Interview with Pascal Bahaud

Rob Howard / 01.12.2013

Costa Rica has a place in early annals of Adventure Racing, as it was the location for the second Raid Gauloises in 1990, effectively the second ever race.  That race also has a special place in the memories of Pascal Bahaud as it was his first adventure race, and now he is here to compete in Costa Rica again with ‘Team Intersport McKinley Raid in France’ at ARWC2013.  (Pascal is the Race Director of Raid in France, last year’s World Championships.)

I sat down with him to ask about his memories of those early days and how he came to be involved in adventure racing.

“At the time I was 23 and on the French rowing team, preparing for the 1992 Olympics, and when I heard about Raid Gauloises on the radio I got together with a team of 4 other rowers to enter. It was a bit of joke really to begin with and we had no idea what we were getting into.”

“At that time there was not any adventure racing or lightweight equipment, but just had to use what was available and adapt it if we could. I was in road running shoes, the racers here would laugh at them, but it was all I had. I think we were the first to put a water bottle on the rucksack shoulder strap, for balancing the weight. We had one on each shoulder, one to drink from, the other to fill and add purifying tablets to.

“The race was a long time ago, but I remember particularly the rafting on a big, wide river, a very nice river, and paddling around the coast of near OSA, where we are going tomorrow. We were amazed by everything around us and had big eyes for all that we saw.

“We finished second, behind a military team, and though we finished second 4 times in the Raid Gauloises we never raced for performance or to win, always for our pleasure, to have a good time with friends and discover new places and people.

“I do remember we lost by 2 hours ... on the last night we lost that time.  I have my own video of all my races inside my head.

“I think you are never the same again after such an experience, never. I have continued to race and started Raid in France in 2007. As a Race Director it is good from me to race again and see things from the other side.

“I do think today there is too much racing and that we should value the adventure and discoveries more than the performance. If you forget that this sport cannot advance, and all those involved in adventure racing must think about this.

“For this race we just want to enjoy the company of friends and being in Costa Rica.”

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