Good habits do not change and sport continues to occupy your weekends. Le Parisien offers a selection of issues and details the events not to be missed in Île-de-France. Overview without April Fools.
The event of the weekend: the Paris Marathon and its tens of thousands of followers
RUNNING. With the social events that are currently shaking the country, the question of its maintenance has been raised. Since Wednesday, it’s been a certainty: the Schneider Electric Marathon de Paris will be back this Sunday. As tradition dictates, the 50,000 or so participants plan to set off from the Champs-Élysées to cover the mythical distance of 42.195 kilometers passing through the most prestigious arteries of the French capital, then the finish line on Avenue Foch.
The 2023 Paris Marathon once again crosses places well known to tourists and Parisians. The opportunity to rediscover the capital and its monuments in another way, since on the way, we find the Place de la Concorde, the Opéra Garnier, the Louvre, Notre-Dame de Paris, the Musée d’Orsay, the Eiffel Tower, the Grand Palais or the Hippodrome d’Auteuil. And as for the half-marathon, we go through the Place de la Bastille and the Bois de Vincennes, but this time we add the Bois de Boulogne!
The game not to miss: hot derby in the Starligue
HANDBALL. This Friday evening will perhaps be a turning point in the Starligue championship, with two posters which concern both the three Ile-de-France teams as well as the fights for the title and the maintenance. Still two lengths from Montpellier at the top of the standings, PSG made a short trip to Créteil (12th), which is on track to stay without having secured its place in the Elite. A little lower, Ivry (13th) goes to the Hérault leader to write history. It’s a safe bet that the positions in the standings will not change but we know enough about the sense of pride of the Val-de-Marnais to shake up the forecasts.
For women, the championship is taking a break to give pride of place to the Coupe de France. The Lionesses of Paris 92, 5th in the Butagaz League, have a golden opportunity to play in the final of the 2023 edition. This will require defeating Besançon (8th) this Sunday at the end of the afternoon in the PSG hall. , Coubertin. If successful, Yacine Messaoudi’s players will face Metz or Brest, the two best teams in France. Just that.
The number: 2
VOLLEY. Like the number of finals that volleyball fans will be able to attend this weekend. Usual among basketball players in Paris, the Halle Carpentier (Paris XIII) will change its decor and ball for a weekend to host the two Coupe de France finals. Honor to women with, from Saturday evening, the duel between the players of Béziers and those of Cannes. If the latter have won the event 20 times – in 25 finals – their last success dates back to March 10, 2018, against… Béziers.
The Biterroises, they remain on two lost finals. The gentlemen, themselves, meet on Sunday afternoon with an enticing and unprecedented duel between the Tours specialist (10 victories in the Coupe de France) and the novice Nice who is trained by the former Franco-Brazilian international smuggler Rafael Redwitz .
In addition, many activities and competitions will be on the weekend programme: Fit’Volley initiation sessions, relaxation test, speed radar, reflex wall, 2×2 sitting volleyball tournament, etc. Wishing to make it an inclusive and eco-responsible event, the Federation will offer a discount in its official store for people bringing in a used volleyball. The medals awarded to the finalists are made of recycled leather, with a design and production 100% made in France.
The clash at the top: The Mets of Wembanyama challenge the leader Monaco
BASKET. All eyes will be on the Monaco Rock on Sunday for the clash at the top of the Betclic Elite. A princely duel, a battle between the chefs which risks sparking a few sparks between Monaco, the undisputed and indisputable leader with its legion of stars, and its runner-up the Metropolitans 92 led by the prodigy Victor Wembanyama.
After a few difficult weeks, far from his usual performance, the best scorer (21.5 average points per game), best rebounder (9.5 catches) and best blocker (3.2 blocks) in the championship seems to have regained his level. of play to tackle the final stretch of the season.
The challenges of the weekend: Stade Français against Lyon, Racing in South Africa
RUGBY. Eliminated from the Champions Cup, the great European Cup, after a completely failed campaign, Racing 92 was returned to the Challenge Cup where it will face, this Saturday (6:30 p.m.) the Johannesburg Lions, at home, in the eighth final of the competition. The people of Ile-de-France, who regained some color by winning the derby on the Stade Français pitch last Sunday (13-17), flew to South Africa on Tuesday.
The Parisians, they will play at home at the Jean-Bouin stadium against Lyon, Saturday (4 p.m.), during the shock of these 8th of the Challenge Cup between the 3rd of the Top 14 (the French Stadium), and the 4th.
THE PROGRAM
BASKET. Betclic Elite (27th day): Le Portel – PARIS (Friday, 8 p.m.); Cholet – NANTERRE (Saturday, 8 p.m.); Monaco – BOULOGNE-LEVALLOIS (Sunday, 7 p.m.).
HANDBALL. Liqui Moly Starligue (22nd day): CRETEIL – PSG (Friday, 8 p.m., Palis des sports R. Oubron); -Montpellier IVRY ((Friday, 8 p.m. Proligue (23rd day): Villeurbanne – TREMBLAY (Friday, 8.30 p.m.); Caen – PONTAULT (Sunday, 4 p.m.). French Cup F. (1/2 final): Paris 92 – Besançon (Sunday, 5 p.m., Stade Pierre de Coubertin)
RUGBY. Challenge Cup (8th final): STADE FRANCAIS – Lyon (Saturday, 4 p.m., Jean-Bouin stadium); Johannesburg – RACING 92 (Saturday, 6:30 p.m.). Pro D2 (26th day): MASSY – Grenoble (Friday, 7 p.m., Stade Jules-Ladoumègue).
VOLLEYBALL. French Cup (finals, Halle Carpentier). Women: Béziers – Cannes (Saturday, 8.30 p.m.). Men: Nice – Tours (Sunday, 3.30 p.m.).