Catsailing Youth, French Style II: The F18 ‘Petit Leopards’

Photo: Franck Gicquiaud / littoral-ouest-photos.com
By Loic Lecoublet (original in french here)
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“I want to talk to you about a team plenty of talent, they do not go unnoticed, they are ‘Les Petits Léopards’
Brieg Lecoublet and Loic Flocher are Yacht Club de Carnac locals, their names are yet unknown; but everybody is getting uncomfortable with this kids at major races, as they are not even 17 years old!
Last year at the 2009 Eurocat Raid, they were 22th on the F18 class in their Capricorn 2006, though they’ve never even sailed a HC16, Just in front of Julien Villion who is 5 years older (he is also the French champion and he was 2nd in the ISAF Youth Worlds ) and just behind the Leclainche Team ( 2009 F18 Youth World champions, 25 years old)

‘Les Petits’ are really big boys (both Rugby players, Flankers , 84 kilos and 1,89m each –170pounds, 6 ‘2 —) , they had a very good start in the 2010 Eurocat edition …. They were doing quite well, 28th over 109 entries after four races.
But they broke their bowsprit at the end of the Raid on Saturday, Darren Bundock lent them a new one but they couldn´t complete the fix, so they were unnable to continue racing and matching their level against the best olimpic sailors present at Carnac on Sunday-

They are not even 18 years old and they represent one of the best expressions of the French youth catsailors ‘usine’ , I bet they’ll do some harm at the youth Nationals in Marseille and at Erquy Worlds.
With their short experience on the class and sailing on one of the best ‘oldies’ of the F18, (Capricorn), Brieg and Loic shouldn´t pressure themselves that much at this stage of their carreers, sailing is also a pleasure and taking things with ease and joy is their credo”

Loic Lecoublet
Capricorn 9026
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Thanks to my father in law Jorge L Colombo, Navy Commander Pilot (Ret), who lived in France for two years training his squad on the french made Dassault Super Etendard, for his help with the translation of Loic’s mail.