A VICTORY for Tristan
After a long wait for the French racing fleet, it was time to see action again. Due to coronavirus restrictions, it has not been possible to host any competitions this season in France. After months of waiting the first event could go ahead in Dunkerque. Severne rider Tristan Algret took the win upon arriving from the warm Caribbean in some epic conditions. Here is his report;
Great to be back
We’ve just finished the first event of the french championship, which took place in Dunkerque in the very north of France. A bit cold when you come from the Caribbean.
Basically, the event supposed to happen in but July, due to the coronavirus it was pushed back. With a lot of efforts, the organisers managed to move it to the end of August. The forecast was really promising before the event and indeed it right as we achieved one foil slalom race in strong wind and three slalom eliminations, also in windy and wavy conditions.
I finished 3rd in the foil division where I raced in over 20 knots of wind with the 7.8 Mach3 and Starboard Slalom Foil 91.
Always on the limit
In the slalom, I respectively finish 2 / 8 / 1… which gave me the win by one point. The second day was probably the most epic with 25 knots and 2m cross on waves … always on the edge to catapulting.
That’s what happened on the second elimination. I was fighting for the third place and I hit a wave 50 meters before the finish line which ejected me in the air full speed. I fully exploded on the landing and ended up with an 8th place.
I was pissed off and full of revenge to take the lead as we knew already it will be impossible for racing on the last day.
I got a good start and got myself into the lead. Alex Cousin came back really strong on the second reach and from this moment we fought until the finish line … I almost catapulted 20 times; it was intense and really technical.
I am now leading the french championship with three more events to go …with the next one in Normandy in two weeks and the rest in the south of France later in October.
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