In 1986, Elan Béarnais Orthez won its first French championship title.

On May 10, 1986, Elan Béarnais finally won its first French championship title. It must be said that it will have been a long time coming! While the club has been one of the best European teams since 1977, and won the Korac Cup in 1984, the title of champion of France has always eluded them.

This start to the 1985-1986 season was not the most successful, with Elan Béarnais showing irregularity and appearing to be losing momentum. The arrival of Howard Carter in the squad will change everything. Thanks to his shooting skills and his great consistency, he became one of the team's key players and even became the third scorer in the history of Elan Béarnais.

Thanks to him, Elan Béarnais, second in the regular phase, qualifies for the playoffs. The Orthéziens begin this playoff phase with a defeat in Limoges. This meeting will give rise to a clash in the corridors of Beaublanc, which will be resolved the following year in the final of the championship by a general brawl which will remain in the memories. Despite this defeat in the first match, Elan Béarnais eliminated Limoges, then Villeurbanne and Antibes before reaching the final.

The latter is played at La Moutète in Orthez (Pyrénées-Atlantiques), and in front of a fiery audience, Elan Béarnais won 84-72 and won its first French championship title. A title that they would retain the following year after a daunting final against Limoges.

In all, Elan Béarnais has won 9 French champion titles, that of 2004 being the latest.