Team ENGIE: the event’s been delayed, but the target remains the same!

Because of the current public health crisis, the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games have been postponed to the summer of 2021. In spite of this extraordinary situation, ENGIE is proud to maintain its commitment to its team of athletes. Since the end of the lockdown, Team ENGIE members have eagerly returned to training, and some of them have had the opportunity to compete in their first events. Catch up on their news.
 

What are we trying to do? Give them all the energy they need to prepare with confidence. First they will be aiming to qualify for the forthcoming Olympic Games, and then maybe they can dream of a medal.

Sailing – Marie Riou in contention for the European Championships with Benjamin Schwartz

With their eyes on the Paris 2024 Olympics, which will see the introduction of mixed doubles ocean racing, Marie Riou and Benjamin Schwartz have been selected to represent France at the European Championship in Genoa, Italy, in early September. Prior to these first experiences of competing on the water as a pair, the duo had sailed together during the Volvo Ocean Race, where they were both part of the Dongfeng Race Team.

Sailing – Billy Besson is back at sea!

“Nothing’s changed. The spirit is still there. As enthusiastic and fresh as ever!”

Billy's first post-lockdown competition saw him win the Drheam-Cup (French Offshore Racing Grand Prix) on the Multi50 trimaran with the Solidaires En Peloton crew on July 21.
The Quiberon-born sailor’s next venture is ETF26 (Easy to Fly, a 4-stage European series for foiling catamarans, taking in Carnac, La Rochelle, La Trinité-sur-Mer and Quiberon) starting in August.

Sail well, Billy !

Surfing – second place for Pauline Ado in difficult conditions

Pauline Ado returned to action in July, taking part in the Federation Cup at Soorts-Hossegor.

On July 7, the twenty French surfers competed against each other on a day with tough weather conditions. Pauline managed to finish 2nd out of a field of eight women surfers, a very encouraging performance before the next round of competitions!

She is currently the 4th best French female surfer in the French Surf Federation rankings.

Triathlon – No rest for Cassandre Beaugrand!

The young French triathlete Cassandre Beaugrand is back at the Montpellier Creps sport training centre, where she is working hard in preparation for competitions scheduled later this month.

Competition will start of August 22 for the French Clubs Championship (D1), with her club, Poissy Triathlon. She will then be heading to Rotterdam on August 23 for the Arena Games, a new format event for the Super League Triathlon (SLT), which combines real-life and virtual racing: swimming in an Olympic pool, cycling in virtual reality and running on a treadmill.   

Judo – Madeleine Malonga is getting ready for competition!

After spending lockdown away from the judo mat, the Team ENGIE judoka resumed training with the French team in June, with a series of training workshops with other leading female Judokas in the Alps and in Montpellier.

If everything goes to plan, Madeleine’s next event will be the European Judo Championships, due to be held in Prague in November.

Modern pentathlon – Elodie Clouvel, still motivated and still smiling!

Based in the Landes during the lockdown, Elodie was able to maintain her Olympic form in a magnificent setting before returning to the INSEP elite sports performance center in Paris in June, where she trains every day as a resident athlete.

The pentathlete has no competitions scheduled for the near future but a training camp lasting a few weeks is planned in Font Romeu in the French Pyrenees, which will allow her to recharge her batteries in the open air.

Kitesurfing – Alex Caizergues, forest conservationist

An active and committed campaigner on environmental issues, Alex Caizergues became patron of the 3rd Regional Forest Guard on June 26. Set up at the instigation of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region, the Guard consists of 134 young people who will play a part in preserving and maintaining the ecological balance of the region’s natural forest environments. “Their enthusiasm is really impressive,” said the kitesurfer.

Athletics – Wilfried Happio, a newcomer to Team ENGIE

Aged 21 and already winner of the French senior championships in 2019, Wilfried Happio, a 400 m hurdles specialist, has joined Team ENGIE, becoming the Group’s ambassador in Lille. The ambitious and exuberant young athlete hopes to match the success of his mentor, Stéphane Diagana, who was also sponsored by the Group.

Welcome along, Wilfried!