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Ethan, Célian, and Kyllian took second place on the podium at the “Coupe d’Avenir” event of the French Cadet Championship. This is the best result ever achieved by the Northern Islands Committee since its founding.
A historic achievement for the Northern Islands Committee. From July 10 to 11, three young pétanque players from Saint Barth and Saint Martin competed in the French Pétanque Championship in Blaye-Les-Mines in the Tarn department. In the cadet triplet category, Ethan, Célian, and Kyllian represented the Northern Islands against teams from all over France. The three teenagers lost to the teams from Nouvelle-Aquitaine and Occitanie but defeated the team from Bourgogne-Franche-Comté. This performance earned them 39th place out of 64. Thanks to this ranking, the three players were able to compete in the Coupe d’avenir, a parallel competition featuring teams ranked 33rd through 64th.
A Tough Battle in the Final
Ethan, Célian, and Kyllian shone in the Coupe d’Avenir, reaching the final after defeating Mayotte (13–11), Occitanie (13–2), Grand Est (13-5), and Normandy (13-1). In the final, the Northern Islands team faced off against the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes team. “We got off to a good start but didn’t capitalize enough on our opportunities,” said their coach, Raphaël Menut. After a hard-fought battle in which the two teams traded blows, mistakes gave the opposing team the edge. “Despite a magnificent shot by Kyllian on the last end, it fell about twenty centimeters short of tying the game and completely turning the final around,” says Raphaël Menut.
A source of pride for the youth committee
The three players have nothing to be ashamed of, as they’re heading home with the runner-up trophy from the Coupe d’Avenir. “Our young players have shown that they belong among the best teams in France,” the committee enthuses. “They’ve grown throughout this competition, learned from their experiences, and presented a wonderful image of our committee.” This runner-up title is the committee’s best achievement since its creation in 2019. The bar is set high for the adults competing next weekend.
