Raid International Gaspesie
Kit checks and cocktails
Pyro / 09.09.2015
Kit checks and handouts were the order of today. After a press briefing at 9am (and a very confused early departure for a few of the journalists from Bathurst this morning*), the racers began to file through the foyer of the Quai des Artes.
The kit check was basic, just a quick inspection of the teams ropework gear, harnesses and leashes. The rest of their short tour of the room, which also houses a few museum exhibits from the 25 year history of the building, was paperwork, receiving their race vests and t-shirts and a quick tutorial on their Yellowbrick tracker. The afternoon was unhurried and, due to the number of local teams and their familiarity to each other, there was much catching up to be done. Later local racers appeared to arrive straight from work, with more than one arriving in suit jacket and shirt.
The evening held a cocktail reception and team introduction, as well as the map handout. Canapés of local salmon, paté and goats cheese as well as two or three local beers filled the holes and put the teams in a fairly warm mood for the welcome, which started with a video preview and a little light teasing about last year's race, and the organisers mistake of not checking the tide tables before scheduling a canoeing section along the beach: Two of the event crew, dressed in racing gear, dragging a canoe full of bikes into the auditorium, arguing about this new discipline of 'canoe carrying'. Best not tell too many race directors about this new sport, it might catch on.
The usual rounds of thanks followed, and as is only appropriate, the race volunteers were given a standing ovation (local mayors received only polite applause). A few other anecdotes arose as teams were called one-at-a-time to the stage to be introduced and photographed: The team assistant who was roped in only an hour before the reception; The team who got married 10 days ago, and so are having the race as part of their honeymoon; The other team assistant who volunteered to be a team assistant without actually knowing what was required of them (and may be regretting their decision now...)
The teams have now retired to their accommodations, to pore over the maps and get their heads round the routebook. The sole British racer, Laura Barrell, said she had some concerns about the pace of the race, which could be valid given the speed at which stage races usually run. However, having lost her original teammate due to a lack of available leave and her first replacement due to personal issues, Laura seemed happy to be here and to be racing with Isabelle Côté, a local racer who stepped in at the last minute and also recruited a support crew for the pair.
Tomorrow's prologue, and the concurrent Youth race, start at 1pm tomorrow, and the area will get increasingly busy, as the 150 competitors in the Youth race swamp the 120-or-so main racers. The main race prologue consists of running, biking, swimming and ropework, so just about everything, and just about anything could happen. The racers only other hope is that the weather is better than the 'overcast with occasional torrential downpour' we've had for most of this evening. The journalists have that hope too.
*NB: Bathurst, New Brunswick, is the nearest main/regional airport, and is two hours drive from HQ in Carleton-sur-Mer, but is also in different time zone. Some of us had not realised this...
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