Inauguration of the new 49er FX
On May 24th 2019 in Marseillan, during the inauguration of their new boat, we met Aude Compan and Julie Bossard for a very sporting weekend.
This event was a great opportunity to introduce you to this Team TERIA crew from a more personal way… At the Marseillan sailing circle, on the native lands of Aude Compan, the duo of the French sailing team presented us their brand new 49er FX. The latter will accompany them throughout the qualifications for the 2020 Olympic Games to be held in Tokyo.
What is a 49er FX ?
The 49er FX is a one-design dinghy. This means that it is a monohull sailboat, all the specimens of which are built according to the same hull and rigging plans… In order to sail it, 2 persons are required: a crew member / helmsman. Specific to women’s competition, it is a lighter variant of the 49er “Classic”, with a platform identical to the 49er, the 49er FX has a mast and sails that differ from its older brother. The design of its spinnaker or “SPI” allows to have high level performances and to compete with some 49er. (In yellow on the picture). Since 2016 and the Rio Olympic Games, he is the new Olympic skiff for the women’s competition.
Lists of boats competing in the Olympic Games
A fantastic pair
This complementary and endearing team has been competing together for only 2 years, but the succession of training sessions and competitions means that they manage to understand each other with a simple glance. This element is a real asset, because everything goes very fast on “FX” and every second counts.
However, this adventure had got off to a bad start.
Aude : I admit I don’t remember the first time we saw each other.
Julie : Me, neither 😊.
Aude : We met at the 49th FX. We were on two different crews but in the same training group. That’s how we first met and got to know each other.
Julie : We have a special and original story with Aude.
In 2014, in preparation for the Rio Olympics, we had the same position. We were both “teammates”. At that time, I was sailing with Sara (Steyaert). That year, I broke my foot. While I was injured, Aude started sailing with Sara.
In the end, they formed a crew that was at the Olympic Games. So, at first I wasn’t very happy to know Aude. I didn’t like her 😊.
(At the Rio Games, Aude and Sara finished 6th in the overall ranking).
At the end of 2016 after the Olympics, Aude called me to ask me if I want to sail with her. At that time, I decided to return to the position of helmswoman I had held for years before. And I thought, “Come on, let’s do it”. I didn’t blame her, she had taken an opportunity and now it was my turn to do the same. That’s how we started sailing together, I remember the first sailings, where on the boat it went immediately well.
Since then, we have a good complicity and we are on the same page, well it depends…😊
Aude : It’s funny because we have two completely opposite personalities. To describe us in a few words, Julie is a very “square”, procedural person. It has to move quickly… While I am more relaxed, I also try to improve the atmosphere.
Julie : She’s the one who loses everything, the keys, the phones…
Aude : That’s it, I’m the one who adds a little stress and spice 😊.
Our temperaments are different, but they are complementary. We have been able to transform these differences in character into strength. It is a richness in our crew and in our personal lives.
Julie : We also have the same objective, that our boat go fast, in the right direction and win some races. It guides us and makes us get along well.
To discover the rest of the interview in video, stay tuned on our different networks
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A gold medal, final of the World Cup Series in Marseille
After a rather complicated start to the season, the motivation to qualify for the Olympic Games is even stronger. Aude and Julie proved it again this weekend by winning a gold medal at the 2019 World Cup Series.
In the final in Marseille, the champions won it ahead of Poland’s Aleksandra Melzacka / Kinga Loboda and Austria’s Laura Schöfegger / Anna Boustani.
They know very well the Marseille water body that will be used for the JO 2024. The two Frenchwomen train there regularly. An advantage that they have taken advantage of.
By winning this final before the World Championship in New Zealand, the French duo is ideally positioned to qualify for the 2020 Olympic Games.
This event, held in Marseille, had a preparatory objective. The World Championship in Okahu Bay (New Zealand) will be the decisive step towards qualifying for the Tokyo 2020 games.
A very good performance that the entire TERIA team would like to congratulate.
And now ?
Until these next competitions, no rest. This summer will be devoted to training on different bodies of water.
Among these we can mention the one in Enoshima (JAPAN) which will be the site of the 2020 Olympic Games. They will then be able to test themselves on the future Olympic spot under conditions similar to those they could encounter in the event of qualification.
To follow them go to Instagram and Facebook #companbossard49erfx
The gallery
