With over 2,000 competitors stepping onto the mats, the tournament crowned champions in multiple categories, awarding the prestigious title of “French National Novice Champion.” Despite being exclusively for white belts, the level of competition was intense, with some winners having to battle through up to seven matches to claim their gold medals.

A Spectacle at the Grand Dôme

The Grand Dôme in Villebon served as the venue for this massive event, where 11 competition areas were set up to accommodate the sheer volume of participants. To ensure that family and friends could witness the action, every match was streamed live on YouTube via the official CFJJB channel.

High-Level Officiating for a High-Stakes Tournament

An event of this scale requires top-tier refereeing, and the CFJJB delivered by assembling a team of highly experienced officials. The majority of referees at the tournament were IBJJF-certified, bringing professionalism and consistency to the competition. Impressively, six of them had just officiated at the IBJJF European Championship in Lisbon the week prior, ensuring world-class officiating across all matches.

Team Rankings and Notable Results

The team competition saw familiar names asserting their dominance.

• In the Gi division, Infinity once again secured the best team title, continuing their reign at the top.
• However, in the No-Gi tournament, there was a major shake-up as De La Riva Nantes claimed the top spot, disrupting the expected team rankings.

With such an impressive display of talent at the white belt level, many of these competitors are likely to make an impact as blue belts in upcoming tournaments. This event proved once again that the future of French Jiu-Jitsu is bright, and we’ll be keeping a close eye on the rising stars who shined on the biggest stage for beginners!