Clean Sweep for French women U57kg in Lund

France was with three titles the best nation at the European Cup in Lund, Sweden on Saturday. The first day also delivered two gold medals for Poland, gold for Israel and Croatia. Host Sweden took a silver medal. In Lund, in the south-west of Sweden Victor Allansson was opposed in the final U73kg against Julien La Rocca, the French winner of the European Cup in Sindelfingen in July. It was again La Rocco who took the victory in this category by waza-ari, his fourth win of the day.

La Rocca managed to throw Victor with a foot throw that awarded him a waza-ari. The Swede worked hard to level the score, but the Frenchman managed to see his lead out and won the match. “Victor has fought in six International tournaments this year and today’s result was the icing on the cake. It was his best result so far and a great achievement, considering Victor is still a junior”, said the Swedish National Team Coach, Robert Eriksson.

It was only the first gold medal for France in the men’s division as the first gold went to Croatian Bernard Azinovic who more and more gets grip on the seniors. Last week he won silver in Dubrovnik, now he won his first European Cup victory since 2011 when he was a young kid of 18. Still in the category U60kg he was happy with his four victories although the last match was tough against Dutch talent Mathijs van Harten, decided by waza-ari in the golden score.

Israelian Alexander Raskopine won his first ever European Cup in his career. The 2011 EYOF winner is also a youngster of 20 while his opponent U66kg, Maxim Kuznetsov of Russia, is 31 years and very experienced. Two weeks ago he won fifth European Cup and today he added his 10^th medal, but no victory this time as Raskopine outsmarted him by waza-ari.

In the women’s division France was good for two victories, starting U48kg by Romane Yvin, next week 18, but with an impressive list of honour which includes national titles in cadets and juniors, but today she won her first serious Senior event. In the final she defeated Polish Joanna Stankiewicz, who unfortunately lost her third European Cup final.

Poland was more successful U52kg with another gold medal for Karolina Pienkowska, her second European Cup win this season for the 22-year old talent who won national Polish titles in all age categories. Tiphaine Chauve (27) won her first European Cup medal with silver in this final.

France had a clean sweep in Lund U57kg, a full French podium, led by Cindy Huber, who’s always keen on taking medals home from Nordic European Cups. In Tampere she won silver, this time gold in Lund. Veronique Mandeng silver, Treicy Etiennar and Laury Posvite won bronze. Etiennar was with Stankiewicz the only who prolonged a medal in Sweden compared to last year.

The second gold medal was for Poland again, typical for the successful women’s generation nowadays. Karolina Talach scored her first European Cup victory and fourth medal, three in Nordic countries Sweden and Finland. Talach, now 23, defeated French Clementine Louchez by ippon half a minute for the end.