French selections in the making

They were aiming for Olympic participation, hoping to impress national selectors.

Several upsets meant world medallists did not make it to the podium, and five crews became national champions for the first time. As a result, when selections were announced two days later, it appeared two of France's top international crews, the men's quad and the lightweight men's four, will have different line-ups at the Rowing World Cup in Munich. 

The big surprise of the national champs came when the two halves of France’s international lightweight men’s four raced each other in the lightweight pair. Olympic champion Jean-Christophe Bette and partner Franck Solforosi finished at the head of the field, with their two usual crewmates in the lightweight four Fabien Tilliet and Jérémy Pouge finishing more than ten seconds behind in third position. Vincent Faucheux and Guillaume Raineau finished in second place, only six hundredths of a second out of reach of gold. “Vincent and Guillaume came back very strongly in the last 250 metres,” says Bette. “We fulfilled our contract and won the title, but had to fight really hard to stay in the lead.” In Munich, Guillaume Raineau will replace Jérémy Pouge.

Six world silver medallists competed in the men’s single. Julien Bahain, who finished second in the men’s quad last year in Munich, finished ahead of his usual crewmates in the quad Jonathan Coeffic and Cédric Berrest, with crewmate number four Jean-David Bernard missing out on the A Final. The 2006 World Champions in the men’s double, Adrien Hardy and Jean-Baptiste Macquet did not make it to the podium. Jean-David Bernard will race in the single at the Rowing World Cup in Munich, with Pierre-Jean Peltier replacing him in the quad.

In the lightweight single, Olympic silver medallist in the lightweight double Frédéric Dufour who would have been up for a sixth title in this event had he not suffered from a shoulder injury this past winter, did not make it to the podium. His lightweight doubles partner Fabrice Moreau, also injured, was not able to take part. The national title went instead to Rémi Di Girolamo and silver to Jérémie Azou; they will form a lightweight double in Munich. Dufour and Maxime Goisset, who finished third, will form France's second lightweight double.

In the pair, two members of France’s international men’s four, Julien Despres and Dorian Mortelette, finished ahead of Laurent Cadot and Erwan Peron. “We had a lot of determination and confidence. It is truly an accomplishment of the work we have done together for the past three years,” says Despres.

In the women’s lightweight single, Coralie Simon, 20, deprived 2005 World silver medallist Bénédicte Luzuy-Dorfman of her 13th national title. Coralie Simon will race in the lightweight double in Munich with third-placed Eugénie Vince.

Sophie Balmary, as always, largely dominated the women’s single, finishing 13 seconds ahead of second-place Caroline Delas.