US Orléans Loiret JJ / Montpellier Judo Olympic: 6-3 

 

Although their fate was not in their own hands, the defending champion Orléans knew that their salvation - and a possible place in the quarter-finals - would depend on a big win at home against Montpellier. However, things got off to a bad start for the hosts of this fourth and final day, as Mathias Moreau (-66kg) was caught off guard by Axel Mohedano's seoi-nage on his knees in the first duel of the match. Clara Wentzler (-57kg) quickly made up for this setback by defeating the 2025 European junior vice-champion Emma Melis with a short yuko on uchi-mata. Leading by yuko and waza-ari, Axel Mancini (-73kg) didn't give up against Spain's José Antonio Aranda Olalla, whom he punished with an arm key on an imprecise attack with a minute to go. Lili Nguyen (-63kg) followed up perfectly by imposing her kata-guruma and o-uchi-gari on Eva Grassin, as did the brand-new French champion in the -81kg category, Aranud Aregba, who crushed Jihad Boudla with a huge hip movement in just sixteen seconds.
 

The top 8 could slip through their fingers

Sixteen seconds was all it took for Switzerland's April-Lynn Fohouo, crowned world junior champion last October, to strangle Ilona Depri and keep hope alive for the Hérault team. But Max Laborde (-90kg), author of his fourth consecutive senior national podium last Sunday in Saint-Étienne, was stubborn enough to unravel his opponent on kata-guruma twelve seconds from the final gong. Impeccable shoulder movements from Léa Machut (+70kg) brought her team back to within two points, but a draw between Amaury Cerisier (+90kg) and Ukrainian-born Pole Oleksii Boldyriev sealed the match once and for all, which ended with a ko-uchi-gari credited with a yuko for Loirétaine Rayhane Ibouroi, world junior medalist in jujitsu fighting last month in Thailand. A 6-3 victory was not enough for Orléans to overtake their evening opponents in the overall rankings, the fault of a twenty-point deficit (1412 vs. 1432) which pushes them back into eighth place ahead of an upcoming duel in January between two teams six points behind - Juniville Marnaval Grand Est and AM Asnières Judo 92 - which will eject them from the qualifying places. For Montpellier, a Stade Bordelais victory over Normandie Judo in a month's time would also sound the death knell for their ambitions this season. 

 

 

Sainte-Geneviève Sports / AM Saint-Gratien: 4-5 

 

With the exception of their first outing, a convincing 7-1 victory in Normandy, the Sainte-Geneviève Sports team were masters of suspense this year, winning their last bout against Chilly-Mazarin (5-5, 500-401) before narrowly losing at home to Asnières-sur-Seine (4-5). This time, she was in the lead at half-time, despite the initial victory of Dutchwoman Margit De Voogd (-70kg), third at this year's Grand Slams in Paris and Abu Dhabi, by ippon on harai-goshi at the expense of Amoussatou Randrianjohany. Avel Coutin (-90kg), hero of the derby win on day two, improved his performance by trapping Jason Okoye on the back, as did Deaflympics winner - and since Sunday, five-time senior national medallist (series in progress) - Amadou Meité, who absorbed David Ali K.'s uchi-mata to skilfully counter. Ninon Lassalle's (+70kg) forfeit against Léa Fontaine was offset by Mathilde Chevalier's waza-ari-awasete against Hélèna Beyssac-Poulain. 

 

Saint-Gratien finishes with a bang 

 

After the break, it was Adrien Hubert (-66kg) who got the Genovese machine going again, twirling on his o-goshi and uchi-mata to beat Raphaël Synold, while Lucinda Granata (-57kg) and Maylis Rozan, just off the 2025 national podium, were unable to break the deadlock. At 4-2 going into the last three matches, the Essonniens were just one win away from inflicting their first defeat of the season on promoted Saint-Gratiennois. Unfortunately for the Rouge et Blanc, Marven Bamana-Kibiti (-73kg) was thwarted after just two minutes by Zackaria Belfouel, while Maryline Louis-Sidney (-63kg), defeated in last Sunday's semi-final, was unable to escape the clutches of European Under-23 vice-champion Julie Falgon, who was overtaken by a deep ko-uchi-gari after being hit for the first time with uchi-mata. It was all to play for (again) in the tenth duel, where the experience of Aurélien Bonferroni, ranked fortieth in the world in the -81kg class, proved decisive against Lucas Fourquet Pertusa, who flew away on the Swiss's grazing ippon-seoi-nage after just five seconds! A thunderous finish for the Valdoisians, who with twelve points ensured their presence in the quarters, with a reception at stake. Like Montpellier, Sainte-Geneviève Sports will have to wait and see what happens against Stade Bordelais on January 22. 

 

RSC Montreuil / Auxerre Judo: 8-1 

Leaders before hosting Auxerre Judo, RSC Montreuil were keen to round off their qualifying campaign in style in front of their home fans, and the Seine-Saint-Denis fighters were in for a treat. Spain's Mireia Lapuerta Comas (-52kg) set the bar high from the outset, knocking Sana Sabri onto her back with her trademark o-uchi-gari, followed two bouts later by Aurore Cabanne (-57kg), Kévin Azema (-66kg) put his technique to the test with a pretty ippon against Mohammed Berrabah on sumi-gaeshi, and Lionel Bebey (-73kg) then Savita Russo (-63kg) kept up the flawless performance with a yuko. 

 

Buoyed by this «manita» in the first half, the Montreuillois didn't let up, Mattéo Giordano (-81kg) insisting until the end to dominate Lova-Mahaisoa Randriansolo by a yuko and a waza-ari. Facing Irene Pedrotti (-70kg), seventh at the Budapest world championships, two-time junior world champion Melkia Auchecorne (-63kg), bronze medallist in Saint-Étienne on Sunday, saved the Icaunais' honour by coming back from a yuko behind to win by immobilization. In fact, it was the only point scored by the Auxerrois team, as Lucas Duchaussoy (-90kg) made a point of dominating the solid Ukrainian Klymov Vsevolod, unbeaten this season until the big internal mow, which resulted in a mid-fight waza-ari for the seventh-placed finisher of the last French championships. Turkey's Kayra Ozdemir (+70kg) went on without a fight to claim her team's eighth point, while the heavyweights Mohamed Rouahi and Abdelkader Belarchi ended on a scoreless draw. Full points for RSC Montreuil, certain with their twenty-nine victorious bouts to finish these qualifiers in the lead. Watch out for the team in eighth place at the end of January, as Nacer Dahli's team will be a tough nut to crack in the quarter-finals...