Lauriane Nolot, the French star in the kite Olympic sailing

Bronze medallist in 2021 and silver medallist in 2022, Nolot knows exactly what is expected of her at the 2023 showpiece in The Hague.

She is the new star turn in the fastest class in Olympic sailing and has the form to back up such lofty ambitions. Victories at Palma, Hyéres and the Paris 2024 Olympic Test Event mean she will be the favourite to capture top spot at the Allianz Sailing World Championships.

The third and final triumph, carved out in the unforgiving conditions of Marseille’s Marina, means that she feels ready for anything.

“It was really good preparation,” said Nolot of the Test Event. “Until now, I haven’t seen anything other than (Marseille), where the water is moving, and the wind has been a nightmare every single day.

“I think if you can be good in those conditions, you can be good in all the conditions. All of the top girls were there so to come out on top, it’s good and I feel really confident for the World Championships.

“I’ll focus on resting up for the Worlds and fixing the little things I need to improve. I’m feeling confident and I hope I will do great.”

At least there is one type of pressure that Nolot doesn’t have to worry about at the World Championships.

Her rivals will be fixated on a top-eight spot that brings coveted qualification for next summer’s Olympics; as hosts, France qualify automatically.

“To have the Games in France, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime thing for me,” said Nolot. “I really want to do it.”

If selected, Paris 2024 promises to be a true home Games for Nolot. She lives less than an hour away from the Olympic venue in Marseille – yet another good omen.

“It’s a pretty comfortable situation for me,” she said. “There are a lot of people I know around there, even the beach marshal, he’s a good friend of mine.

“We stayed in a hotel in the Marina (for the Test Event) but if I really needed to go home to chill, or see my family, or something else, I’m not too far from them.”

Originally a horse rider, Nolot lapsed as a sportswoman when she moved south to university.

In 2017, encouraged by family members, she tried kitesurfing and, soon after, foiling.

“My father and my brother were already doing it, and they asked me if I wanted to try. I thought ‘yeah, why not?’” she said. “I really enjoyed it from the start.

“Then my father and brother started foiling, a year after I started. They said, ‘it’s so nice to kitefoil, I have the feeling I’m flying above the water, it’s so fast’ and I fell in love with the sport.

“I saw I was able to go fast, to be fast and had a chance to be good.”