“We haven’t been friends for a long time, but since we’ve known each other, we’ve done everything together. »
Élise Chauveau and Émilie Darreau, known as the Étinc’elles du raid, met at the Island sports association Fan de sport in the fall of 2018. It was during an evening with friends, in 2019, that the idea of doing the Raid Amazones imposed itself as a challenge to these two sports fanatics.
They have been preparing for this adventure for three years. After two postponements of the raid and a change of destination because of the Covid, the two teammates confide that the most difficult thing was to revitalize their emotional momentum in the face of the various cancellations.
“From the start of this adventure, what was surprising for us was the speed with which we were able to complete our registration budget. It took us four months to collect this relatively large sum,” says Élyse. “Our equipment supplier is from Barjouville, traders and individuals from Illiers support us, and the traders from Brou have been particularly generous, they have spread the word in favor of our project. »
A multidisciplinary raid
With her past as a former French GRS champion, Élise is the sportier of the two, but they are both driven by a need for physical effort and self-transcendence. For six consecutive days, the 253 riders in the first session, including the Étinc’elles, will have to compete in different events: 38.5 km of mountain biking, 14.1 km of trail, 17 km of canoe, 19.9 km of run & bike, a 9 km trail, archery and an orienteering race.
“We are not aiming for great sporting performances or a podium. Our goal is to surpass ourselves and surprise each other. We discovered on social networks, competitors who are real war machines. Our position will be somewhere between the latter and those who come for discovery and tourism! »
The pair trains four times a week for an average of two hours. “It is difficult to project ourselves in relation to what we will have to experience in Sri Lanka,” confides Émilie. Here in Beauce everything is flat and over there we will have unevenness, obstacles, not to mention the climate. We won’t let go, because we have the necessary mentality,” adds Élise.
The Raid des Amazones promotes values such as mutual aid and solidarity and encourages participants to support a cause. The two Islanders have chosen the association Vaincre la mucoviscidose.
The two teammates will fly on March 13 to Sigiriya, the former capital of Ceylon, the former name of Sri Lanka.
Practice. Follow them on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lesetincellesduraid2020/
