La Grande-Motte launched the “International Regatta” which brings together French and foreign crews expected at the Olympics this summer

Paul Bastard, président du Yacht-Club a accueilli les compétiteurs – MICHAEL ESDOURRUBAILH

Lancement officiel ce lundi soir d'une semaine de compétitions autour de La Grande-Motte.

138 crews, or nearly 300 runners, representing 32 nations and "obviously, the future Olympic medalists from Marseille are already here! " s’enthusiasm Franck Citeau, regional technical director of the Occitanie Sailing League. The Grande-Motte International Regatta was officially launched this Monday, May 6 in the evening, while the qualifying regattas start this Tuesday morning and the final of the three categories will take place on Sunday, May 12. This event is the last opportunity for these champions to compete before the next Olympics.

For La Grande-Motte, 80 days before the launch of the Games and a few days before the arrival of the Olympic flame, the event is promising."Boating irrigates the maritime heritage of our city and it constitutes an important part of our identity" recalled Stéphan Rossignol, mayor of a town which is’ is preparing, on Saturday, to celebrate the centenary of the birth of its founder Jean Balladur, who imagined his project around the port. With 1 600 rings and companies "ambassadors", or even the multihull show, the mayor underlined the importance of the sector in the city's economy.

"The jobs of tomorrow depend on the practitioners of today", summarizes Franck Citeau. "These international competitions also highlight an entire nautical sector. The more children we take to bring them to the highest level, the more we will energize the entire sector. Those who will sail tomorrow, who will shine in competitions or who will buy and use boats, now is the time to train them, interest them, motivate them.

Review of the Let’s dare to sail plan

Before the launch of the sporting events, this was the purpose of the meeting which was held this Monday afternoon in the presence of the regional prefect, and the rector Sophie Béjean, consisting of take stock of the Osons la Voile plan, 2019-2024. An investment of 4.4M€, of which 2.20M€ of the State, 1.60 M€ of the Region and 600 000 € self-financing of clubs which made it possible to help and support 50 structures, 300 professionals and 125,000 beneficiaries… In Occitania, there are 77 clubs representing 14,000 licensees.

La Grande-Motte, labeled Terres de jeux 2024, and boasting the largest Yacht Club in Occitanie, as well as the Mediterranean Training Center for twenty years, is well this week in the words of Stéphan Rossignol "the world capital of sailing". Sébastien Denaja, regional advisor, appealed to poetry by quoting Paul Valéry "The wind is rising, we must try to live".