Outplayed in the first part of the match by valiant Bordelais, the Grand Est team finally had the last word to start its season in the best possible way.

Juniville Marnaval Grand Est / Stade Bordelais: 5-5 (413-213)
Saint-Dizier (52)
October 15, 2026

This confrontation between two quarter-finalists who were defeated last year began ideally for the Girondins visitors. With more rhythm in his shoulder movements, Daniyl Zoubko (-81kg) punished Anthony Tama with two strikes, who was ultimately disqualified for an illegal grip on his pants. Mathilde Chabal (-70kg), third in the continental cup in September, then toyed with Marie Fernandez by throwing her to the ground in response to a dangerous knee attack, then immobilizing her. The 2024 Cadet World Champion Mykhailo Solianik (-90kg) tried to get to a 3-0 score with a powerful uchi-mata, but Téo Lherbier sensed the danger and cleverly dodged the Ukrainian’s attempt to take advantage of it with a flawless sukashi. A transfer from FLAM 91, Laura Fuseau (+70kg) then added two points to the visitors’ advantage, scoring a yuko in the second half of the bout against Ninon Lassalle. Just before the break, the +90kg duel was about to become a battle between Andy Granda, crowned world champion in 2022, and the German Losseni Kone, who was defeated in the second round of the last world championships in Baku. It was the Cuban who quickly took control of the situation, locking his opponent into his kumikata to force him into an alert position. And with a ferocious o-uchi-gari of conviction, Granda remained firmly attached to his wounded leg so as not to allow Kone’s counterattack, which conceded the impact and allowed a valuable victory to slip away…

Buchard is the chief dynamite expert
If Julie Weill-dit-Morey (-52kg) was unable to recover from her late loss against the Spaniard Ayumi Leiva Sanchez, world medalist for ten days, the duel between former French champions William Cysique (winner in 2022) and Romaric Boda (champion in -60kg in 2019) once again allowed Juniville Marnaval Grand Est to continue believing in their chances. Close to a break on a o-uchi-gari from Bouda, Cysique quickly gathered his support to launch sumi-gaeshi at his opponent almost face down. Waza-ari, before two sweeps that added two yuko to his score. The turning point came when Amandine Buchard entered the -57kg division, facing Eunice Chassan, the third-division French champion from last June. The two-time Olympic medalist needed only a minute to sweep, turn around, and immobilize her young rival. One more point for the local team, who would for the first time of the evening be in the lead (4-4, 312-202). A point difference that meant they only needed one victory to secure their first home success. A mission that the Ukrainian Mykyta Holoborodko accomplished without hesitation, fifth last weekend at the European Cup in Malaga and quick to isolate the left arm of Meane Korval, third in Andalusia in the lower category, on his poorly controlled tai-otoshi to submit him on juji-gatame. The convincing victory sealed the deal for Bordelaise Émilie Dando against the Cuban Maylin Del Toro Carvajal, third in the 2025 Pan American Championships and who last week competed in Azerbaijan in her tenth senior world championship, did not change anything…

November will already be decisive
After the Champions League break on October 24, five clubs from the Pro League Judo – AC Boulogne-Billancourt, the defending champions, the finalists from Judo Nice Métropole and the semi-finalists from RSC Montreuil and Arts Martiaux Saint-Gratien, as well as Sainte-Geneviève Sports – will compete at the Dojo de Paris. The second day of the championship promises to be exciting for these two teams. On November 3, Judo Nice Métropole will host the final in the Ardennes, having won in Montpellier this week (5-3). The Stade Bordelais will face Venelles Judo 13 two days later, having dominated Saint-Gratien at the beginning of October (3-7) in the Bouches-du-Rhône.