An Event of International Renown
For its twenty-fourth year of existence, the South Beach Rugby Five Marseille will host in 2024 the only French stage of Beach Rugby Five to take place on the sand of the EBRA SERIES European circuit, comprising five stages.
Florian Grill’s Visit and Plans for the Future
To celebrate this wonderful anniversary, Florian Grill, the new President of the French Rugby Federation (FFR), kept his promise by coming to visit us in Marseille. During his visit, the President decided to release funds to finance a feasibility study on the establishment of a National Beach Rugby Center in the Oval space, left free inside the Marseille Borély racecourse. This National center, desired by Florian Grill on the Marseille territory, will be able to accommodate high-level athletes, allow the organization of events and promote socio-educational values by making sports facilities available primarily to an audience from local communities. schools, social centers and Marseille clubs.
A Well-Filled Program
This year, our event will take place from July 12 to 14, 2024. Due to the development of the Prado beaches for the Olympic Games sailing competitions at the end of July-beginning of August, our event will take place either on Bonneveine beach near the ‘Escale Borély, in the space of the future National Beach Rugby Center.
For the second time in its young history, the discipline of Rugby 7 will be Olympic in 2024. Close cousin of the practice of Beach Rugby Five to tackle on the sand, this discipline will transmit all the values that are ours through universalism that she releases. The Fijians, reigning Olympic champions, will be the bearers of this magnificent symbol.
Unwavering Support
We are counting on the unconditional support of our friends, institutions, partners and all loyal volunteers, regardless of their level of seniority, to experience a new edition rich in spectacle and emotion.
Initiations and Development of the Marseille Challenge
Our success also comes from Beach Rugby initiations for an audience from Adapted Sport in partnership with the Federation of the same name. Its representative, Éric Dravet, is also the Director of the POINT SUD association, but above all the co-founder of Beach Rugby Five Marseille.
Building on the success of 2023, we will once again place particular emphasis on developing the Marseille VIVAL Stanislas Durand Beach Rugby Challenge with young people in the M10, M12, M14 and M16 categories.
Partnership Support for Noble Causes
This year we are continuing our loyal partnership support for the benefit of associations: TCAP21, which works to integrate young people with Down syndrome into ordinary environments, the LES POTES DE BEDROS association dedicated to mobilizing in favor of blood donation, and the Amicale du Soutien à l’Autonomie de Fabrice (ASLAF), which works against Charcot’s disease. In this same context, for this edition we will have a heartfelt thought for our friend Denis Agostini who, despite the support of the DENIS DE MELEE association, left too soon.
Towards the Recognition of Discipline
More than ever, our supervising Federation, UFOLEP, will continue to be at our side to set up the National Challenge that all lovers of our practice of tackle rugby on the sand are eagerly awaiting!
We have almost reached the end of the road for the recognition of our discipline in France and the establishment of a sustainable infrastructure in Marseille, which would be a world first! Our other objectives will therefore be to host events such as the RUGBY EUROPE BEACH RUGBY championships and a WORLD BEACH RUGBY.
A Vision for the Future
We have adopted this beautiful idea which consists in believing that: “Beach Rugby, tackled on the sand, is a universal sport of the future with the avoidance values of original rugby.”
Lionel Laugier, President Ovale Beach & Past President of the European Beach Rugby Association
To find out more, join us on Friday, June 28 between 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. in “Au coeur de la mêlée”. Sud Radio, THE rugby radio station, will be broadcasting live from the Hotel Sofitel/Novotel Vieux Port in Marseille for the Top14 final.
