Grand Raid des Pyrenees
High Pyrenean Trail
Anne-Marie Dunhill / 02.09.2009
The tiny town of Vielle Aure (population 356), a few miles from the Spanish border in South West France, hosted the race which went through five ski stations (St. Luz, Bareges-Le Mongie, Cauterets, Luz Ardidon and Hautacam) and across ten peaks: following a heartshaped race route through Vielle Aure, Bareges,Luz, Cauterets, Pic du Cabaliros, Villelongue, Pic du Midi, Artigues and Neovielle.
Starting at 3:00 am racers began to trickle in to the town square in preparation for the 5:00 am race start. Stretching and casting furtive glances at the competition, the atmosphere was pensive. Family and friends who had come to assist warmed themselves at the refreshment stand as best they could under a steady drizzle. At the pre-race briefing the organizers promised that the weather would be good but the low lying fog and drizzle didn't look promising.
The contingent of volunteers were in place at the 28 check points, the organizers looked calm and focused and the entire village turned out with cowbells to send the racers on their way. Elite runners like Arnaud Gueguen, (last years' winner) and Patrick Bruni (winner of the Citadelles Trail race) were present as well as courageous unknowns; indeed, 50% of last year's competitors abandoned. In all, racers from 8 European countries were present.
The first edition of the race had been heavily criticized in the French specialized press as racers felt that adequate marking was missing. This year the organisers pulled out all of the stops and instead of the previous 1,500 markers they were 6,000, enabling the racers to find their way even in the heavy fog of the first night. Security was in the back of every racers mind and at the forefront of the organisers following the recent tragedy at the Raid de Mercantour.
Each racer had an electronic chip attached to their number and the information was transmitted to the race headquarters at each checkpoint passage, enabling the HQ to track each racer's progression. As well, families could sign up for a system that automatically sent out an sms informing them of their racers position. Racers gracefully accepted the mandatory material check of their backpacks but some moaned when the race was temporarily neutralized on the first night at Villelongue as 7 racers had to be evacuated and important decisions taken due to extreme weather conditions.
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