UWH

D1 is coming back this weekend! 1/2 (Women’s D1)

by
Christophe Hinneman

The big day has arrived. Almost two years exactly after the last competition, Division 1 is back where it ended, in Sarcelles. The elite of French hockey will meet for the first round of the best championship in France this weekend.

Who will succeed in overtaking Pontoise ? Will we see the end of a 30-year domination? After a 2019-2020 season ruined by the health crisis and a 2020-2021 season cancelled, it seems like the perfect time to put the CHSPC in danger.

Fontenay is one of the outsiders who will try to get into the title race. This solid team can count on a multi-generational pool with young players in constant progress like Chloé Corvaisier and more experienced ones like Cécile Virgitti-Royer.

Ile-de-France will be well represented with four representatives. Among them, the HOPE club which will want to confirm the great promises seen during the first round of D1 2019. At that time, the players led by Sabrina Le Naour had finished in second place. Why not repeat this great performance this weekend ?

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If HOPE will be able to count on some Spanish players, on the Hyères side, they will have their English players ! Samantha Marlow and Rachel Hickey will boost a team that can also count on its French internationals, including captain Marjorie Lamoureux, Sarah Cuvelier and the young Marie Dusfourd. While this may not be enough to play for the title, do not forget that Hyères is the last team to have managed to stop Pontoise from winning the title in the 2016-2017 season. Proof that they should not be underestimated.

Finishing ahead of Pontoise in D1, a performance that the team from Le Chesnay has not been able to achieve since 1991. They are used to finishing second but this could be the year to overtake their Francilian neighbours. A victory in this first round would be a big step in their quest to finally win the title. Le Chesnay will also be able to count on English elite players such as Kim Moakes and Lauren Dwyer in addition to French internationals Laurine Massue-Foucart and captain Alison Touchain. Le Chesnay is definitely a contender for victory.

The Netherlands will be well represented in this D1. Member of the Elite team and coach of the U24F at the World Championships in Sheffield, Kirby Van Strien is part of the Moirans squad, along with her player Pien Van Haren. Kirby Van Strien will bring a bit of experience to a still young team that will be competing at the highest level. If the potential is certainly there, it seems difficult to imagine Moirans playing the first roles … for now !

The Pessac team will also have its Dutch players ! U24 at the 2019 World Youth Championships, Iliana Bazelmans and Kim Zwetsloot have joined the Girondines for this round of D1. Led by Aurore Lacombe, Pessac seems to be one of the less armed teams in the competition. They will need a tight team to resist the attacks of the big armadas of this D1 among which, the almost invincible Pontoise …

Where does Pontoise stand ? The reigning champions have almost only known first place for a short time. Since 1992, there are only four D1 that the CHSPC players have not won. Will this year be the year of change or will Pontoise‘s reign continue as if nothing had changed ? In any case, the players led by Cécile Roussel will obviously be the team to beat in this D1, as every year.

Among the main competitors of Pontoise, there is a team from Rennes which seems stronger than ever ! Internationals in all directions, the Ginsbourger sisters reunited, experience and youth. The Bretonnes’ squad is frightening ! If the team is well prepared, Rennes could do something big in this first round of the D1.