A young kedger, a young French hopeful!

Before attending the Grande Ecole Programme of Kedge Business School Louis Raynal received a BAC in economic and social sciences followed by a Technology Degree in Business and Administration Management at IUT in Aix-Marseille.

A licence holder from the YCPR (Yachting Club Pointe Rouge) for 10 years, Louis began sailing when he was 11 years old. Today, the young hopeful already has an impressive record, notably first place at the Champion de France Match Racing FFSU as well as a selection of three world championships!

“Reconciliating sailing and studies since 6th grade, my participating in the Olympics represents the culmination of many years of work, and I am to win the gold at the highest level. It is also a chance to live a unique experience,” said Louis.

Along with teammate Mérik Regnault (licence student of biology at the University of Aix-Marseille), he is part of the Pole France Voile de Marseille. The two young high-level athletes intend to win a medal at the 2024 Olympic Games, which will take place in Marseille. To achieve their ambition, the team must participate each year in an international competition circuit. These competitions against the world's best are essential to the success of this goal.

“We follow an intensive programme of navigation, preparation, and competition to become members of the France team as soon as possible. The next world championships in 2019 and 2020 are taking place in New Zealand and Australia respectively,” they explain. 

A full programme:

2019:

• Participate in the world championships in New Zealand
• Do the European Olympic 49er circuit (The 49er is a lightweight sailing dinghy created in 1996 by Julian Bethwaite, and is well-known for its high standards and performance. It has been present at the Olympic Games since 2000).

2020:

• Follow the Olympic circuit chosen for Tokyo 2020.
• Participate in the world championships in Australia.
• Become part of the France team.

2020-2022:

• Perform in the 49er circuit in Europe and internationally

2022-2024:

• Make it to the World’s Top 5
• Selection and performance at the Paris Games 2024.

These essential steps involve a large amount of logistics in order to acquire high-performance equipment and transport it to Oceania by container. This represents a significant monetary investment, which the crew cannot finance alone. That's why Louis and Mérik are looking for partners who are willing to support them in this exciting Olympic adventure.

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