A European title in an Olympic year may seem ridiculous.
Only, four months before the Tokyo Games, Charline Picon really marks the spirits.
Under the sun of Vilamoura, Portugal, the Frenchwoman retained her title of European champion in RSX, the one she had - calendar upset because of the Covid crisis requires - won last November.
“This gold medal is really nice, it's not often that I shout like that when crossing the finish line, it was really nice, underlines the windsurfer.
My first big Olympiad victory was at the 2020 European Championships, it's my second in a row.
Above all, this is my fifth European champion title, it's starting to count.
"
Did it again 🤩
5th European title 🥇🥇🥇🥇🥇 pic.twitter.com/SRzNapnwqn
- picon charline (@piconcharline) March 13, 2021
Olympic champion in Rio in 2016, the Rochelaise had taken a break in her career to give birth to Lou, 3 and a half years old.
She then relaunched her training with the ambition to retain her title, a feat that no windsurfer in the world has yet accomplished.
"I realize that at my age (
Editor's note: 36 years old
), I still manage to progress", notes the one who is leading her sports career, a professional life (she has just opened a physiotherapy practice in La Rochelle) and her role as a mother.
In recent months, she has become the girl to kill on the water.
In Portugal, during this European week, she perfectly assumed her yellow leader's bib.
“The goal is to mark the territory, to leave as little as possible to the competitors,” she insists.
I like this leadership position.
I take all these medals but the only regatta I want to succeed is the Games.
I must not miss the target.
What is certain is that this European title validates what I am putting in place, it is necessarily interesting.
"
Surrounded by sailing wonders
Sometimes alone in training, Charline has, since September, surrounded herself with young future prodigies of French sailing.
“They are 19 years old and while young people their age are turned to foiling board (
Editor's note: the support that will replace the RSX at the Paris Games in 2024
), they came to help me in my project.
It is daring on their part.
There was one, then two, then three.
It corresponds to a period of my life when I want to transmit.
My quest for an Olympic gold medal has become a real collective project, if I can make them vibrate by winning, so much the better.
I can't wait to share this medal with them.
"
At the end of March, the World Championships await him, the final stage before Tokyo.
“It is not necessarily easy to chain competitions at a very high level in this way.
Having the niac, the energy every three months is not an easy exercise, but I have the feeling that things are really falling into place.
You may have the yellow jersey, in sailing at each competition we redistribute the cards.
A small title at the Worlds, it will be good to take, but we'll see.
I will already try to recover well.
"