Semi-final of the French cross-country championships: the Alésiens, thinking of Europe

Abdelhak Bendaya, ici lors de la demi-finale 2023 à Carmaux, favori en Master. MIDI LIBRE

Carcassonne accueille une demi-finale du championnat de France de cross-country, dimanche 18 février. Sur 1 300 qualifiés et engagés, 190 Gardois seront en lice pour tenter de se qualifier pour le championnat de France à Carmaux, dimanche 10 mars.

See Tarn and Carmaux, Sunday March 10: this is the objective of the 190 Gard runners competing for the semi-finals of the French cross-country championships, this Sunday at Carcassonne. One hundred and ninety, among the 1,300 qualified and committed to Aude.

The AC2A team directly qualified because selected for the European Club Cup in Portugal

Selected for the European Club Cup, which will take place on Sunday February 25 in Albufeira (Algarve – Portugal), the elite men's group of Alès C2A finds itself automatically qualified for the French championships in Carmaux.

Holding the Occitanie individual titles with Said Kaddour and team titles, the Cévenols, without Michael Gras or Kaddour who are saving themselves for the continental meeting, nevertheless present a more than competitive plan B with Damien Gras, Freddy Guimard, Julien Samson and Maxime Bargetto. And who will be very difficult to beat collectively on the 9,000 m of the Aude circuit.

Among the women, led by the reigning regional champion, Sarah Hasni, the Alésiennes will also play the leading roles on the 8,000 m of the long cross course.

Over the 4.5 km cross court, it will be more complicated for the AC2A, who will have to fight hard, both for men and women, to reach the individual and team podiums.

On the Masters event, which will open the program at 11 a.m. over 9,000 m, it is Nîmes’ Abdelhak Bendaya who will be favored by the forecast.

Young ambitious Gardois who are also aiming to qualify for Carmaux, March 10

Among young people, the Gard delegation will be able to aim for titles or podiums. Starting with the junior boys and girls departmental teams, who won bronze in 2023 among the 13 delegations from Occitanie. In cadet, the Alès C2A team will play for the title, as will the promising Union Sud 30 cadet Élise Verdelhan.

Finally note, and this is a first at this level of the competition, that the eight best Gard juniors, boys and girls, will be selected for the final on March 10 in Tarn.

Sunday February 18 in Carcassonne from 11 a.m.
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