It’s the big day for Nora Koubaiti, Paul Deleplancque and Robin Biennassis. The three athletes from Vienne are participating from this Wednesday, July 3, 2024 until Saturday, July 6, 2024 in the U23 European Canoe-Kayak Championships in Dallenwil, Switzerland. “It’s a source of pride for the club”says Bernadette Koubaiti-Julier, president of Vallée de la Vonne Canoë-Kayak (VVCK), where the first two are licensed, while Robin Biennassis is a member of Pagayous de Vivonne.
This is their second major international competition after the junior world championships, held last year in the Czech Republic where they all won silver medals. A great reward for a journey that began a few years ago, with a great investment, and continued at the regional espoir pole in Angoulême. “They have always shown commitment and diligenceremembers Bernadette Koubaiti-Julier. They were always present, and also took part in training sessions organised by the departmental canoe-kayak committee which brings together, once a week and during training courses, young people who want to progress a little more.”
Silver medals as goals
The geographical proximity of Lusignan and Vivonne naturally led Paul Deleplancque and Robin Biennassis to meet and then team up in a two-seater canoe, while also competing in a single-seater. “They met at departmental training sessions and also met at the center where they were encouraged to do two-seater canoeing in addition to single-seater canoeing.says the president of the VVCK. And it works well between them. “
The results prove it. This week, in Switzerland, they hope to shine again and go for new medals, in two-seater, single-seater or patrol, a competition with three boats where you have to finish with the best time without there being more than fifteen seconds of difference between the first and the last.
Water between 6 and 10°C
Preparing for this major European event was not easy for Nora Koubaiti. She had to deal with a shoulder injury that occurred in competition at the beginning of April and that hampered her. But she showed great strength of character to go and get her ticket to Dallenwil in kayak. “She has come a long way but she is very happy to have taken part in the selection and to have been selected for the French team.”
Now it is time to make a good impression on the Engelberger Aa, the mountain river whose water, between 6 and 10 °C, comes directly from the Titlis glacier. For his part, Paul Deleplancque will line up both in an individual canoe and in a two-seater with Robin Bienassis. The classic course includes the passage of a dam and a spillway. “It’s relatively similar to what they experienced during the selections for the French team in Bourg-Saint-Maurice (Isere). It’s quite committed, it’s not the Clain or the Viennesmiles Bernadette Koubaiti-Julier. They have trained for this type of track but they don’t know their competitors at all.”
No matter, after all, they have every intention of pulling out all the stops. And of continuing to show the way. Because if Nora Koubaiti and Paul Deleplancque are the first members of the VVCK to line up in international competitions, they could be followed in the future by others, like Paul Bacle-Lacombe, selected to join the Angoulême regional hopefuls pole next fall. The Vallée de la Vonne Canoë-Kayak is definitely full of resources.
