Just days before the Lorient ETF26 Grand Prix, the young sailors and female athletes of the K-Challenge Akademy completed an intensive week-long training camp at the K-Challenge base in Lanester. The camp reflected the Akademy's ambition to develop the next generation of sailors capable of competing at the highest level of international sailing.
Led by Akademy coach Julien d'Ortoli, sailing coach Charles Dorange and K-Challenge Akademy Manager Léo Chapalain, the programme combined daily on-water training with educational workshops. K-Challenge experts contributed sessions across a range of high-performance topics throughout the week.
The schedule covered physical conditioning, ETF26 sailing sessions, simulator training, and technical and sporting debriefs, alongside workshops supporting both athlete development and future career planning.
One workshop addressed the business of sport, helping the sailors understand the environment in which they will build their careers, including partnerships, sponsorship, media, personal branding and long-term project development. A second explored athlete identity and the importance of communication and image management in elite sport.
Physical preparation was a key component, with sessions delivered by K-Challenge Strength & Conditioning Coach Kylian Philippe. The athletes were introduced to the future Human Performance department that will support the Youth & Women's America's Cup teams, and underwent an initial physical assessment including body composition measurements as the starting point for long-term performance monitoring. That approach sits within a broader programme combining physical preparation, nutrition, medical support and personalised athlete development.
"The objective of these camps is not to prepare for one specific competition, but to help the entire group improve throughout the season. We deliberately rotate the crew combinations every day, both on the ETF26 and on the simulator, so that everyone learns to sail with different teammates. That diversity is a real strength. We're also placing increasing emphasis on simulator training, which will play a key role in preparing our athletes for the foiling platforms of tomorrow," said Léo Chapalain, K-Challenge Akademy Manager.
The week also offered a rare source of inspiration. Athletes from the La Roche-Posay Racing Team by K-Challenge were sailing the AC75 on the same water as part of their America's Cup preparation. Watching an America's Cup boat on the same racecourse provided direct motivation for the young sailors and reflected the Akademy's mission of giving athletes daily exposure to the standards of the sport's highest level.
That culture of sharing continues next week, when the K-Challenge Akademy athletes will meet members of FC Lorient's academy for a joint session focused on physical preparation and the common demands of high-performance sport.
The training camp marks the final stage of preparation before the Lorient ETF26 Grand Prix, which carries particular significance for the class. For the first time, the championship visits Lorient, the birthplace of the ETF26, where the boat was designed and developed and where several teams are based. Lorient will welcome France's leading foiling sailors while giving spectators the chance to experience high-speed foiling racing at close quarters.
Two crews will represent the K-Challenge Akademy at the event.
K-Challenge Akademy Blue: Clément Martineau (helm), Gaultier Tallieu, Eliott Savelin.
K-Challenge Akademy White: Pauline Courtois (helm), Maelle Frascari, Audrey Ogereau, Lara Granier.
Beyond the result, the Grand Prix offers another opportunity for the Akademy athletes to measure themselves against the best teams on the ETF26 circuit, continuing the work of preparing tomorrow's sailing talent for the demands of elite competition.
