Good habits do not change and the sport continues to delight young and old. Le Parisien offers a selection of issues before each weekend and details the events not to be missed in Île-de-France. Overview.
The poster for the weekend: PSG have no room for error against Nîmes
HANDBALL. The Starligue championship started again two weeks ago, after the break linked to the World Cup, and with it the distance struggle between the three top names who dominate everything else. The title will be played between Nantes (28 pts), Montpellier and PSG (30 pts each) and the suspense is complete while there are still 14 days left. On paper, there should be no problem this weekend for the three tenors. Unless…
The Parisians receive Nîmes (6th), which has just lost at home with a very small goal against Montpellier. Winning at Coubertin is not within everyone’s reach, but Raul Gonzalez’s players have every interest in remaining wary. At the same time, players from the capital will be the most fervent supporters of the two other Ile-de-France clubs: Créteil (12th) and Ivry (15th), who are fighting not to go down, will respectively have the heavy task of going to Montpellier and to receive Nantes!
In Proligue, Pontault (3rd), who marked the coup in the standings, will return, if he dominates Valence in Boisramé, in the footsteps of Dijon or Tremblay. The two co-leaders clash in Burgundy in the clash of the 19th day.
The weekend reunion: two 30-year-old friends on the banks of Plessis and Nantes
VOLLEY. More than just a game. The move of Plessis-Robinson – whose maintenance is almost recorded with 11 points ahead of the relegated Cambrai 5 days from the end – in Nantes-Rezé will have a particular flavor for coach Cédric Logeais. In front of him, he will find a tricolor volleyball legend, the former libero Hubert Henno, but above all a friend. As teenagers, the two friends met every summer for the traditional beach volleyball tournaments that take place on the beaches of the Atlantic coast. A habit they have perpetrated for several decades.
Note that Le Plessis will move to the dolphin of Tours without the sharp Antonin Rouzier (36 years old) who, injured, announced last week that he was hanging up the tunic. The end of a great career of almost 20 years for the former sharp of the France team (243 caps), European champion in 2015.
To have fun like (almost) kids: the UDO in Villebon-sur-Yvette
DODGEBALL. The Unicorn Dodgeball Club of Ville-du-Bois (91) is organizing this weekend in Villebon-sur-Yvette (Marie-Marvingt gymnasium) the 2nd edition of the Unicorn Dodgeball Open (UDO), the only international interclub dodgeball competition In France. Of Anglo-Saxon origin, dodgeball, often compared to a sports version of dodgeball, is a collective sport where two teams of six players compete with the help of five balls. The objective: eliminate his opponents by hitting them with a ball or by catching a thrown ball.
Carrying strong values in keeping with our time, such as team spirit, cohesion, a taste for effort, perseverance, dodgeball is developing considerably in France and abroad. Two principles particularly qualify it: fair play (eliminated players must leave the field on their own), and diversity, which is available in children and adults. There is a “mixed” category for the latter, a symbol of parity, since each team is made up of three women and three men, in addition to a “Women” category open to women only, and an “Open” category open regardless of gender.
The UDO 2023 brings together sixteen Open teams, sixteen Mixed teams and twelve Women’s teams from the United Kingdom (pioneer country, reigning world champion in Open), Austria (current world champion country in Mixed and Woman), Italy, Switzerland, Hungary and Spain. Several French teams will participate in this great event. Saturday will be devoted to group matches. The classification matches, quarters, semi-finals and finals of each category will be played on Sunday. Access to the public is free, from 8 am.
The weekend ride: everyone at the Hippodrome Paris-Vincennes
ROLLER This Sunday, from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m., the Hippodrome Paris-Vincennes gives you an appointment for the last “Pleasure Sunday” of the winter. On this occasion, several animations are proposed: baptism with ponies, Carousel, visit of the stables, Bus Racing Tour, Kid’s Village, Live Quiz, musical atmosphere, roller skating. The Splits Roller Show collective and its 4 dancers on wheels will put on a show during the very famous free Roller Party in the Grand Hall… and of course the adrenaline of the biggest horse races. Free admission by invitation to download (https://www.vincennes-hippodrome.com/fr/evenement/dimanche-plaisirs-26fev23/)
THE PROGRAM
GYMNASTIC. Top 12 GAMs (6th day): NOISY-LE-GD – FRANCONVILLE (Saturday, 4 p.m., Butte Verte Gymnasium). TOP 12 GAF (3rd day): MEAUX – Colomiers (Saturday, 4 p.m., Frank Leboeuf Gymnasium).
HANDBALL. Liqui Moly Starligue (18th day): Montpellier – Créteil (Friday, 8 p.m.); IVRY – Nantes (Sunday, 5 p.m., Auguste-Delaune gymnasium); PSG – Nîmes (Sunday, 5 p.m., Pierre de Coubertin room). Proligue (19th day, Friday, 8.30 p.m.): PONTAULT – Valence (Espace Boisramé); Billère-MASSY; Dijon-TREMBLAY. Butagaz League (16th day): PARIS 92 – Plan de Cuques (Friday, 8.30 p.m., Palais des Sports in Issy-les-Moulineaux).
HOCKEY. Ligue Magnus (Day 42): Chamonix – CERGY-PONTOISE (Friday, 8:05 p.m.).
RUGBY. Top 14 (19th day): STADE FRANCAIS – Montpellier (Saturday, 3 p.m., Stade Jean-Bouin); Lyon – RACING 92 (Saturday, 5 p.m.). Pro D2 (22nd day): Rouen – MASSY (Friday, 7.30 p.m.).
VOLLEY. Ligue A (22nd day, Saturday, 8 p.m.): Nantes Rezé – LE PLESSIS-ROBINSON; Chaumont – PARIS. Women’s A League (21st day): Aix-Venelles – LEVALLOIS (Saturday, 7.30 p.m.); Béziers – STADE FRANCAIS PARIS SAINT-CLOUD (Saturday, 8 p.m.).