The Frenchman Grégoire Charles will remember the Coastal Rowing World Championship for two firsts: he had never been to Italy, and he had never competed in Coastal Rowing before today.

However, Charles will not row for the French team but for the smallest country in the competition, the Principality of Monaco, because “I am here with my friend Lucas Fauche, who I compete with on the French rowing team. He is also Monegasque, and I am here with him to complete the quad scull boat.”

Grégoire Charles’ debut in Coastal Rowing represents “a way to train and to have a vacation with my friends” and also to visit the city of Genoa: “It’s exactly how I imagine a typical Italian city, the colors, the buildings. I really like it; I’ve never been to Italy before, but I’ve always wanted to visit, it’s beautiful, and the sea is stunning”.