The Grand Prix de Triathlon (Championnat de France des Clubs Division 1 (Triathlon D1) or Grand Prix F.F.TRI. - Lyonnaise des Eaux) defines itself as the most outstanding triathlon event in France«Le Grand Prix F.F.TRI. – Lyonnaise des Eaux est l’événement de la saison de triathlon puisqu’il rassemble sur son circuit les meilleurs athlètes français et étrangers engagés dans les clubs de 1ère Division. Les clubs de 1ère division concourent pour obtenir le titre de Champion de France.» - see http://www.fftri.com/spip.php?rubrique109 . Retrieved 28 May 2010. and attracts numerous international elite triathletes hired by French clubs. The Grand Prix should not be confused with the Coupe de France des Clubs, which is not a circuit but a one-day national championship and in which the clubs admitted to the Grand Prix are obliged to take part.
Organisation In 2011, the circuit consisted of the following five triathlons: Nice (24 April 2011), Dunkirk (22 May 2011), Paris (9 July 2011), Tours or Tourangeaux (28 August 2011), and La Baule (Triathlon Audencia, 17 September 2011). In 2012 the following five towns will host the Grand Prix: Les Sables-d'Olonne: 28 and 29 April 2012 (cancelled after the Super Sprint Prologue contre la Montre due to weather conditions) Dunkirk: 20 May 2012 Toulouse: 16 June 2012 Paris: 7 July 2012 Nice (Grand Final): 16 September 2012
According to the official Réglementation Sportive,See http://fftri.tamaco-dev.fr/sites/default/files/pdf/RGF_2011_0.pdf . Retrieved 10 May 2011. there should be 16 male and 14 female teams. At the end of the year 2010, however, three female teams (Beauvais, Montpellier, Nantes) and two male teams (Beauvais, Montluçon) withdrew. Beauvais Triathlon decided to boycott the Grand Prix when the French Triathlon Federation (FFTRI) canceled the traditional Triathlon de Beauvais and replaced it with the Triathlon de Nice.Cf. the club's official statement: http://beauvais-triathlon.onlinetri.com/index.php?page_id=3050&news_id=25194. Retrieved 10 May 2011. As it seems, there were tensions between FFTRI president Philippe Lescure and Beauvais manager Laurent Chopin, who is reported to return to soccer. Besides, French clubs obviously face increasing difficulties hiring foreign elite stars. Two of the Beauvais elite stars, Andrea Hewitt and Delphine Py-Bilot, moved to Poissy and Charleville respectively. Fred Belaubre and Charlotte Morel, however, took a break.
Qualified Teams 2012 According to the current Réglementation Sportive,See http://www.fftri.com/files/pdf/RGF_2011-2012.pdf . Retrieved 6 May 2012. there should be again 16 male and 14 female teams. Compared to 2011, the situation has improved and there are now 13 female teams. However, it remains to be seen if the newcomers can catch up to the old elite clubs. Laurent Vidal changed to Beauvais Triathlon and therefore does not take part in the Grand Prix 2012. Frédéric Belaubre, however, left Beauvais Triathlon in order to take part again in the Grand Prix, this time for Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines. 16 male teams: EC Sartrouville: Alistair Brownlee, Jonathan Brownlee, Javier Gómez, David McNamee, Fernando Alarza, Étienne Diemunsch, Mario Mola, Filip Ospaly, Sebastian Rank, Richard Varga. Poissy Triathlon: Tony Moulai, Greg Rouault, Bertrand Billiard, Cyril Moreau, Alessandro Fabian, Artem Parienko, Matt Chrabot, Dan Wilson, Daniel Unger, Jérémy Quindos. Les Sables Vendée Triathlon: Brad Kahlefeldt, David Hauss, João Silva, Valentin Meshcheryakov, Ivan Vasiliev, Bruno Païs, Anthony Pujades, Pierre Le Corre, Yulian Malyshev, Uxio Abun Ares. Saint-Raphaël Triathlon: Dmitry Polyanski, Igor Polyansky, Karl Shaw, Raoul Shaw, Olivier Marceau, Julien Fort, Manuele Canuto, Beau Smith, Tommy Zaferes, Julien Pousson. Rouen Triathlon: Aurélien Lebrun, Arnaud Chivot, Robin Moussel, Alberto Casadei, Alberto Alessandroni, Davide Uccellari, Thomas Bishop, David Bishop, Todd Leckie, James Elvery. Lagardère Paris Racing: Steffen Justus, William Clarke, Tamas Tóth, Romain Caillet, Grégoire Pallardy, Ludovic Échalard, Pierre Monière, Olivier Philizot, David Bardi. Mulhouse Olympique Tri: Daniel Hofer, Clark Ellice, Toumy Degham, Matthew Sharp, Mattia Ceccarelli, Richard Murray, Matthias Steinwandter, Mark Buckingham, Denis Florentin, Antoine Febway. TCG 79 Parthenay: Boris Dessenoix, Brendan Sexton, Tony Dodds, Jan Celustka, Simon De Cuyper, Akos Vanek, Stijn Goris, Luca Facchinetti, Eike Carsten Pupkes. St Jean de Monts Vendée Triathlon: Brice Daubord, Yohann Vincent, Nicolas Alliot, Alexander Bryukhankov, Kris Gemmell, Ryan Sissons, Ivan Tutukin, Gavin Noble, Anton Ruanova, Anton Chuchko. Baie de Somme Triathlon: Gabor Faldum, Tony Baheux, Miguel Arraiolos, Bryan Keane, Duarte Marques, Stas Krylov, Sergey Yakovlev, Fabien Guérineau, Massimo De Ponti, Aaron Royle, Jorge Naranjo Vichot. Metz Triathlon: Cédric Oesterle, Anthony Pannier, Théo Rebeyrotte, Nils Frommhold, Gregor Buchholz, Andrew Russel, Maurice Clavel, Jordan Rouyer, Charles Martin, Jessy Michel. Versailles Triathlon: Boris Chambon, Fabien Combaluzier, Audric Lucini, Benoît Recouvreur, Jonathan Tryoen, Gordon Benson, Andrea De Ponti, Kristof Kiraly, Franz Löschke, Stefan Zachaeus, Ricardo Hernandez. Ste Geneviève Triathlon: Vincent Luis, Grégoire Berthon, Andreas Schilling, Andrey Bryukhankov, Aubin Fouchet, Matthieu Marteau, Denis Vasiliev, Rodrigo Gonzalez, Danilo Brustolon. Vesoul Triathlon: Alexandre Maire, Jonathan Lardier, Vincent Stragapede, Danylo Sapunov, Yegor Martynenko, Aaron Harris, Andrea Secchiero, Peter Bajai, Ben Allen, Davide Bargellini, Petr Bures, Cyril Pochon. Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines: Frédéric Belaubre, Thomas André, Anthony Chassery, Ghislain Hervé, Léo Inostroza, Marek Jaskolka, Guillaume Montoisy, Aymeric Petel, Balasz Pocsai, Romain Pozzo di Borgo. La Rochelle: Nicolas Billet, Matthew Gunby, James Lock, Vincent Migné, Frédéric Pierrat, Lionel Roye, Valentin Rouvier, Jérémy Savio, Alfred Torok. 13 female teams: Poissy Triathlon: Jessica Harrison, Carole Péon, Erin Densham, Andrea Hewitt, Jodie Stimpson, Kerry Lang, Kate McIlroy, Kathrin Müller, Bérengère Abraham, Rachel Klamer. Charleville Tri Ardennes: Hollie Avil, Anja Dittmer, Olga Dmitrieva, Karolien Geerts, Sarah Groff, Vicky Holland, Emma Moffatt, Delphine Py-Bilot, Marie Rabie, Alexandra Razarenova, Doumic Letot, Katrien Verstuyft. TCG 79 Parthenay: Felicity Abram, Emma Jackson, Laurie Belkadie, Ainhoa Murua, Nicky Samuels, Non Stanford, Debbie Tanner, Alice Betto, Gaia Peron, Margit Vanek. TC Châteauroux 36: Melanie Annaheim, Ricarda Lisk, Svenja Bazlen, Kathy Tremblay, Alexandra Cassan-Ferrier, Julie Nivoix, Clémentine Kauffman, Alia Cardinale, Laetitia Moreau, Vanessa Raw. Lagardère Paris Racing: Emmie Charayron, Fabienne Saint Louis, Rebecca Robisch, Justine Guérard, Pauline Purro, Daria Pletikapa, Rebecca Kingsford, Manon Miranda, Sonia Die. Stade Poitevin Triathlon: Felicity Sheedy-Ryan, Jessica Leroux, Holly Lawrence, Lois Rosindale, Laetitia Lantz, Tamsyn Moana-Veale, Mariya Shorets, Charlotte Lancereau, Inna Tsyganok, Sara Vilic. Saint-Raphaël Triathlon: Annamaria Mazzetti, Camille Donat, Anne Tabarant, Greta Horvath, Daniela Chmet, Anastasiya Polyanskaya, Lyubov Ivanovskaya, Caroline Lopez, Catherine Pickthall. Saint Avertin Sports Tri 37 (SASTRI 37): Monika Oražem, Abbie Thorrington, Ine Couckuyt, Hannah Drewett, Elena Maria Petrini, Alessia Orla, Tamara Stonova, Anna Godoy Contreras, Marine Echevin, Pauline Moniere. Brive Limousin Triathlon: Aurélie Ajzenberg, Emma Davis, Julie Del Corral, Lucy Hall, Linde Herreman, Charlotte McShane, Giorgia Priarone, Céline Puydebois, Veronica Signorini, Carla Elena Stampfli. Tri Val de Gray: Barbara Riveros, Anaïs Robin, Fabienne Hébert, Marie-Clémence Prat, Sandrine Fariello, Ashleigh Gentle, Anais Verguet-Moniz, Elizabeth May, Faustine Chabod, Marine Brisard, Gisele Bertucci. Issy Les Moulineaux Triathlon: Linda Guinoiseau, Isabelle Ferrer, Juliette Coudrey, Camille Cierpik, Léonie Périault, Céline Viaud, Marina Damlaimcourt, Carolina Routier, Ashlee Bailie, Victoriya Kachan. Tri Sud 18: Sandrine Delannoy, Aurélie Gauliard, Sabrina Godard, Natacha Lacorre, Hellie Salthouse, Grace Musgrove, Camille Duvauchel, Solène Madrange. Noyon Puissance 3: -.*Cf. Triathlète, April 2011, p. 56-60. Obvious spelling mistakes have been corrected.
Points System Each of the 16 male and 14 female teams nominates seven triathletes for the whole season, of whom five triathletes actually have to take part in the race. In 2011 at least one triathlete in each team must be French (two from 2012 onwards).See http://www.fftri.com/plugins/fckeditor/userfiles/file/REGLEMENTATION/20091016-RGF-2009-2010-valideparleCDdu15-10-09.pdf . Retrieved 28 May 2010. For each of the five competitions the ranking of the clubs is determined by the three so-called triathlètes classants l'equipe, i.e. the individual positions of the three best triathletes of each club are added and the club with the lowest sum is the winner, and so forth. The ranks of the rest of each team are irrelevant. For the whole circuit, however, the clubs are assigned points on the basis of the club ranking of each individual competition. The best male team, for instance, receives 20 points for the first place in one competition etc.
For the season 2011 the French triathlon Federation FFTRI was not only unable to secure the right number of clubs, some clubs, especially female elite teams, seem to have difficulties in hiring five elite triathletes for each race: At the opening triathlon in Nice (24 April 2011), Charleville Tri Ardennes (CTA) was unable to start with five runners and should have been disqualified, as Alexandra Razarenova did not start. In Dunkirk, for instance, Stade Poitevin had to recur to Natalia Shliakhtenko although she was no member of the club any more and her name was not included in the start lists. In Paris, TRI Olympique Club Cessonnais had to do without the obligatory fifth triathlete because the only French triathlete among the five nominated runners, Alexia Bigot, did not start (DNS). According to the Réglementation SportiveSee p. 84 and p. 87 in: http://fftri.tamaco-dev.fr/sites/default/files/pdf/RGF_2011_0.pdf . Retrieved 14 July 2011. any club which does not take part in alle five triathlons of the circuit (with all the five obligatory triathletes) should be excluded from the Grand Prix. Apart from the three decisive runners (the ), several clubs nominate only foreign juniors without significant ITU competition experience. Sometimes even the three of smaller clubs are foreign juniors. The three best triathletes of Saint Avertin Sports Tri 37, for instance, were foreign juniors: Monika Oražem (24th in the individual ranking), Horvath (35th), and Hannah Drewett (38th). Hannah Drewett, a British junior, even managed to place 38th among the elite without any prior ITU competition experience. Lagardère for instance completely depends on Emmie Charayron. With this top triathlete, the club regularly achieves medals, without her it is among the last clubs of the ranking. The official start lists often turn out to be inaccurate. At Tours (28 August 2011), for instance, TOCC nominated five unknown French triathletes, but at the race there were three internationally well known U23 triathletes competing in the World Championship Series: Zsófia Tóth, who had announced her participation long before on Twitter, Charlotte McShane, and Mariya Shorets.