Nobody was able to worry the Rhone residents, who largely dominated the Dutch from Dupke (18-3) in the final. Bron even had the luxury of doing without his legend Christian Fazzino, named best player…
Nobody was able to worry the Rhone residents, who largely dominated the Dutch from Dupke (18-3) in the final. Bron even had the luxury of doing without his legend Christian Fazzino, named best player of the XXe century in 2000 by the international federation.
Preserved for triplets (five points each), the four-time world champion did not need to take out his balls. The French only lost a doublet (three points), after winning the six head to head (two points each), preventing any comeback from their opponents.
“It’s already good that they are participating”
Bron only lost four games in four days. Thursday and Friday, the French made short work of the Belgians of Pachy (31-0), the Germans of Buggarten (29-2) and the Ukrainians of Koshovyi (31-0) in the group stage. Exempt from 8es final, they had no more difficulty in defeating the Slovenians from Vila Ana (18-0) in the quarter-finals on Saturday. Even Monaco, presented as their most serious competitor, was no match in the semi-finals (17-4) on Sunday morning.
“These are countries where we play pétanque less than in Franceexplains Eric Hervouet, president of the Charente Committee. Some have little means, come here at their own expense. It’s already good that they are participating. Opposite, Bron has several international names.”
Winner of the Trophée des Villes this season, the club from the Lyon suburbs fielded four world champions: Christian Fazzino, Christian Andriantseheno, Charlotte Darodes and Christophe Sarrio, crowned this season in a doubles with Dylan Rocher. It was he who lost his team’s only match in the final, associated with Clément Bousquet. Proof that the Dutch gave the French a hard time, especially during the three doubles.
“The score does not reflect the gamerecognizes Christophe Sarrio. It went well for us and that’s the main thing. Petanque is evolving. It grows in strength from year to year. I knew a few Dutch players. I did a European Championship there. I know it plays very very well.”
“We have assumed our favorite status”
Seriously, Bron knew how to avoid all the traps for four days. “ We gained a lot of confidence at the startexplains coach Jean-Louis Cazemajou. We were confident but not enough. The mind is very important in pétanque. We assumed our status as favorite while respecting the opponent. »
The former basketball player, French champion in 1975 with Asvel, is not worried about the development of pétanque in Europe even if the gap has never seemed so big between France and the others. “ Emerging countries showed great things this weekend like the Netherlands, Monaco, Switzerland, Germany and Sweden. Afterwards, we must not forget that it is a club competition. The Italians are diminished because they lost their two leaders Cocciolo and Rizzi, who signed in France at Fréjus. »
Bron, on the contrary, can count on the contribution of the Malagasy Christian Andriantseheno and the Senegalese François N’Diaye.
Deprived of the exceptional leverage that a presence at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games would have represented, pétanque, whose candidacy was rejected, nevertheless hopes to continue its development. “ This European Cup shows that nations take planes, travel miles, even though they know very well that they are going to lose. There is a form of nobility that we do not always find in pétanque », underlines Jean-Louis Cazemajou.
This European Cup shows that nations take planes, travel miles, even though they know very well that they are going to lose.
Great values illustrated by the match between France and Ukraine, one of the highlights of the weekend in Saint-Yrieix. Koshovyi was the only team to field four women while all the others fielded only two. “ Two women replaced their husbands called to the front. It commands respect », confides Dominique Gosse, communications manager at the Charente Committee.
Bron insisted on playing triples without stakes against the Ukrainians. “ It’s an honor for them to play against champions like Christian Fazzino », explains Jean-Louis Cazemajou, seduced by the formula of this European Club Cup, which allows anonymous people to face the best bowlers in the world. “ Petanque creates social connections. This is its reason for being. »
Heading towards the French doubles championships in 2024
With just under 1,000 paid entries over four days, the fifty volunteers from the Charente Committee welcomed slightly fewer spectators than in previous years, even if the attendance was good on Sunday for the finals. “ The financial results do not look exceptional due to the significant costs incurred “, euphemizes President Eric Hervouet, who welcomes the “ very positive feedback » of all the actors. “ Humanly and sportingly, it’s exceptional. » Hailed for the quality of its welcome by the French Federation of Pétanque and Provençal Game, the committee will organize the French men’s doubles and women’s head to head championships in August 2024. Charente has not experienced such an event since the French triplets championships in the early 90s in Montauzier.
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