The French Zone Championships have been held throughout February and March 2007.  France is divided in nine zones by the French Gymnastics Federation.

One of the most important Zone Championships was the Ile-de-France Zone Championship held in Saint Denis on March 17-18, 2007.  In the women's senior competition, 2004 European silver medalist Marina Ducroux-Murinova (Sevran) prevailed with a strong routine in the final.  Ducroux-Murinova obtained a score of 36.60 pts with a 12.60 pt tariff.  She was joined at the award ceremony by two other French internationals: 2005 French Champion Camille Dru (Le Pecq), and Julie Perreten (Sevran), who both obtained 34.30 pts (12.20 pt tariff for Perreten).  Emmannuelle Laidet, Vanessa Saadat, and Joelle Vallez followed.  Vallez and Dru won the synchronized competition. 

In the men's senior competition, it was AcrobaticSports' very own, Damien Dorna (Levallois), a former member of the French Youth National Team, who prevailed with 35.00 pts (13.70 pt tariff).  Dorna resumed competing this year after having recovered from a serious knee injury.  Djamel Loucif (Levallois), the 2004 African Champion, took the silver medal with 34.70 pts (13.10 pt tariff).  In synchro, Dorna and Loucif prevailed.  Virgine Masse (Bois Colombes) won the women's junior competition with 32.20 pts.  Her teammate Jonathan Arnault won the men's junior competition.

The other major Zone Championship was the Southeast Zone Championship that took place in Oyonnax on March 17-18, 2007.  No finals were held.  Many athletes who compete for teams from other geographic zones but train in Antibes such as Gregoire Pennes (pictured on the right), Sebastien Martiny, and David Martin, competed as guests in Oyonnax.  In the men's, reigning French Champion Gregoire Pennes (Bois Colombes) barely edged 2006 European bronze medalist David Martin (Levallois).  Pennes obtained a score of 70.20 pts thanks to a very clean optional (40.20 pts with a 15.10 pt tariff) whereas Martin finished with 69.80 pts thanks to a neat performance in his second routine (40.30 pts with a 15.10 pt tariff).  French international Romain Legros (Antibes) won the gold medal with the third best score, 67.90 pts.  Legros, who won the 2006 Friendship Cup, obtained 38.50 pts (15.00 pt degree of difficulty) for his optional.  Sebastien Martiny (Bois Colombes) obtained the 4th best score with 66.00 pts, followed by Guillaume Bacque (Allauch - 63.60 pts) and Mathieu Hubener (Antibes - 63.00 pts).  Bacque and Hubener respectively won the silver and bronze medals. 

In the women's senior competition, 2006 French Champion Aurelie Gratay (Cannes) performed well and seemed to have recovered from her lost skills struggle.  Gratay won the gold medal with 61.50 pts, obtaining 34.30 pts with a 12.10 pt tariff for her optional.  Andrea Vierne (Sathonay) and Marine Latour (Antibes) joined Gratay on the podium.  Alexandra Simon and Arthur Broggio won the junior events. 

The tumbling competition was won by Amandine Arnaud and Yahia Icheboudene, who beat Yves Tarin and Mickael Gosset.  In the acrobatic gymnastics event, the winners were Marlene Chameroy-Melissa Desvignes-Magalie Van Echelpoel (Antibes - 81.600 pts) in women's group event, Pierre-Jean Gamard-Nicolas Giraudon (Talence) in the men's pair event, and Olivia Bardy-Tiffany Junqua (Antibes - 81.070 pts) in the women's pair event.

The West Zone Championship was held in Rennes on March 10-11, 2007.  French international Ulrich Brochard (pictured on the right) prevailed in the men's, and the winner was Julia Huet in the women's.  The junior events were won by Dimitri Piperakis and Marine Jurbert.

The Center Zone Championship was held in Cournon d'Auvergne on February 25, 2007.  Julien Duclay won the men's senior event, and Fanelie Gigoux prevailed in the women's junior event.

Ronchin hosted the North Zone Championship on February 11, 2007.  Christophe Fait prevailed with 34.00 pts in the final.  Lien Verraes from Belgium won the women's senior competition.  Her teammates Valerie Vanmellaerts and Lukas Vandenbogaerde prevailed in the junior events.

The Southwest Zone Championship took place in Nimes on March 10, 2007.  No athlete competed in the senior national category.  Cecile Benazeth and Laurent Guerinet won the junior events.

The East Zone Championship took place in Chalons-en-Champagne on March 10, 2007.  No athlete competed in the senior national category.  The junior competition was won by Mickael Renault.

The Reunion Island Zone Championship took place in Saint-Paul on March 4, 2007.

AcrobaticSports.com would like to thank Robert Ducroux, CTSN at the French Gymnastics Federation, for sending the detailed results from the Southeast Zone Championship.

Link to the detailed results (change to TRA in the "Discipline" box and then click on "Afficher"

Link to the detailed Ile de France Zone results

Link to other source