The Cartel is one of the biggest sporting competitions between engineering institutions in France . Every year, it brings together the technological universities in the Institut Mines-Telecom network as well as a number of guest institutions. The host institution changes every year. In 2024, IMT Atlantique and its students have the honour of organising the event. The Cartel is, first and foremost, a tradition that has now been going on for 50 years, a joyful occasion when all the students gather together around the same passion: sport. In short, the Cartel is the Institut Mines Télécom's Olympic Games!
12 delegations, 1,800 students for 4 days of sporting competition
The students from each delegation will proudly display their colours. It all begins on Thursday 25 April at 1.30pm on the "Esplanade des Traceurs de Coques" in Nantes, where the opening ceremony will take place. Participants will be able to admire the famous Elephant at Ile de Nantes , the architecture and the Loire River.
Objective: the students will parade across the Ile de Nantes to the Stade Michel Lecointre, where the 10x100m relay events will take place. A great atmosphere is guaranteed! At the same time, swimming and cross-country relay events are scheduled to take place.
An intense and joyful programme in store!
17 different sports will be represented, from football to archery, Ultimate (frisbee), rugby, volleyball, handball, petanque and more. Team sports will be in the spotlight on the 2nd day with the qualifying rounds and on the 3rd day with the finals. The competition will conclude on Sunday 28 April with a brunch for all the participants.
As well as showcasing sportsmen and women, the Cartel also gives artists a chance to express themselves through the various competitions organized during the evenings. Between the DJ contest, the Rap contest, the Rock contest and the pompom show, there's something for everyone.
50 years old already: the Cartel is a historic event
50 years on: the Cartel is a historic event which was first organized in 1974 by the Saint-Etienne Ecole des Mines. Since then, it has evolved with the times, grown in size and broken records. In 1996, at the 23rd edition in Nantes, it even made it into the Guinness Book of Records with the largest rugby scrum in history.
Despite its age, the Cartel is in tune with the times. In 2024, the organizing committee has chosen 4 values to guide its choices: respect, ecology, innovation and commitment.
All these values are reflected in actions such as the mobilisation of around one hundred student volunteers, the production of trophies by a local, environmentally responsible company, an innovation challenge to showcase student projects, disabled sports activities and the Bronze level award for the « Développement durable, le sport s'engage® » (Sustainable Development, Sport is Committed) label, a first for a Cartel. This label recognizes the Cartel's commitment to the environment and shows that the organizing team is committed to the sustainable development of sport and to promoting its environmentally responsible approach to the general public and its partners. Organizing the Cartel is a valuable and highly formative opportunity for IMT Atlantique students. The team is made up of 40 members, not forgetting the hundred or so volunteers on the day. It enables students to develop management skills, become more confident speakers, and learn how to work with suppliers and service providers. It takes a wide range of skills and a close-knit team to make a Cartel.
See you on 25 April for the opening ceremony on the Ile de Nantes!
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by Pierre-Hervé VAILLANT
