Hello, can you introduce yourself?
Hello, I'm Freddy Chollet, president of the Médusor association, which organizes the Royan fishing show.
How did you come up with the idea of holding the first edition in 2024?
The Médusor association was originally set up to organize race villages for sailing competitions, and several of the partners, including myself, are also fishermen, and we felt that there was a serious lack of a representative fishing show on the Atlantic coast, hence the idea of creating this show.
Why did you choose Royan?
Royan is an ideal location, as it is centered on the Atlantic coast.
What were the ambitions for this first edition?
For us, the priority remains that the exhibitors who played the game for this first edition find themselves there again. And if they do, we'll be fully satisfied, with the aim of repeating the show.
Can you tell us how the organization of such a show has been received by industry professionals?
We were very well received by all the professionals in the nautical and hardware sectors, as this is an area where the need for a showcase and meeting place is important. Customers always need to be able to compare different products on the spot. As far as fishing tackle distributors are concerned, we encountered problems with all the brands belonging to Gifap, which had decided not to take part in this year's Royan show, as they were already looking ahead to their own show, scheduled for 2025.
However, there are still many lure and rod craftsmen who want to work in close contact with anglers, and they are present at the show for all to enjoy. We're proud to be able to help them do just that.
In terms of media coverage, do you think the show is getting the visibility it deserves?
I'd say that the problem, whether it's the media or the fishing brands, is that many people want to see to believe. They say that, depending on how this first edition goes, they'll come next year... The problem is that if the first year suffers from this absence, obviously there won't be a second year... Let's remain optimistic, and given this first edition we hope they'll support us for the second.
So, for this first edition, how many exhibitors were there?
For this first edition, we have around fifty exhibitors. Exhibitors from both the recreational and professional fishing sectors. It's important to us to be able to help and showcase this sector, which is going through a difficult period.
After 3 days at the show, what are your first impressions?
All the exhibitors and the public were delighted with the show. Passionate anglers and exhibitors who, for the most part, were able to work well. There were nearly 6,000 visitors over the 3 days, all in a convivial atmosphere. It's a great success for a first-time event, and we're happy and admittedly a little proud to have got this far today.
So let's talk about the second 2025 edition, which will still take place at the same time?
Yes, we're going to stay in this period from late March to early April to take advantage of the mild weather and optimize access to the water for the various tests, whether of boats or electronics. We're also going to try to develop and increase the freshwater side of the event, to the delight of anglers.
