The 2026 edition of the Sport-Boules League M1 began on January 23 and 24 in Saint-Quentin-Fallavier. Sixteen teams are competing in ten stages. OGC Nice, second in 2024 and third in 2025, is among the teams to watch this season.
On Friday, January 23, and Sunday, January 24, 2026, the 2026 edition of the Sport-Boules League M1 took off in Saint-Quentin-Fallavier. Sixteen teams gather over ten stages to fight for the final victory. Among them, OGC Nice is one of the favorite teams. Second in 2024 and third in 2025, the team led by Didier Abrate aims for the podium again and hopes to clinch the first place in 2026.
René Tavazzi, president of OGC Nice Boules, expressed his joy at this new start: “The 2025 season was a great satisfaction, with a top-three finish in this championship and a French champion title in doubles. We aim for the podium again with one hope: in three years, we have won the French champion titles in singles, fours, and doubles. Winning the League would be fabulous.” Caution remains necessary: “we will need to do as well as the last two years and do better than other well-equipped teams.”
A successful first event in Nord-Isère
On Friday, January 23, and Saturday, January 24, 2026, OGC Nice returned from Saint-Quentin-Fallavier with ten points and a fourth-place in the overall standings. The complete team started with a loss 4 to 7 against Maurienne-Galibier. The Nice team then overpowered Béziers (12 to 9) and Ville de Lyon (11 to 4).
Maurienne-Galibier nonetheless took the top spot in the group based on direct goal difference. Nice played the classification game, winning 13 to 5 against Côte-Saint-André.
The Nice lineup remains unchanged this season. Didier Abrate, Emmanuel Bilon, Frédéric Ascensi, Romain Garcia, Jérémy Micoud, and Bastien Paradis are again defending the red and black colors. Two of the three consultants of the League place OGC Nice on the podium.
The Nice public is invited on April 3 and 4 in Nice. The Gé Gallaratto boulodrome will host the fifth stage. “This competition, which brings together the elite of Sport-Boules, is starting its sixth edition. We have been part of it from the start. I would like to warmly thank the municipality for its support. We invite the Nice public to join us at Easter, on April 3 and 4. Winning at this event is a goal within a goal, and we will have the crowd cheering for us,” concluded René Tavazzi.
The second stage of the Sport-Boules League M1 will take place in Mâcon on February 13 and 14.
