Coastal walking: Saint-Martin has the wind in its sails
The two Longe-Côte clubs from Saint-Martin travelled to Martinique last weekend for the 3rd edition of the International Aqua Walking Open, a qualifying event for the French championships for teams from the Antilles region. The twelve competitors brought home an impressive haul of 16 medals.
The Martinique Open brought together 183 competitors from Martinique, Marie-Galante, Saint Martin, Italy and mainland France, including the French team, on Sainte-Anne beach on 7 and 8 February. Six qualifying events for the French championships were on the programme: 800 m solo barehanded, 400 m free pairs, 200 m solo barehanded, 50 m solo paddle, and the 4 x 50 m mixed team event on Saturday. On Sunday, the 4 x 50 m mixed team final was followed by the coastal trail run.
Two medals for JLCA
The six members of the "Je Longe la Côte aux Antilles" club, both amateurs and athletes, took part in the 50 m paddle and 200 m solo events, with four of them competing. Delphine Capron excelled in the 50 m paddle (46''14), taking second place on the podium and the silver medal in the senior category. Sarah Célestine, president of the club, finished third in the Master 2 category (44''10), bringing a bronze medal back to Saint-Martin.
14 medals for Friendly Longe-Côte
The island's second club, recently created in September 2025, took part in its first competition with only five months of training for the four women and two men, who competed in all events except the 800 m. The club's results exceeded its objectives. In the solo events, Celya Brige won the gold medal in the 50 m paddle (43.93) and two silver medals, one for the 200 m (3:03.68) and the other for the coastal trail (2nd senior behind the French team), as well as another gold medal in the 400 m with Elsa Petetin. Petetin also won the bronze medal in the 200 m. Dominique Balet and Yannik Le Bot each won a silver medal in the pairs event, as did Christine Le Bot and Nadine Y Mung. The only mixed team from Guadeloupe and Saint Martin to take part in the 4 x 50 m paddle race, one of the competition's flagship events that always attracts a large audience, Friendly Longe-Côte won four more gold medals by beating the very strong Martinique team, Mi Lavi, in the final.
The clubs from the Antilles have shown that aqua walking is far from being a quiet pursuit and that the discipline now boasts many high-level athletes in its ranks. The next event will be in La Baule on 7 and 8 June for the French Championships.
