Crowned ILCA 7 World Champion, new name for the Laser (solo dinghy), on Saturday in Mexico, Jean-Baptiste Bernaz is struggling to come down from his cloud: “I’m enjoying it! I wanted to win this title so badly: I’ve been chasing after it for years! It’s a huge satisfaction. All week we have evolved in variable conditions but that suits me and there have been a lot of placements in the fleet, it’s a game that I like. This last day was intense, I was really hot with a big desire to fight. This overflow of energy made me make a mistake during the first start. I knew I had to stay in the top 11 for the last race… and I finished 7th”, says the 34-year-old Frenchman, 6th in the last Olympics in the discipline.
“When I realized it, I exploded with joy. It’s really a lot of emotions, he adds. With my coach Nico, we did a great job this winter and he was very present throughout the championship to keep me focused on each of my races. The physio from the France team offered me a great recuperation every evening, it was really great conditions. It is this sum of small details that made the difference. I fought against myself. Here I am world champion. My name will forever be engraved on the plaque of Laser champions, alongside the greatest legends, forever! »
