France’s 2026 paratriathlon champions crowned

More than 100 competitors lined up for Sunday afternoon’s French Paratriathlon Championships in Cabourg, setting a new participation record. Despite the last-minute withdrawal of two-time Paralympic champion Alexis Hanquinquant, who was suffering from flu, the competition delivered a superb spectacle.

The PTWC field, for wheelchair athletes, was first off the line at 2:15 p.m. A close battle was expected between Joseph Fritsch (ASPTT Strasbourg Tri) and Louis Noël (Côte d’Opale Triathlon Saint-Omer), who had finished third and fourth respectively at the Pontevedra World Championships. The Nordist had the final say, avenging his defeat to the Alsatian. Louis Noël also claimed his sixth French national title.

The PTVI category, for athletes with visual impairments, was next. With Antoine Perel and Thibaut Rigaudeau absent, Maxime Gayet (Team Life Tri) and his guide Adrien Leroux (La Roche Vendée Triathlon) were the clear favourites. They did not disappoint, beating Paul Lloveras (C.R.V. Lyon Triathlon), guided by Ugo Raia (A.S.M. Saint-Etienne Triathlon 42), by a comfortable margin. The winners also secured their third consecutive title. In the women’s race, Fanny Bourdelas (TUC Triathlon), guided by Apolline Rousset, took the win.

Maxime Gayet and his guide Adrien Leroux

The results in the PTS categories, for standing athletes with physical impairments requiring prostheses or adaptations, followed the pre-race predictions. Despite the absence of Alexis Hanquinquant, the PTS4 race was eagerly anticipated. Two athletes who had impressed in Pontevedra were on the start line: Pierre-Antoine Baele (Villeneuve d’Ascq Triathlon), third in Spain, and Antoine Lamarche Poulain (La Rochelle Triathlon), fourth at the Worlds. Once again, the Nordist got the better of his rival.

In the women’s race, with world champion Camille Sénéclauze absent, Zoë Réveillon (Triathlon Club d’Hazebrouck), her runner-up in Spain, won comfortably.

Three other athletes with a long history of national titles added another French championship jersey to their collections: a sixth title for Cédric Denuzière in PTS3, a fifth national title for former rugby player Antoine Besse in PTS5, and a 12th title, from 13 appearances, for Gwladys Lemoussu in PTS5.

Also claiming the title was Mona Francis, who had moved from PTWC to PTS2. The PTS7 category, for athletes with intellectual and psychosocial impairments, also awarded a French title for the first time. The inaugural champions were Erwan Lecat (SC Abbeville Triathlon Natation) and Gaia Della Guista (Monte Carlo Triathlon Club).

RESULTS

PTWC

Men

1) NOEL Louis (Côte d’Opale Triathlon Saint Omer): 1:04:58

2) FRITSCH Joseph (ASPTT Strasbourg Tri): 1:05:18

3) DEBARRE Etienne (Côte d’Opale Triathlon Saint Omer): 1:12:23

Women

1) MONCHALIN Nadège: 1:34:01

2) LAURENT Elise (Valence Triathlon): 1:35:39

PTVI

Men

1) GAYET Maxime (Team Lifetri): 1:03:31

2) LLOVERAS Paul (C.R.V. Lyon Triathlon): 1:05:59

3) SONVICO Paul: 1:23:07

Women

1) BOURDELAS Fanny (TUC Triathlon): 1:14:06

2) LE GAFFRIC Mathilde (ASPTT Nantes): 1:44:06

PTS2

Men

1) BAHIER Stéphane (Erneenne Sports Triathlon): 1:15:33

2) HERTER Michael (Jool Team): 1:18:03

3) BOYER Léandre (ASM.Saint Etienne Triathlon 42): 1:25:51

Women

1) FRANCIS Mona (Best Triathlon Saint Nazaire): 1:39:39

2) CAPAROS AUDIGIER Léa (Montelimar Triathlon): 2:00:48

PTS3

Men

1) DENUZIERE Cédric (AS Handivienne): 1:10:37

2) TYNE Thomas (Amicale Sportive Triathlon Catalan): 1:13:58

3) DELEIDI Jonathan (Sardines Triathlon): 1:15:05

Women

1) MAZET VIGNAUD Luan (Montpellier Triathlon): 1:38:00

PTS4

 Men

1) BAELE Pierre Antoine (Villeneuve d’Ascq Triathlon): 59:03

2) LAMARCHE POULAIN Antoine (La Rochelle Triathlon): 1:00:03

3) BERTHON Grégoire (Pays de Gex Natation (PGN): 1:03:12

Women

1) RÉVEILLON Zoe (Triathlon Club d`Hazebrouck): 1:15:52

2) LOBBRECHT Sandra (Triathlon Littoral 59): 2:13:22

PT5

 Men

1) BESSE Antoine (Clermont Triathlon): 1:04:59

2) MAUREL Maxime (Chalon Triathlon Club): 1:15:13

3) MICH Yohann (Génération Triathlon Blois): 1:15:56

Women

1) LEMOUSSU Gwladys (St Jean de Monts Vendée Triathlon Athlétisme): 1:19:05

2) VINCENT Marie Dominique (Montpellier Triathlon): 1:23:54

3) MADEC Laetitia (Vitrolles Triathlon): 1:42:27

PTS7

Men

1) LECAT Erwan (SC Abbeville Triathlon Natation): 1:09:37

2) RICHARD Jean-Baptiste (St Jean de Monts Vendée Triathlon Athlétisme) 1:09:53

3) ETRINGER Sylvain (Team Heubi): 1:18:00

Women

1) DELLA GIUSTA Gaia (Monte Carlo Triathlon Club): 1:27:13

2) COLLIAUX Jessica (Bouguenais Club Triathlon): 1:27:45

PTS8

 Men

1) MOREAU Theo (SCO Angers Triathlon): 1:04:36

2) BEGHIN Anatole (Nevers Triathlon): 1:06:41

3) SOUNALET Thomas (Couëron Triathlon): 1:06:59

Women

1) VAN TORNHOUT Juliette (Rodez Triathlon 12): 1:17:41

2) MAZIN Sophie (Gap Hautes Alpes Triathlon): 1:20:15

3) DELLA GIUSTA Gaia (Monte Carlo Triathlon Club): 1:27:13

Full results