Nice surprise this Friday for French sailing.
Jean-Baptiste Bernaz, world champion of Ilca 7 (the new name for races disputed in laser, the well-known small 4.23 m monohull), was elected this Friday Sailor of the Year 2022. A coronation from the vote of the public (2 votes) and of a jury of specialists (15 votes, including that of Figaro) brought together by the FFVoile in a dining room of the National Assembly at the invitation of Jimmy Pahun, the Breton deputy and multi winner of the Tour de France sailing race.
And it is not betraying an unavowable secret to reveal that the coronation of the southern sailor was played out during the second round of table chaired by Jean-Luc Dénéchau, the boss of the FFV voile and Antoine Albeau, 25 times champion of the world of windsurfing, in a duel to the finish with Charles Caudrelier,
the recent winner of the Route du rhum in Ultim.
A great victory for Olympic sailing, much less publicized than ocean racing...
Its consecration was formalized this Friday evening on the stage of the Olympia where a good part of the French sail had met, and a distinguished guest, Eric Coquerel, the president of the finance committee of the Assembly National well known to sailors for having worked for a long time for the French sailing federation but also Isabelle Autissier, Michel Desjoyeaux, with a communication agency.
And now Olympic gold
“
This title is really deserved, because Jean-Baptiste has had two objectives since he started Olympic sailing, to be world champion and to be Olympic champion
, explains Guillaume Chiellino, the DTN of the FFVoile.
He achieved his first goal by becoming the first French world champion in Ilca 7 history
in a competition of very high sporting level.
His strong points are his tenacity, his determination and his sense of racing
”.
Who therefore worked wonders on May 28 in Mexico during the Worlds, then in June during the military world championships (disputed in J80) and finally during the Mediterranean Games on July 5, for a unique hat-trick.
"not in charge of waging war but of bringing back medals for France"
Commander François, boss of the Battalion of Joinville
22nd sailor of the year rewarded and the 7th coming from Olympic sailing, Jean-Baptiste Bernaz was able to count during the deliberations on the active and passionate support of Commander François, boss of the Battle of Joinville, which brings together 200 athletes "
not responsible for to go to war but to bring back medals for France”
.
And the next in the sights of Second Petty Officer Bernaz of the French Navy, who does not need to fire live ammunition on the water to overtake his rivals, is none other than Olympic gold.
Based in Saint-Maxime, Bernaz has moved to Marseille which will host the sailing events of the 2024 Paris Games to best prepare for the supreme deadline.
After four participations in the Games (8th in Beijing 2008, 10th in London 2012, 5th in Rio 2016 and 6th in Tokyo 2020), the Southerner will have to repeat his feat of the world championships and "strengthen his game" to finally collect this medal which runs away from it.
If the DTN of the FFVoile refuses to record its selection already (only one French sailor per series), there is little doubt that the vice-world champion in 2016 and the world champion 2022 will be part of the party in 2024. And an Olympic title could well earn him a second Sailor of the Year title, again ahead of an offshore racing sailor...
