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The French Women’s Softball Championship 2026 will take place on the field of the Vipères de Valenciennes from May 23 to 25. An edition that promises to be explosive: between the Comanches, reigning champions and ultra-dominant, the Pharaonnes who are thirsty for revenge and dream of regaining their 2023 title, the Panthères de Pessac in full ascent, and outsiders capable of spectacular upsets, no team arrives without ambitions.
The teams are divided into two pools. In Pool A, we find the Varoise ogre; the match between Colombes and Grenoble will determine who will be second and who will be third. The head of Pool B will be disputed between Évry-Courcouronnes and Pessac, Nice will try to achieve its first success of the season and leave with more certainties than doubts.
Here is a complete overview of the forces at play, ready to clash this weekend.Saint-Raphaël : the logical favorite
Since the beginning of the season, the Comanches have been performing like a perfectly oiled machine, fueled by the most destructive offense in the league. It’s hard to find a lineup more intimidating than the one that puts Pauline Prade (.667, 1.802 OPS), a real offensive bulldozer, Lisa Vieira (.535, 1.388 OPS), always dangerous on every appearance, Inès Haudiquer (.536, 1.353 OPS), who combines speed and power, or Elsa Munier (.414, 1.070 OPS), whose consistency blows up the scoreboards, on deck after deck. No other team has such density, such consistency, such ability to hurt from the first pitch.
And as if that were not enough, Saint-Raphaël can count on the most dominant pitcher in the Challenge: Prapeng De Ridder, imperious, almost unreal. An ERA at 0.00, 41 strikeouts, a .131 opponent’s average: she doesn’t just win games, she dominates them.They are crushing their opponents. When they are on the mound, time seems to contract, the opposing team’s attacks become tense, and the Comanches play with absolute confidence.
Behind them, the defense is present. Vieira (.985), Munier (.957) or Buvat (1.000) lock down the field with such assurance that it perfectly complements the team’s offensive power. Saint-Raphaël doesn’t just hit, they also prevent others from breathing.
But even giants have their weaknesses. And while their attack is like a bulldozer, it heavily relies on their leaders: muting Prade, Vieira or Haudiquer reduces the Comanches’ offensive impact by half. Few teams can do that… but in a short tournament, anything can happen.
Overall, Saint-Raphaël is advancing to the Challenge with the aura of a natural favorite. A team that hits hard, throws hard, and defends hard. A team that clearly comes to keep its trophy.width= »543″ height= »679″ />
Évry-Courcouronnes: une prétendante très sérieuse
Leur principale force est la puissance offensives. Ambre Brouard (.514 / 1.187 OPS) frappe comme un métronome, Lila D’Hauteville (.485 / 1.389 OPS) apporte puissance et vitesse, Rosalie Coste (.423 / 1.398 OPS) est l’une des joueuses les plus complètes du championnat, et Emma Liminier (.444 / 1.146 OPS) semble toujours trouver la faille. Ce lineup n’a pas de failles : il avance, il use, il frappe juste.
Sur la butte, Évry n’a peut-être pas une as du calibre de De Ridder ou Le Chénadec, mais la rotation est solide, fiable, constante. Coste (3.00 ERA) mène la danse, Liminier (4.34) apporte de la variété, et Tortolero (0.00 ERA) peut surprendre. Ce n’est pas une rotation qui écrase, mais une rotation qui tient, qui limite, qui permet à l’attaque de faire le travail.
Derrière, la défense est l’une des plus propres du tournoi. Pauthe (.984), Riera (.984), Aubard (1.000), Lepinay (1.000) : les Pharaonnes ne donnent pas de points gratuits. Elles jouent simple, propre, efficace.
Mais tout n’est pas parfait. L’absence de Coste (blessée) est un gros coup dur pour Évry. De plus, la rotation des lanceuses est peu expérimentée, et il faudra surveiller les performances des jeunes lanceuses.The weight of a dominant pitcher can be felt in a short tournament, where a match can sometimes be won on a pitching duel. And a few rare but costly mistakes in the infield remind us that even champions can falter.
However, with their experience and consistency, Évry-Courcouronnes is a credible contender, a team that never gets flustered, never panics, and knows exactly how to win this kind of tournament.
Pessac: a very balanced team
The Pessac Panthers don’t make a big entrance like Saint-Raphaël or have the aura of Évry or the flamboyance of Colombes. But they have something else: balance, a rare quality that wins tournaments.
It all starts with Louise Le Chénadec, the most dangerous pitcher in the field behind De Ridder. With an ERA of 2.23, 81 strikeouts and a .210 batting average against, she is a force to be reckoned with.
Pessac peut faire basculer n’importe quel match. Quand elle est au monticule, Pessac devient une équipe différente : plus confiante, plus agressive, plus sûre d’elle. L’attaque avance comme un bloc. Riera (.459 / 1.203 OPS) frappe partout, Gourgues (.375 / .959 OPS) est une menace constante, Travers (.325) et Graves (.348) apportent de la profondeur. Ce n’est pas une attaque qui écrase, mais une attaque qui répond, qui s’adapte, qui marque quand il faut. La défense, enfin, est l’une des plus fiables du tournoi. Riera (.984), Hayes (.947), Pedarzacq (.931) : peu d’erreurs, beaucoup de sérieux, une vraie cohésion. Les failles ? Un manque de puissance, clairement. Et une dépendance à Le Chénadec : si elle fatigue, si elle est ciblée, si elle passe à côté, Pessac perd beaucoup de son identité. Mais dans un tournoi court, avec une ace capable de sortir deux matchs parfaits, Pessac peut battre absolument n’importe qui. C’est l’équipe qui ne fait pas de bruit… mais qui peut repartir avec le trophée.Colombes : a dangerous offense, a pitching staff to stabilizeThis can become a pitfall.
Colombes is a team that can beat a favorite… or collapse in two innings. A brilliant, unpredictable, dangerous team. A team that can create a surprise if, just once, its pitching holds up.
Grenoble: Firepower, defensive flaws, and permanent uncertainty
The Grizzlies are a paradoxical team. They can hit like champions, but take hits like promus. They can lead 6-0… and then lose 6-7. They can scare anyone, but also collapse without warning.
Offensively, they are formidable. Korousova (.394 / .974 OPS), Biteure (.435 / 1.203 OPS), Simon (.389 / 1.006 OPS) form a trio capable of blowing up any pitcher.
When Grenoble is on, it becomes an offensive torrent.
But the pitching… Salze (7.93 ERA), Bouis (11.03), Biteure (9.61), Paladini (147.00): the rotation suffers, with Salze, Bouis, Biteure, and Paladini posting ERAs of 7.93, 11.03, 9.61, and 147.00, respectively.Nice: Courage, combativité, and the desire to surprise
Nice enters this Challenge with a difficult season behind them, but an intact desire to show that they can compete. The Nice team doesn’t have the statistics of the favorites, but they have combativeness, energy, and some individualities capable of making the difference. Ait Benali (.333), Ledin (.294), and Giret (.241) bring stability to the offense. It’s not an attack that strikes fear, but an attack that fights, scratches, and advances. The defense, on the other hand, holds up at times. Bugna (.889), Lopez (.862), and Dymowiez (.815) show good things. However, the pitching is the weak point. Ait Benali (15.43 ERA),
Bertrand (8.60), Ledin (27.00) : too many hits, walks, and points conceded. And in a tournament where every mistake is costly, this can become a major handicap.
Nice is not a favorite, nor an outsider. Nice is the team that has nothing to lose, so why not upset the odds?
– Sébastien Dondé.
Photo credits: RS Vipères and Ffbs.
To know more about the Challenge de France website: HERE
