By Aurelien Burban
Published on
1, 2, 3 ready? Swim! The countdown has started for the Lions Club of Loudéac and Pontivy, but also for the Nautical club of the country of Loudéac. Indeed, the organization is planning, as traditionally for four years, a new edition of the Swimming Guerlédan June 25, 2022.
Still located at the departmental base of the lake, the event should be less affected by the pandemic, and therefore bring together around 450 swimmers. This year, the Lion’s Club supports the IEM (Motor Education Institute) of Kerpape in Ploemeur (Morbihan). “The son of one of our members is cared for in this structure”, indicates André Tanguy, one of the members of the organization.
Competition program
In the morning, at 10 a.m., this edition will begin with the 3×500 meters of the company relay. Thus, three representatives of a company will be able to compete. To prepare them as well as possible, the organizers are offering a “company challenge pack” for €270. This formula includes commitment, but also access to four training sessions per week at the Pontivy outdoor swimming pool. Specifically Mondays and Wednesdays, from 8 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., and Tuesdays and Fridays, from 12 p.m. to 1:45 p.m.
Then, at 11 a.m., it’s around children, then adapted sports on a 200-meter course. “We are very attached to this race. Young and disabled people prepare for several months for this event. We have a tear in our eyes when we see them come out of the water on arrival, ”describes Yann Lanchec, president of the Lions Club of Pontivy.
At 11:30 am, it’s the 500 meters for all swimmers, then the 1 km. “There is no age limit, and people with disabilities can also participate. The time does not count”, explains Yann Lanchec. During this morning and early afternoon, everyone leaves with their medal.
At 2:15 p.m., the competition side takes precedence. First of all, it is the 2 km counting for the Young Brittany Cup. Then, at 3:45 p.m., the 5 km, fifth stage of the Coupe de Bretagne in open water starts. “The first three of the 16 events will be directly qualified for the French Championships”, specifies Yann Lanchec. The national scale is what the organizers are aiming for in the near future: “The lake meets the standards for organizing the Coupe de France in open water. »
tax-exempt donations
Last year, the Lions Club generated a net profit of €4,584. €2,500 went to Autisme Trégor, and the rest went to the two branches of the association. They have also succeeded in establishing an agreement with their national foundation. Thus, specifically during the event, donations of more than €30 may be tax exempt.
Organization and entertainment
To ensure the smooth running of the event, five boats are placed throughout the course, lent by the base. The sports hall, the location, the changing rooms are also available. Lifeguards are present in case of problems. Only three days before the races, the Regional Health Agency checks the quality of the water. “It brings us a certain stress”, admit the organizers. Not to mention the prefectural agreement, requested in each department, issued the day before the event.
In parallel with these races, as usual, animations are programmed. Throughout the day, you can discover the sports village, and do BMX, archery or even rock climbing. In addition, an initiation to rescue and first aid will take place, as well as a demonstration. New: you can also try tree climbing at the Guerlédan Parc Aventure.
Contact for the outdoor swimming pool: 06 95 81 66 85. Registration for the races is done on the klikego website, for the 2 km and 5 km you need to do it on www.ffneaulibre.fr. It is the CNPL which manages the registrations for these two events.
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