The 1st Crossfiteur, founder of the method
The beginnings of CrossFit can be traced back to Greg Glassman, who once set his sights on becoming the strongest gymnast. Since then, he has pioneered one of the most popular fitness movements on the planet, and is also one of the cofounders of the trademarked CrossFit company. He defines CrossFit as a cross-training method and the very definition of true fitness. This approach uses a variety of high-intensity movements that involve several parts of the body.
Thanks to the effectiveness of the company’s training programme, CrossFit has become much more than just a fitness programme. It’s a real culture and a discipline recognised in many parts of the world.
CrossFit is hugely popular in many countries, including the USA, Italy, Kuwait, Abu Dhabi, Iceland and Australia. There are also numerous CrossFit gyms in Asian countries such as China, Japan and the Philippines. But France is not to be outdone, with crossfitters beginning to make their mark at international competitions.
The movement continues to attract interest from people looking for an intense, high-impact workout. It also continues to gain widespread recognition on the internet, thanks to hundreds of CrossFit influencers around the world.
Who are the online CrossFit influencers?
If you try searching for “CrossFit workouts” on Google or on social networks such as YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, you’re bound to find thousands of workouts suggested by CrossFit athletes and fitness enthusiasts.
And with so many to choose from, it can be hard to know who to follow when you’re just starting out, or even if you’ve been a CrossFit fan for years.
That’s why we’ve put together a list of the 10 most influential French crossfitters that you should start following today.
The Best French CrossFitters
Sabrina Caron
A former top-level dancer, Sabrina Caron discovered CrossFit in 2012 and made it her profession in 2013. She takes part in numerous CrossFit competitions and won the bronze medal at the 2019 French Elite Weightlifting Championships. She is currently ranked 1st in France and 24th in the world in the 2020 Crossfit Open, which has enabled her to qualify for the Crossfit Games in August.
Willy Georges
The 27-year-old CrossFit athlete Willy Georges is a former LOU rugby player. He started Crossfit in 2015 and became France’s top Crossfitter in 2017 in the Crossfit Open rankings. In 2020, he has still retained his position as 1st French CrossFitter. He also won the CrossFit® French Throwdown 2019 and finished 21st in the world at the Crossfit Games the same year.
Jessica Vetter
Jessica Vetter is originally from Avignon. After 17 years of competitive gymnastics, she became a Club Med instructor before becoming a sports coach. In 2012, she started giving classes at Les Mills gyms. She started Crossfit intensively in 2015 and now gives several WODs a day at the Reebok Crossfit Louvres gym. She was ranked 1st French CrossFit athlete and 25th in the world in the women’s 35-39 category at the 2020 CrossFit Open.
Yohann Gigord
Yohann Gigord was French CrossFit champion in 2015. He is now both a CrossFit coach in a gym in Toulouse and a trainer of sports coaches.
Manon Lesur
Manon has been doing CrossFit since 2014. Ranked 2nd French CrossFitter and 27th in the world at the Opens, she has qualified for the 2020 Crossfit Games as an individual. She had already taken part in the Games as a team in 2018 and 2019.
Alexandre Pinsolle
Alexandre Pinsolle, 26, is a coach at CrossFit Happy Hearts in Dax. As a CrossFit athlete, he takes part in a number of competitions and came 2nd in the French CrossFit Open 2020.
Alizée Andréani
Ancienne gymnaste de haut niveau, Alizée Andréani a été voltigeuse aérienne pour le Cirque du Soleil à Montréal avant de devenir coach sportive. Depuis 2014, elle pratique le CrossFit de manière intensive. A 32 ans, Alizée se classe 4ème CrossFiteuse française à l’Open 2020.
Alexandre Jolivet
A crossfitter since 2012, Alexandre Jolivet notably won the French Throwdown in 2014. He has taken part in the Crossfit Games 3 times in 2017, 2018 and 2019. And he finished 1st French Crossfitteur in the Men 40-44 category at the Open 2020.
Tina Moeglin
Tina started CrossFit at the Gus’s Garage Crossfit Manosque box in 2014. In 2019, she finished 13th in the Elite Women’s French Throwdown and 9th in the French Open Crossfiteuse.
Stéphane Ossanga
Stéphane Ossanga discovered CrossFit in 2013 when he was an alpine hunter in the army. He took up the discipline in earnest in 2014. Since then, he has worked for BeNN, a food supplements company. He is taking part in the 2019 French Throwdown as part of a team with Alexandre Pinsolle, Alizée Andreani and Célia Gabbiani. They finished 16th in the Teams Elite. In 2020, at the age of 29, he ranked 15th in the French CrossFit Open.
Pour conclure sur le meilleur crossfiteur français
What about you? Who do you consider to be the best crossfitter in France?
If you practice Crossfit in the gym, don’t hesitate to take a look at our ranges of men’s sports bags and women’s sports bags adapted to afterwork crossfitters!
