Originally scheduled for spring 2020 in La Rochelle, the event was postponed to spring 2021 due to the health crisis, then to September 2021.
It will finally take place from September 2nd to 5th at the Boucaniers de La Rochelle field on Avenue Wilson and at the Pitchers de Pineuilh field for the group stages. The France Challenge is a tournament organized by the French Baseball Federation. It brings together the eight best teams from the Division 1 championship.
In 2019, the last winners of this championship were the Templiers de Sénart. For over a decade, the winners have been the Templiers de Sénart and the Huskies de Rouen. The winner of this competition earns their ticket to the European Cup: CEB.
The schedule will feature eight teams: In Pool 1, Metz, Montpellier, Sénart, and La Rochelle; and in Pool B: Montigny, Rouen, Toulouse, and Savigny.
On Thursday, September 2nd, four matches will take place: Two in Pineuilh: Savigny vs. Montigny and Rouen vs. Toulouse. Two others in La Rochelle: Sénart vs. Metz and Montpellier vs. La Rochelle. Games at 11 AM and 3 PM.
On Friday, September 3rd, the winners and losers will face each other in matches at 10 AM and 1:30 PM. At 3 PM, a third match will see the winners and losers of matches 3 and 4 face off.
On Saturday, September 4th, only four teams will remain. The two teams selected in Pineuilh will come to La Rochelle to face the two teams selected in La Rochelle. The semifinals will take place at 11 AM and 4 PM. On Sunday, the final will pit the two winners against each other at 2 PM.
All matches at the La Rochelle field will be broadcast on Baseball TV France and will be available for replay on the French Baseball Federation’s YouTube channel.
Given the teams present and the championship results, Sénart and Rouen remain the two favorites, with a theoretical edge for the Sénart team, which has impressed this year with its statistics.
