The French touch

Rob Howard and Anne-Marie Dunhill / 21.09.2012

If the Swedes dominated the top ten at last years World Championships in Tasmania with four teams in the top six places, this year the French teams are putting on an equally good demonstration of national pride on their home turf. As of 09:40 this Friday morning there are three French teams in the top six; Raidlight Canoe Evasion, Vibram Lafuma and Raidlight LSN.

Team captain, Sebastien Raichon, of Raidlight Canoe Evasion spoke of his teams surprise at their fourth place finish. They’d had a particularly low point at the arrival of the mountain bike section in Saint Martin de Vesubie,  debating on whether or not to continue. A food and a powernap on the steps of the town hall convinced them to continue. Crossing the finish line on the beach of Rouquebrune Saint Martin, Sebastien said along with thoughts for his wife and children, he also had the French team Quechua on his mind as he felt that their fourth place rightfully belonged to them. However they were very proud to be so highly ranked; an “amateur” team right behind the heavy weights of the international racing circuit.

Their lady racer, Sonia Furtado, had raced with Quechua in the World Champs in Spain two years ago when her knee injury contributed to the teams withdrawal, spoke at length to Sleepmonsters after the race. A tiny woman, when her team crossed the finish line she immediately wrapped herself up in her survival blanket as her boyfriend who had been following the race wrapped her in his arms where she stayed for twenty-minutes. Sonia explained afterwards that she has a very difficult time dealing with anything that concerns water as she is perpetually cold and her low body fat index means that she is unable to regulate her body temperature. As such, it is a constant internal battle, both physically and mentally to get back into the water. 

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