© Caroline Hernandez via Unsplash
Giving pétanque (French boules sport) a new image as a cool, accessible sport for younger generations: that's the goal of Tanguy Penin, a 26-year-old Frenchman, and the first "pétanque influencer".
In the Netherlands, we know Pétanque (or "jeu de boules") as that typical activity we see on vacation in France: (usually) old French men throwing a metal ball as close as possible to a smaller ball, the cochonnet. Or we sometimes venture into it ourselves at the campsite.
Tanguy Penin, a 26-year-old Frenchman, wants to bring the sport to younger generations as well. With nearly half a million followers on social media and videos viewed tens of millions of times, he has gained a unique position as the world's first Pétanque influencer.
Penin grew up in France, where the game is widely seen as a pastime for older people, and experienced firsthand the social stigma attached to it if you play it as a young person. His approach to changing that perception involves posting trick shots, creative stunts and energetic content that shows the game in a new light.
His career as an influencer began by accident during the 2020 corona pandemic, when a video of him went viral on Facebook. Since then, he has made it a full-time occupation. He travels to more than 40 countries to visit clubs and promote the sport, spending only about four months a year in France.
Traditionalists have shed their suspicion of him and see that he's helping to grow the sport. Penin points out the simplicity and accessibility of the game to The Times: "Pétanque is one of the few sports you can play anywhere: in a parking lot, on a piece of property, on the sand. You can play it when you're three and also when you're 99."
Picture: © Caroline Hernandez via Unsplash