The Hippodrome des Allègres de Montauban is hosting the French cross-country Championships this Saturday 13 and Sunday 14 November, a competition that promises, with the presence of several tricolor plowing specialists. This major national event is not lacking in challenges, with titles to pick up, but also tickets to land for the European Championships in Dublin (Ireland) on December 12. We review the main favorites, category by category. Decryption!
Cadets (4625 m)
Among the athletes present on Sunday in Montauban, one name particularly catches our attention: Jinane Mahi, French champion of the 3000m and double French champion of the 30 minutes to Pacé (2020 and 2021). The protégé of Antoine Galopin and Loïc Rapinel who is continuing her studies at the Pôle Espoir of the Lycée Sévigné in Cesson will face several opponents for the title, starting with Léa Kimmel, Jade Le Corre, Margot Dajoux, Mathilde Desgenetais or Jade Dufour. In addition, let us not forget that regularly this category book of beautiful revelations and some surprises. Remember in 2019 in Vittel, Émilie Noyer won the title after placing tenth in the interregional in Yzeure three weeks before.
Cadets (5825 m)
By looking at the entry list for the French cross-country championships, difficult to come out with real favorites. We will still focus on Sven Durand, champion of France cadets over 10 km at Langueux, Gaël Leprohon, Hugo chauviere, Bilal Safadi and Aurelien Radja. However, having another athlete on the podium would not be an achievement. The Spaniard from AS Pierrefitte Imad El Goumri Jebbouri, who won hands down the LIFA regional awards at Verneuil-sur-Seine, should play the spoilsport. Note that cadets could be upgraded to the junior team at the Dublin Euro if their performances catch the eye of the coaches. This is particularly the case for girls whose course is similar to that of the juniors.
Junior girls (4625 m)
Very smart whoever will guess the winner and even the final podium! At this little game we can quote Coralie Driss, Camille Laurent, Camille Place, Julia Ravet, Liza Lambert, Maelle Porcher and Clara Jobbin Who can all aim for the golden charm, in a race that promises to be very dense and close.
Junior boys (7573 m)
Several runners will take the start with the dream of national laurels in a corner of the points. Baptiste Cartieaux and Antonin Marquant are among the most promising middle-crossers of their generation. They are ready to go for the first place in Occitanie. And if we are talking about favorites, Luc Le Baron obviously invites itself into the conversation. French cross champion among the cadets in 2019, the member of Doubs Sud Athlétisme made his comeback under the orders of Adrien Taouji at INSEP. A choice which should lead him to take a new step in his career. Already the first signs of progress on Sunday in Montauban?
Among the others involved, we will watch Eliot Bidet, Nathan Bruyere, Felix Rivet, Pierre Lenoir, Adrien Le Richomme and Gwen Duval. Italian from Dordogne Athlé Achraf Abbane, who won the France over 1500m at Evry-Bondoufle, will also be part of the party. An enticing race in perspective! The first four junior girls and the first four boys will be automatically selectable for Dublin. A maximum of two other athletes in each category may be selected by the Selection Committee taking into account the results of the cadet and junior races.
Cross court Femmes (4625 m)
Different athletes are likely to lead the debates. Among the runners to follow, Alexa Lemitre, Anaïs Bourgoin, Johanna Geyer-Carles, Alice mitard, Chloe Lenoir, Claire Privat or the sisters Lucie and Marie Nivet. The Moroccan from Romilly Sport 10 Athletics Siham Hilali and the Algerian of Athlé 92 Naval Yahi have sent a strong signal on the occasion of their respective regional championships.
Men’s cross court (4625 m)
Without doubt one of the great moments of this 2021 edition of France des plowing. Triple European champion hopefuls of the specialty, Jimmy Gressier will be closely scrutinized by all athletics enthusiasts for its return to the slush. However, the one who finished 13th in the 5000m final of the Tokyo Olympics will start without pressure. He has nothing to lose and that is perhaps what makes him the most dangerous. The “little guy” of Chemin-Vert, who has just come back from an altitude course in Font-Romeu, will be able to count on his new comrade from Boulogne Athlétic Club Mohamed-Amine El Bouajaji. The latter has not hung a bib since February 15, 2020, during the 5 km of the Monaco Run swallowed in 13’29. Since then, the former Strasbourg resident has refocused on his professional project by entering an airline pilot school.
Both should beware of Florian Carvalho, Alexis Miellet, Yani Khelaf and Louis Gilavert, who should be in ambush for the palm. Patrice Le Gall, Benoit Campion, Anicet Kozar or Donovan Christien are also more than credible outsiders. Regarding the selection of the mixed relay (2 men and 2 women) for the Europe of Dublin, it will take place within the framework of the national cross “South West” of Gujan-Mestras on Sunday November 28th.
Cross Elite Femmes (8623 m)
Everything designates Mekdes Woldu like the big favorite of the elite race on Sunday, her results have been eloquent in recent months. If the 2021 French champion in the 10,000 m, 10 km and half marathon is in the same shape as ten days ago in Marseille-Cassis, she will be difficult to dislodge from first position. The fight for the scratch podium and the title among the hopefuls promises to be lively between four young shoots with long teeth. Indeed, there is every reason to expect “a real duel” between Margaux Sieracki, Melody Julien, Manon Trapp and Flavie Renouard. The positive results followed one after another for these athletes who seem capable of excelling in any type of race and terrain.
Be careful, a slew of other runners have the means to annoy even the strongest, and can therefore dream of creating a surprise by playing on the podium. Among these, difficult not to name Mathilde Sénéchal, heroine of the promotional poster of the event, Leila hadji, Sophie duarte, Cecile Jarousseau, Aude Keyboard, Eugenie Lorain, Laëtitia Bleunven and Marion Le Goff. We can regret the absence of Liv Westphal, outgoing champion at Vittel, and Susan Kipsang Jeptooo, selected for the Tokyo Olympic Marathon, which would add spice to a race that promises to be sumptuous. We can not forget to mention the name of Maryse Le Gallo (category M5), seven times selected for the French team between 1990 and 1998, who will take part in the long cross at the age of 61. Apart from Sophie Duarte, all the young ladies mentioned above were not yet born when the Breton honored her first cape with the Blues.
Cross Elite Men (9823 m)
There will be very, very beautiful people at the French Cross-Country Championships on Sunday in the queen race. But unlike in recent years, it is difficult to know who will carry “the sign”, as we say in the jargon, that is to say to identify a clear favorite to succeed Emmanuel Roudolff-Lévisse. While he is still champion of France for a few hours, the resident of Racing Multi Athlon has only one desire: to extend his national reign in the plowing. His club teammates Mahiedine Mekhissi, triple Olympic medalist over 3000 m steeplechase, Krilan Le Bihan, Raphaël Montoya and Felix Bour will be at the start. This last named offers himself a beautiful autumn: a time of 1:01:32 in the Valencia half-marathon and a first place in the prestigious Marseille-Cassis. Extending his state of form until the race should therefore not pose a particular problem for him. Mistrust.
If he is far from being the favorite for the final victory, imagining Félix Bour on the podium is possible, even if it will be necessary to fight against the other top names. Morhad Amdouni, Azeddine Habz, Yann Schrub, Mehdi Brother, Yohan Durand, Hassan Chahdi, Arsene Guillorel, Fabien Palcau, Morgan le guen, Francois Barrer, to name a few, seem to have the weapons to get on the box. What to imagine a fascinating show at the end of the program! The U-21 title battle should be about Bastien Augustus, Florian Le Pallec, Valentin Gondouin, Flavien Szot, Valentin Bresc or Arthur Gervais. The first three men and the first three women among the seniors and the prospects will stamp their ticket directly for the trip to Dublin.
Masters Men (9823 m)
Stephane Valenti knows better than anyone the recipe for climbing to the top step of the podium. The founder of the AMSL Fréjus will go to the defense of his title acquired at Vittel in 2019. He will be one of the players in the race, there is no doubt. Jérémy Legout, Julien purrey, Olivier Caillere and Samir Tatah | can aspire to beautiful things in Montauban. Let us also mention the presence of the former specialist in the 400m hurdles Sebastien Maillard (record in 49 ″ 10), semi-finalist of the Worlds of Paris at the Stade de France in 2003, who tries the adventure in the mud.
Mixed relay (7500 m)
Remember, we told you about it more than two years ago, the mixed relay will be introduced in the program of the French cross-country championships. Two titles will be awarded: All Categories (Juniors to Masters) and -20 years (Cadets and Juniors). This event will take place on Saturday, November 13, the day before the individual races. The teams of Décines Meyzieu Athletics, led by Claire Perraux, the Nancy Athletics Metropolis, led by Aurore Fleury, and the French stadium are in pole position for the national title.
To your predictions!
More information on the French Cross-Country Championships, in click here.
Our team will be there to make you experience the competition through its most beautiful pictures as well as through its traditional report which will be published soon on our site.
Photo credit: STADION
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