AR World Series Preview (part 9)
Aside from the big dog — the World Championship in Spain in early October — the Raid in France is the final AR World Series race on the calendar for 2010. The French race organizers plan to have full details on their ARWS event available in April, so for now we don’t have too much to go on.
The dates are set for August 27 – 29, so those looking to wrap-up their Summer at this event can circle the dates right now.
There have been two previous editions of the Raid in France, and at 3 days in duration this 2010 affair is intentionally shorter than previous years. With the World Championships in Spain just a month later, the French organizers want their event to be a good tune-up for the elite teams — but not overdue it as they worry it could discourage top teams from competing. 3 days in length is their compromise, and they have longer races planned for 2011 and beyond. With the 2011 World Championship race in Australia, France is the inside favourite to host the 2012 Championship and then the Raid in France would eagerly stage a longer 6 day expedition course. This is just rumours about 2012, of course, and I know other places are in contention for 2012 so don’t hold me to this speculation!
Trekking at Raid in France 2009
The Raid in France has been proud of their “support crew required” stance and teams need 2 assistants to shuttle their gear and stage equipment while the team races . . . the organizers claim to involve support crew in “unique ways” which, if I were racing here, would be a big topic to clarify before signing up for the event (or at least before finalizing your support crew!).
Considered the birth place of adventure racing (Gerald Fusil developed his Raid Gauloises in France in the late 1980s), France is an adventure racing crazed country. The nation has literally hundreds of events each year; there are no less than 673 events listed on the French calendar according to one leading site. Some are “basic” run/bike/paddle events, but often French races include archery, inline skating, rifle shooting, and other creative things — I even saw one ominous discipline listed as “cultural and intellectual challenges.” I don’t think you can really train for that, right?
Will Horses Figure in the 2010 Race?
The Raid in France, drawing on this rich history of adventure, has brought horse back riding (controversial in some circles for the treatment of animals), caving, riverboarding (they call it “hydrospeed” in Europe), rafting, and canyoneering to their previous races. They also mix in some more typical canoe & kayak paddling, mountain biking, trekking, and rope work. This being in Europe, inline skating is also often on their list of disciplines. We won’t know what to expect for August 2010, but I think it’s safe to say racers should plan for variety.
As the final Qualifier in the 2010 AR World Series, and geographically so near to the World Championships one month later, expect this race to attract a strong field of top teams. The Quechua team, from France, has won this race both years and enjoy a strong homefield advantage . . . but with so much at stake I predict many fast teams will give them a run for their money at the end of this summer.
For more information, including some entertaining videos of prior Raid in France editions and a visual profile of the 2009 race, pay a visit to their blog. For specifics on 2010, we just have to stay tuned to www.RaidInFrance.com . . .
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I was support crew for both editions of Raid in France (two members of my team are on horses in your photo). Both times it was a fabulous experience because the races went through stunning parts of France and as support we also played a more active role then in other races I’ve supported. For example we paddled the kayaks across a breathtakingly beautiful lake in the French Alps (lac Serre Poncon) to deliver them to our team. Such activities are a welcome change to the standard role of support and it was a pleasure to have our role acknowledged by the organizers as in integral part of the team. So in answer to your query about support crew, do it, it’s a blast!