Third edition of the Open de France Baseball 5.
The Sharks won the first two editions (2020 and 2022). The 2022 edition introduced a U16 competition, with the Renard de la Vallée claiming the title.
What does the 2023 Open de France have in store for us, as France has managed to secure third place in the world rankings for this new sport following the recent European and World Cups.
The Venue
The competition will take place at the beautiful Arténium Clermont Auvergne Métropole sports complex in Ceyrat (63).
It is hosted by the Arvernes – Clermont Auvergne Baseball Softball club, a 30-year-old club that has just won Division 2 in baseball and boasts 175 licensed players.
The Competition
The 2023 Open de France Baseball5 takes place on Saturday, January 21, and Sunday, January 22, 2023. Two age categories will compete: 16+ (born in 2007 or earlier) and 15U (born between 2008 and 2011).
The competition schedule is as follows:
January 22
10:15 AM: opening ceremony
11:00 AM: start of the first matches
Around 7:00 PM: end of official matches
Around 7:30 PM: Exhibition matches France Baseball5 vs Local personalitiesJanuary 23
From 9:00 AM: start of matches
Around 4:00 PM: end of the competition
Following: award ceremony
Formats and Schedules
16+ Format: 16 participants
4 pools of 4 teams. The top two from each pool advance to the main round, while the other two will play in the classification bracket.
Pool matches and the classification bracket are single-elimination.
Quarterfinals are single-elimination.
Semifinals, the third-place match, and the final are best-of-three series.
Official 16+ schedule: here
15U Format: 5 participants
1 single pool of 5 teams. The top 4 from the pool advance to the semifinals.
Pool matches are single-elimination.
Semifinals and the final are best-of-three series.
The semifinal losers face the 5th-place team in a three-team mini-tournament for bronze.
Official 15U schedule: here
Officials
The competition will be officiated by 15 certified Baseball5 officials, led by Ludovic Meillier, President of the Federal Arbitration Commission and international Baseball5 official.
Miscellaneous Information
Baptiste Izoulet, President of the Arvernes, tells us:
Numerous players and players from the French teams, European champions Seniors and 17U or having represented France at the first World Cup in Mexico.
Presence of Marc Maury, famous speaker of Rolland Garros and French athletics, Auvergnat, who does us the kindness of his presence.
Presence of Lahcène Benhamida, Manager of the French teams of Baseball5, who will be there to carry out a detection for the national collectives and to address the youngest around the project aiming to qualify France for the Youth Olympic Games 2026 in Dakar, Senegal.
Note that an exhibition match with the French team will be organized against a VIP team.
Finally, the matches will be broadcast on the federation’s Facebook page.
Photo credit: Glenn Gervot
