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Preparing for the Battle to Come

Raid Series Release / 11.09.2006

As the Raid raced through the first night of competition, the different approaches to rest time began to shed some light on the various race strategies being adopted by the teams. Some preferred to continue regardless without the slightest concern for resting, while the majority preferred to take at least 4 hours of sleep in order to kick-start the second day.

SPORT 2000 LAFUMA (FRA) is one of the rare teams in the leading pack to have totally deprived themselves of sleep since the race start on Saturday morning. Since yesterday evening, Marc Balaskovic and team have completed a 36km sea-kayaking section on the splendid Lake Saint Jean, a 30km, night-time, trail-running leg, through freezing conditions with a wicked wind chill, between Val Jalbert and Lake Bouchette, a 64km MTB liaison this morning at dawn and finally the first really taxing trail running section of the race at the beginning of afternoon; 46km with 2,871m of ascent …. all without closing there eyes for one minute.

Their closest rivals chose a completely opposite option that consisted of taking at least 4-hours sleep from the 27 hours imposed by the rules. WILSA SPORT/HELLY HANSEN (FRA), NIKE/POWERBLAST (USA) and PARAMEDICSAGUENAY (CAN), for example, all slept at the end of the sea-kayaking section, in the historic village of Val Jalbert.

GOLITE-TIMBERLAND (NZL), SPYDER (USA), ERTIPS (FRA) and LES ARCS-QUECHUA (FRA) preferred to start the night trail-running section that followed, before snuggling into their tents for a beautiful night beneath the stars. This strategy of caution is summarized by the support crew of team PARAMEDIC-SAGUENAY (CAN), as preparation for the inevitable “war of attrition� to come.

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