. He still had to watch out for the Greek Byron Kokkalanis, ranked 2 e only one point behind.
But Louis Giard managed to stay the course and won the gold.
For this last day, he sailed with pleasure and without pressure: "Maybe that's the secret. The first day I was like that, relaxed, and it worked really well. Yesterday it was more difficult for me... I had the yellow jersey so I had extra pressure on my shoulders. Today I relaxed and I knew that in these conditions I could do something great!"
The world champion, Julien Bontemps, finishes at the 2nd place e position in the Medal Race, and passes in front of Pierre Le Coq in the final ranking, at 7 e place.
Tricolor podium in Nacra 17
Billy Besson and Marie Riou were already in the lead on the morning of the Medal Race. These two-time world champions are now also winners of the Olympic Sailing World Cup.
The winners of the Medal race are Audrey Ogereau and Matthieu Vandame, however 5 e in the ranking on the morning of the race. They are now in 2nd place e place in the general ranking.
And Moana Vaireaux and Manon Audinet climb on the third step of the podium.
Charline Picon 2 e in RS:X Women
Charline Picon, 2 e in the morning, far ahead of the Englishwoman Bryony Shaw (19 points behind), could not win the gold. She finishes in a beautiful second place. (Charline Picon and Bryony Shaw on the first picture, photo: Pedro Martinez-Saking Energy-ISAF)
Jean-Baptiste Bernaz 3 e in Laser
Jean-Baptiste Bernaz, with a bad first day of racing (9 e ), managed to climb back up in the general ranking and finished in 3rd place e place, behind the Croatian Tonci Stipanovi? (2 e ) and the Australian winner, Tom Burton.
In the women's category, Mathilde de Kerangat finished 10 e .
49ER
The Marseillais, Julien d'Ortoli and Noé Delpech, were close to the podium (4 e place) before this last event, but they were disqualified on the final run. They finish 7 e in the general ranking.
The winners are the Polish Tomasz Januszewski and Jacek Nowak.
Mathieu Frei and Yann Rocherieux are, as for them, 9 e .
In the 49er FX, Sarah Steyaert and Johann Bouic finished in 3rd place e place in the Medal Race and placed 8 e in the general ranking.
