At 21, Juul is choosing between an engineering degree and high-level sailing.

“I started sailing when I was three or four years old because my parents had a sailboat.” Juul fell into the water before he could read, and since then he has never left the boat or his studies: today he is a student at the Bordeaux Agricultural Sciences and tells us how we can combine these two things.

PARISIAN. You gradually learned to sail, at what age did you start sailing seriously?

JUL. At the age of six, my parents enrolled me in optimist courses, and until I was ten, I began taking classical music lessons. At that time we lived in Belgium, and I swam in the Netherlands, because the sport is much more developed there. Then we moved to Arcachon and I took a bigger boat. Four years ago I joined the team. Since then I have been training at a high level.

From this year you are registered in Bordeaux Agro Sciences become an agricultural engineer. But do you also take part in competitions?

Yes ! In three years I hope to graduate, but during the year I also compete in national competitions and train. Sailing is a very logistical sport, I sail on boats that can’t be launched in ten minutes, so I train on Saturday and Sunday and do physical training during the week.

Most of the time I have a week of classes, like the other students. Especially since we are an hour away from Arcachon, where I train, so swimming during the week will be difficult.

Can you participate in school activities, especially on weekends? Doesn’t this separate you too much from other students?

During the week I usually participate in the student life of the school, but I cannot participate in some of the activities that take place on the weekends. But even physical training can be done at school: there is athletics there, I run twice a week. Strictly speaking, we do not have sports classes, but each sport is supervised by the student who coaches us, and we must participate in one sports session per week to receive a sports grade.

What about courses?

There are classical courses, and in addition there are group work and projects, so I manage to organize myself well and combine both. I organize my work so that it does not take up all my free time. In addition, this year a sailing section was created, and in 2020 I completed my sailing instructor activities. Every Thursday, when conditions permit, we go on a sea voyage, I supervise and pass on my passion to other students.

When you have competitions, what do you do?

Some may last a week or more, but the school did everything possible to accommodate me during that time. These excused absences allow me to miss classes. Some years there are more competitions than others. I have two goals: the French Hope Championship in August in La Rochelle and the Tour voile, a sailing tour of France that will last three weeks. We are still trying to supplement our budget because sailing is a sport that costs more than running. You have to have the equipment, the boat, and it has to be at a very, very high level, like my level. Finding sponsors is part of sport!

What career would you like to pursue after graduating from engineering school?

I’m currently exploring all possibilities. When I got my bachelor’s degree, I didn’t really know what to do, and I got a biology degree because SVT interested me, but I didn’t know much else. I was thinking about doing something related to the sea because I imagined myself doing marine biology. But I discovered agronomy, and it interested me. At an engineering school, training lasts three years.

The first year is broad enough to introduce you to the agricultural environment, gain insight and choose your specialization. I am more inclined towards forestry, timber production and forest management.

Can you imagine having to choose one day between high-level sports and studies?

I think I will continue sailing all my life, but one day I will have to choose between the two. My studies will always come first!