Costumes, downpour, good atmosphere... The Marco-Grilli challenge of the Juan-les-Pins water ski club was not dampened by the rain this Wednesday.

"We let the storm pass," smiles Nathalie, organizer of the event, a family heritage passed down by her father, Marco Grilli.

Despite the unpredictable weather, the Belles Rives water ski club held its flagship summer event yesterday: the Marco-Grilli challenge, which took place in the bay of Juan-les-Pins.

Yet, from the morning onwards, a gloomy sky had stolen the show from the sun. But this didn't dampen the enthusiasm of the thirty young participants, aged 4 to 18, who came to take to the water on water skis, wakeboards, or monoskis.

At midday, the weather suddenly deteriorated. A heavy downpour hit the shores of the Mediterranean, forcing the organizers to postpone the traditional family parade, the highlight of the afternoon.

" It's very rare that we have to deal with the weather. The last time it rained was at least fifteen years ago ," Nathalie confides.

Saint-Tropez Gendarmes and Dupont Brothers on the pontoon

Around 3:30 p.m., things calm down. The sky clears, and the costumed families can finally set off together from the pontoon of the legendary Belles Rives. Cowboys, butterflies, and various other characters follow one another on skis, in a good-natured atmosphere.

At the head of the procession, a family dressed as Saint-Tropez gendarmes gives the starting signal with music, to the sound of the famous melody of Louis de Funès' hit. A false start sends them into the water, but laughter prevails.

They set off again, encouraged by the cheerful comments of Omar, the speaker of the day, who himself learned to water ski in Juan-les-Pins "thanks to Marco Grilli" .

Regulars at the challenge, the London Haas family were obviously there, with an incarnation of the Dupont Brothers: " We've been participating for twenty years. We're so happy to be here, it's a magical place ," confided Jacqueline and Caroline.

At 6:30 p.m., the awards ceremony concluded this eventful day. A Wednesday where, despite the whims of the skies, everyone knew how to "walk on water."