The aquatic section of Aqua climbs Millau Grands Causses secured eight places this year in the French sports and swimming rescue team. A record for the French club champion in this discipline.
We were accustomed to the good results of the club, it has been a row for four years that the Millavois monopolized the place of champion of France of the sports rescue clubs in flat water. But this year, this is the first time that the aquatic section of Aqua climbs Millau Grandes Causses has provided so many places in the French team.
In total, eight athletes among the seventy competitors of the club were selected in the France team. Eight athletes aged 14 to 28 that will be found, among other things, at the World Games from August 7 to 17 in Chengdu, China. But also at the European Sports Rescue Championships from August 24 to 31 in Poland and at theOrange Cup in November in the Netherlands. For the first time also, among them, the athlete Léa Cribillet, is both selected in the French sports rescue and swimming team.
End of system D
How to explain this selection record this year? First by the arrival of a new generation in the club. Of the eight sportsmen selected in the France team, five are for the first time. A group “At work” et “Who has a sense of effort and discipline”according to their coach Sébastien Sudre who admits to being “Very demanding” with them.
These results are also due to the new sports complex which allowed the athletes to train in better conditions. Indeed, after 35 months of work, the Alice Milliat sports complex was finally reopened to the public in June 2024 and was officially inaugurated in April 2025. “Before, it was very system D as an organization. I remember the time when we made muscle strengthening by the pool between the grannies passing to go to aquagym”says Sébastien Sudre laughing.
Better training conditions have also been made possible thanks to the fitted schedules of the Jeanne-d’Arc school establishment, where school and high school students are educated. This system allowed them to benefit from two daily training sessions. A real asset when you know that swimmers train between 15 and 20 hours per week.
The strength of the collective
This success, according to the athletes themselves, the club also owes it to an atmosphere “Family”. “The collective is what makes Millau’s strength today”estimates Camille Bouteloup, selected for world games. The proof, the seniors of the club who now train at the Montpellier France pole have returned for the weekend in the city of the glove to encourage their cadets during the departmental championships.
For the season which promises to be the goal of the Millavois club is clear: “Bring back medals at any level, says Camille Bouteloup. And if it is not medals, it’s time and performance ”. For his part, their coach says “optimistic”.
For the rest of the program, Léa Cribillet will open the ball with the European Junior Swimming championships from July 1 to 6 in Samorin, Slovakia. At only 14 years old, the athlete will be the youngest in the French delegation.
