Christian Collange comes back for Padel Magazine on two current topics: the Junior World Championships and the Senior French Championships, which took place recently.

The World Junior Championships

The results of our two committed teams are quite in line with what we expected: the boys finished 6th and the girls 5th. As often, it all depends on the draw to hope to do better ...

Some nations are ahead, which is normal because they have a culture of padel For more than 20 years. These countries have developed education and structures adapted for young people. Something that we do not yet have in France.

There was a small problem for the French boys' team which resulted in the disqualification against Italy, which is a shame because in the event of victory, there would have been a potential podium to go for.

France team of padel juniors mexico 2021

“Too few leagues represented at the last French youth championships”

In any case, we have very good young people in France. For the moment, they are distributed over certain pilot leagues (Occitanie, Paca, etc.).

We are not yet structured on the whole hexagon, the mesh is not yet done. This is an essential project to be put in place: the schools of padel, education framed with the TFP, youth circuits, detections and gatherings.

All the leagues must play the youth card too, we must take care of our young people! There were too few leagues represented at the last French youth championships in Toulouse.

In Paca, for the past three years, we have been trying to set up, in close collaboration with all the coaches and structures, regular gatherings, youth circuits, youth team matches. This has all been launched and it is working!

This creates a real emulation which made it possible to obtain these two titles of champions of France this year in boys and girls. The tracks are therefore:

  • Schools of padel
  • Padel at school (find a way to get in)
  • Create gatherings / detections (one per month all year round) in direct relation with the coaches
  • Create circuits by categories
  • Team matches

Senior French Championship: a successful organization

The organization was greeted and highlighted by all the players!

These were the first French championships outdoors (even if the finals were played indoors). The involvement of all the volunteers of the Paca region and of Committee 13 was exceptional!

The volunteers, employees, DE of the Paca league and Committee 13 were fantastic in their professionalism, their involvement and their welcome. We managed to bring together as many people as possible, who were present from morning to night.

There were so many people for the organization! This proves the atmosphere that reigns within all the players in this league! The players of this edition have been pampered throughout this long weekend.

Public Leygue / Blanqué vs Boissé / Le Panse French Championships

We must not forget the referee Benjamin Pomportes, who officiated for the first time on such a great event padel. He was like all the staff: on top, pro and always in a good mood!

All of this French championships were a great success, with a very large audience, a great atmosphere and a high level of play: the padel French progresses!

A level of play that is rising in France

The best teams were at the end, not without difficulty for the boys, with some nice surprises nonetheless. But above all an average level which is tightening more and more and the arrival of new young players whose talent is waiting to explode.

Among the girls, a team flew over the competition, we knew it, but other players are coming too!

2021 French Champions Johan Bergeron, Léa Godallier, Benjamin Tison, Alix Collombon

The breeders will have work to find the players for the World Championships in Qatar.

There will be essentials, but the complementary list will not be easy to make. We trust them anyway to know how to find the best possible teams. Above all, we need to create a France group, a real osmosis which will be essential to get a good result in Qatar.

Among the boys, I found Thomas Leygue in clear progress in the middle of our essentials.

Among the girls, Léa and Alix are untouchable, Élodie Invernon impressed. There are always the sure values: Charlotte, Marianne, and Amélie, whom I found in good shape at the moment!

Alexis Dutour

Alexis Dutour is passionate about padel. With his training in communication and marketing, he puts his skills at the service of padel to offer us articles that are always very interesting.