Thursday, July 24, 2008

Raid Caneo Nature Teams for 2008 adventure race

1 – EMSA – Raid’Epernon - Yoanna Gervais, Thierry Grizard, Emmanuel Charberet, Frédéric ClaresTwo engineers, a technical training instructor and a senior technician: top quality IQ in the air. But it is quite possible to be brainy while having one’s feet firmly on the ground, and this is certainly the impression that our four adventurers give. Thierry GRIZARD, an engineer with a keen interest in sailing, has taken part in numerous long-distance rallies since the beginning of the 21st century, including a recent TransMoroccan one with his alter-ego Emmanuel CHARBERET who prefers paddling to sailing. In contrast, the technical training instructor Yoanna GERVAIS recognises that her rally pedigree is a bit skimpy and is anxious about her lack of experience. A small handicap that her two engineer mates will make up for, as will Frédéric CLARES, also a former TransMoroccan competitor and a keen devourer of wide-open spaces.

2 - WILSA WCUP CHTI Raid - Carine Porret, Laurent Beauquey, Mickael Vignal, Yannick Wojtowski.Guys from the North and Pas d’Calais region, who are unbeatable according to the old song, always make up a solid contingent of the rallies of Gérard FUSIL who is also a native of “that place up there”. The first two are from Râches, Mickael VIGNAL and Yannick WOJTKOWSKI. Both shared the honor of crossing the finishing line first in the Réunion d’Aventures 2007. Champions in the “Discovery” category, they clocked up 214 kms in 4 days, 3 hours and 25 minutes. With them is another northerner, Laurent BEAUQUEY, French two-seater kayak champion in 1995, for whom the CanéO Nature will be his “first major long-distance rally”. Our trio of northerners are backed up by the engineer Carine PORRET, from Isère, whose experience includes an Oman Adventure 2005 and the Réunion d’Aventures 2007, so she’s no spring chicken when it comes to rallies …

3 – CELLUMAT - LEROUX - WILSA -Nadine Lacheré, Franck Buckman, Luc Andrivon, Brahim Bourrada.After these youngsters come the forty-something’s, northerners too. They include Luc ANDRIVON, another hero of the Réunion d’Aventures 2007, a competition that remains one of his best sport memories. With him is the teacher Brahim BOURRADA, a marathon runner who is also a keen climber, and Nadine LACHERE, who just adores running, cycling and every type of rally so long as she doesn’t have to run on an empty stomach. This quartet of forty-something’s – all completely new to this level of competition – is completed by Franck BUCKMAN, from Lille, very keen on scuba diving, orienteering races and mountain-biking. His first marathon was also top of the list of his bad memories: “When I crossed the finishing line I could hardly walk!”

4 – Soul of Tribe - Sandra Limouzin, Pierre-Etienne Léonard, Gauthier Bancarel, Thibault Banon-SelvesPierre-Etienne LEONARD, an all-round sportsman of a high level, took part in the Réunion d’Aventures 2004 which was completely deluged from beginning to end in torrential rain. But that did not stop him from finishing in 4th place in the “Adventure” category, an exploit all the more remarkable as half of the teams had been forced out of the race. This keen lover of Gérard Fusil’s rallies is back with two physical education teachers, Sandra LIMOUZIN who cherishes an excellent memory of the New Caledonia rally (3rd place) and a terrible one in Argentina (she had to pull out early on), while Gauthier BANCAREL has just gobbled up rallies (but not Brussels sprouts) since he turned 18. Thibault BANONSELVES completes the quartet animated by a tribal spirit as its name indicates.

5 – Vaucluse Aventures Evasions - Vincent Bouchut, Jean-Michel Cateau, Josiane Séguier, Frédéric FabreTwo Vauclusiens plus two Varois equal four athletes adept in nature sports, all keen on mountain biking, two good at running and three in orienteering, which is just as well in the circumstances. Vincent BOUCHUT and Jean-Michel CATEAU had a foretaste of what’s in store at the Réunion d’Aventures 2005 where they won in the “Adventure” category. Both of them, as well as Josiane SEGUIER, have competed in a hundred rallies in France as well as in international competitions. Frédéric FABRE would like to get out and away as often as his team-mates if only he had the time. But he’s in the noble and demanding profession of wine-growing, which keeps him home a lot… Versailles > Marseille

6 - ABSOLUE RAID - Décathlon Saint-Orens - Aline Labourdère, Adrien Séguret, Bruno Bareilles, Eric Maire.Adrien SEGURET, a physics lab technician from Toulouse, enjoys outdoor sports and mountain biking as does the teacher Philippe LACHAUMETTE who has taken part in dozens of regional rallies and knows all the tracks, torrents and thalwegs of the South-West. Not forgetting caves, as a good native of Lourdes. In contrast, Aline LABOURDERE, from Beaucens and Eric MAIRE, from Colomiers, both of them great runners as well, have a real preference for horse riding. Our four Pyrenean natives look pretty well qualified to take on the challenge of the Raid CanéO Nature. With two reservations, one for Adrien SEGURET whose best sporting memory is a cycling race that he won close to home and among friends, and the other for Eric MAIRE who is not looking forward to the lack of sleep during the long competition. The Raid CanéO Nature does not go by Toulouse and it lasts ten days.

7 – Lys Aventure - Hélène Compignie, Nicolas Mitton, Arnaud Degand, Laurent NicolloHélène was born in Béthune and Mathilde in Saint-Omer, which will not displease the sponsor of the Raid CanéO Nature. The best memory of the COMPIGNIE sisters was the first rally in which they both competed in 2006. Since then, they have continued to run together all over the North of France. Arnaud DEGAND, also a native of Pas-de-Calais, joins them to try to notch up a new rally on his wall of trophies. An ambition shared by Laurent NICOLLO, a forty-something from Auvergne and a specialist in mountain races. Perfectly normal for someone who lives in the Massif Central!

8 – Sport nature – Ville-la-Grand -Caroline Finance, Fred Fleck, Nicolas Bouchardon, Marc Paturel,The TNRMA, for those still don’t know what it is, is not a military regiment but the Trophée National des Raids Multi Activités. The trophy winners in 2007, for those who may have forgotten, were Messrs Nicolas BOUCHARDON, Marc PATUREL and Fred FLECK. Joking aside, this trio who live very far from each other come together often for top level competitions in France. And they often climb up on the podiums. The Alsatian Caroline FINANCE who joins them today will have no problem keeping up with them thanks to her experience of rallies in Spain, Morocco and Australia. And she picked up a bronze medal down under at the world mountain biking-orienteering relay championships.

9 – Columbia Lozère Sport Nature - Christine Cornez, Benjamin Monier, Yannick Pierrat, Laurent Galtier.The teacher Laetitia PROUHEZE is more than familiar with all the ski slopes and running tracks of her native Lozère. Her two top passions are cross-country skiing and running. Two other natives of Lozère will be accompanying her for the first Raid CanéO Nature, Laurent GALTIER, a great fan of mountain biking and rugby, and Benjamin MONIER who has distinguished himself in several French rallies. His track record is almost identical to that of Yannick PIERRAT, a Jurassien who completes this plucky foursome who are all taking part in a nature sports competition of this level for the first time.

10 - Flying Avent’Hure Palfinger -Vanessa Frappier, Julien Frappier, Olivier Choteau, Thierry Bellivier.She loves the effort she puts into sports, and chocolate also. He loves nature. And they love each other (the proof, they’re married): this couple from Deux-Sèvres are sure to love the Raid CanéO Nature. Vanessa and Julien FRAPPIER, both teachers and keen competitors in regional rallies, are joined by Olivier CHOTEAU a colleague who, to quote Churchill, enjoys “blood, sweat and tears” and, to quote Beaudelaire, rejects whatever is “luxury, calm and voluptuousness”. The fourth member of the team is the marathon runner Thierry BELLIVIER who drops a little quote from Sacher Masoch: “Beyond a certain level, pain becomes pleasure”! The Raid CanéO Nature – whose international dimension all four will be discovering – is sure to fulfil their deepest wishes…

11 - OAHU - Christine Lamouche, Hervé Lamouche, Patrick Lamarre, Stéphane Bernier.Loving means running together in the same direction, Saint-Exupéry might have commented if he’d known the LAMOUCHE couple because Christine, a teacher and Hervé, a film director, won a national mixed trophy in 2006. But their other best memories hardly coincide: for her it is a rally in the Czech Republic, and for him the climbing of Aconcagua. They will have with them another teacher, Stéphane BERNIER, a specialist in cyclo cross and mountain biking as well as a fourth team-member, Patrick LAMARRE who, as well as being an avid DIY fan, (“my McGyver side”) is Versailles > Marseille a helicopter pilot with the gendarmerie. Back on the ground, he had a little accident that sent his car rolling over at more than 40 km/h. Laconic comment of the gendarme: “There was some damage”.

12 – ABS – Aventure Féminine - Karine Dugrand, Claire Pinatel, Karine Bouchot, Viviane Rognant.This team is completely female and three quarters of them come from Toulouse. Two Karines, both physical education teachers, paid the price of a knee (Karine DUGRAND) and an ankle (Karine BOUCHOT) to build up a fine record in the field of nature sports. Viviane ROGNANT will be contributing her precious cycling, mountain biking and rollerblade experience. As for Claire PINATEL, who once took part in a race in France dressed as a Michelin Man, she will be the riding expert of this quartet managed by Karine DUGRAND who has chosen for assistants Colette DUGRAND and Jean- Louis DUGRAND. A nice little family-run business that intends to carve out some market share during the Raid CanéO Nature.

13 – Intersport Liège - Laurent Mignon, Jean-Philippe Degey, Hedwige Tilkin, Michel TilkinIt’s a pleasure to meet again our friends from Liège on this Raid CanéO Nature. The Belgian team looks extremely well qualified in terms of the range of sports practised by each of its members. Laurent MIGNON has clocked up impressive performances on marathons in the Northern fogs and can’t forget one race in which he “forgot” his long-standing friend and team mate. Jean-Philippe DEGEY has a very similar profile with a lot of time devoted to biathlon and triathlon events. As for Hedwige and Michel TILKIN, they have done Croatia, Chamonix and the Jura together. So Belgium is fielding at least one strong team for the competition.

14 – Cap Opale - Nathalie Bourillon, Julien Charlemagne, Patrice Kergosien, Patrice Libert.Nathalie BOURILLON excels particularly in mountain climbing, with a world cup gold medal as her top achievement, as well as three Raids Gauloises and several international races. And two Réunion d’Aventures, including the Homeric one in 2005 when her team arrived in first place, and the dramatic one in 2007, where she finished outside the classification following the injury of a team mate. CHARLEMAGNE was also in that same Réunion d’Aventures 2007 where he came in third in the “Adventure” category. With the two Patrices – KERGOSIEN and LIBERT – who have very similar profiles to the two others, this team looks very promising for the CanéO Nature

15 – Nat’s-Colla del Matí – Bombers de Lleida -Miguel-Angel Calvo-Oechsle, Franco Javier Rodríguez-Verdès, Gemma Navarro-Najar, Jordi Mas-DedeuA fireman, a policeman, a physics lab assistant and a teacher: but more important than the professions of our four athletes is the fact that they all come from Spain, two from Barcelona and two from Lleida. All four know each other well after years of competing on the same tracks. Gemma NAVARRO NAJAR, a teacher, and her husband Jordi MAS DEDEU have clocked up hundreds of kilometers on races in their native Catalonia, Spain and Portugal. Add in to this wealth of experience a Colombian rally in the Andes for Miguel Angel CALVO OECHSLE and Franco Javier RODRÍGUEZ VERDÈS. We guess that they won’t feel too homesick competing among their French neighbours provided that the weather holds up and includes plenty of sunshine.

16 – Lattitude 55 - Dominique Garcia, Marie-Claude Christ, Emmanuel Elalouf, Georges Cauchois.GARCIA, CAUCHOIS, ELALOUF: this trio has given every proof of fidelity over recent years. Dominique GARCIA, from Montpellier, and Georges CAUCHOIS, from Ste Geneviève des Bois, have often put in brilliant joint performances on the Raid Gauloises, Elf Authentique Aventure, Réunion d’Aventures and Oman Adventure, all races with the stamp of Gérard FUSIL on them. They are joined by another faithful team member, Emmanuel ELALOUF, a real fan of the Oman Adventure in which he competed in one team and sponsored another team! These three hardy campaigners are accompanied today by a newcomer who is no novice, Marie-Claude CHRIST, who already has built up a solid record as a triathlete and will fit into the team with ease.

17 – Fun Events - Catherine Gance, Lionel Boimard, David Louaze, Yann Lahellec.These four musketeers have two points in common: they are all from Cergy, a noble town on the outskirts of Paris, and they are all very keen on nature sports. With a few nuances, of course. Lionel BOIMARD, after twenty-five years of judo, has put aside his black belt to indulge a real passion for green races, while Catherine GANCE was a recent contestant in the world triathlon championships. David LOUAZE has a keen interest in orienteering races which he shares with Yann LAHELLEC. This very balanced combination of talents will be forged even closer together by the exploits demanded of them in the Raid CanéO Nature in August. 18 – 7 Lieues aventures Katell Corne, Pierre Gagnière, Cyril Ennequin, Jean-Luc Petithomme.With five classic Raids Gauloises, three Corsica rallies and two “Hannibals”, Pierre GAGNIERE is certainly no greenhorn in the small world of international rallies. Nor is his pal Cyril ENNEQUIN, who wore out a few pairs of trainers on the route between Niger and Mauritania. As for the architect Jean-Luc PETITHOMME (three Gauloises so far), he has already collected fractures and other painful memories right (ankle and kneecap) and left (hand and knee). The tree hardy annuals are joined by the triathlete Katell CORNE who is known for her legendary good humour. Katell, who adores a bit of fun, cannot stand whiners who complain. All set, gentlemen?

19 – Vesalis - Alice Caplier, Catherine Orsi, Régime Lemaitre, Serge Pesanti.Three women and one man, all from Isère and so no strangers to mountain heights. But their main achievements so far have been in mountain biking. Alice CAPLIER and Catherine ORSI have also built up a solid track record in orienteering races while Régine LEMAITRE and Serge PESENTI, although well experienced in these disciplines, have a clear preference for cross-country skiing which is unfortunately not on the programme of the present Raid CanéO Nature. Until the next Raid is held in the snow of winter, our four Alpine athletes will have to give their full attention to the no less demanding disciplines of horse riding, kayaking, caving, hiking and abseiling in different natural settings between Paris and Marseille.

20 - IMI Groupe -Eddie Berthurel, Laurent Descarpentries, Anne-Lise Rocher, Jérémy BaronYet another survivor from the deluge of 2004. In Reunion, Eddy BERTHUREL, despite the calamitous weather, managed to lead his team in the “Extreme” category right to the end. Or just about. A marker that he missed pushed them out of the classification. Our friendly gendarme took his revenge three years later in Oman where he finished a very decent fifth and in the “Extreme” category! He’s back with a Vendéen, Laurent DESCARPENTRIES, a champion in Polynesian dug-out canoes (!), Anne GARCIA, a Bigorroise, who adores mountaineering and a Parisian, Jérémy BARON whose combined talents in running, mountain biking, climbing and orienteering makes him a very all-round team-mate to have.

21 – Issy Aventure - Grany = Amélie Laurendon, Bruno Girard, Didier Iket, Pierre OuagneThe Oman Adventure 2007 remains for the two Ecole Normale graduates Bruno GIRARD and Didier IKET the highlight of their sports career. Firstly, because they only met two days before the race started; secondly, because on the eve of the start their derailleur gear, already repaired twice, broke once more; thirdly, because after an extraordinary struggle with the leading competitors throughout the race they fished first in the last stage and second in the overall classification. With them this time is the engineer Pierre OUAGNE who has chalked up a solid number of national rallies including in the Czech Republic and Croatia, and Amélie LAURENDON, who has an impressive array of titles and medals in the many disciplines that she practices. They head off for Versailles with the hope of doing as well as or even better than last year in Oman…

22 - Sport-outdoor.com - Sybille Galindo, Cyril Gautier, Thierry Galindo, Xavier Bloem.Thierry GALINDO admits it: his principal virtue as well as his worst defect is that he is stubborn! And when Thierry is stubborn enough to keep going right to the end, it usually pays off. As it did at the last Oman Adventure which he won with flying colours although he was taking part for the first time in this type of long bike and run race Nature will also be a new experience for him, one that he’ll be sharing with his wife Sybille GALIN DO. Sybille, a gym teacher with plenty of experience in rallies and mountain biking races, comes from Isère and is a passionate devotee of mountain climbing and keeps a precious memory of her ascent of the Ecrins: she won her first 4,000 metres race at age 12. The same passion is shared by Xavier BLOEM, a triathlete who went even higher than her, all the way up Mont Blanc. The last member of the team, Cyril GAUTIER, was content to climb the Isoard. But in purely sporting terms, this gym teacher has already reached the summit: he is a national technical advisor for the triathlon discipline.

23 – The Fous de Bassin TDR BX - Karine Sanson, Pascal Mouchargue, Hubert Le Guen, Patrice DugornayWithout music, as Nietzsche once wrote, life would be a mistake. The life of Karine SANSON is far from being one since she teaches music. And when she is asked which foreign language she knows she replies: music. The young lady from Bordeaux has also had time to become a racing champion and completed her first Réunion d’Aventures in 2007 in 7th place in the “Adventure” category. This happy memory she shares with her pal Pascal MOUCHARGUE who came in a brilliant second in the Oman Adventure 2006, just a nose ahead of his other pals Hubert LE GUEN and Patrice DUGORNAY. All of them, before the Oman Adventure and the Réunion d’Aventures, had used up pairs of trainers on the Raids Gauloises. So, when it comes to nature sports, these four really know the ins and outs.

24 – Sofermi - Raid Nature 46 - Lucie Marion, Jean-Marc Marion, Laurent Lestarquit, Charles LoubsensWe have known the CAUCHOIS father and son (who promised us a father, son and grandson trio). In the meantime, here is another unusual couple: MARION, father and daughter. Jean-Marc, a company manager, is a keen fan of mountain biking and skiing. As is his daughter Lucie, who shares his grit and staying power and who will be tackling here her first big competition at international level. Accompanying them are two guys from Toulouse, Laurent ESTARQUIT and Charles LOUBSENS, longstanding fellow team-mates of Jean-Marc, the father. It looks like these four will not have to waste much time on making each other’s acquaintance as they line up at the start of the Raid.

25 – Les Mureaux –Défis Sports Aventures -Patricia Ugolini, Nicolas Ugolini, Dominique Grégoire, Pascal GilletMonsieur and Madame UGOLINI share – among other things – a passion for adventure nature sports. They have been together on the climbing of Mont Blanc, on the Réunion d’Aventures and closer to home on the Raid 28 which took them through Eure-et-Loire. Raid 28 is also the common denominator of this team, which includes two teachers, Dominique GREGOIRE, also a fan of Mont Blanc and Pascal GILLET, the doyen with a great future ahead of him. These four team-mates from the Paris region are gearing up for the Raid CanéO Nature, a competition quite different from what they have experienced so far.

26 – Valmo Raid Pink team - Décathlon Sequedin - Heidy Leroy, Maxime Leroy, Thomas Bartos, Axel RicquebourgTwo of them are from Lille, one from Villeneuve d’Ascq (not far away) and one from Perenchies (fairly near). These Northerners, Maxime and Heidy LEROY, Thomas BARTOS and Axel RICQUEBOURG, have worn out trainers in many local races such as the Raid des Bassins miniers and the Défi des Terrils. They share a fond memory of losing their trainers in the mud at Le Touquet, at night, with the canoe upside down and all of them up to their ears in mud! But Le Touquet, a total nightmare for the LEROY couple, happens to be the very best memory of Axel RICQUEBOURG, who emerged from it in a blaze of glory. This time they are wondering how the cookie will crumble when the tests get tough.

27 – Bayer - Vet Adventure Team -Fanny Hureau, Charly Pignon, Ludovic Simon, Marc Le Petit.Everything got off to a bad start! On rollers, Charly PIGNON is a champion. However, he got tangled with his team-mate, less of a champion than him, and both fell heavily on the tar just a few minutes into the Réunion d’Aventures 2007. Charly had the tip of his nose torn off and an arm badly cut but still managed to finish 4th in the “Discovery” category. A veterinary student like him, Ludovic SIMON was his team-mate in Reunion. Two other apprentice vets will be joining them for the Raid CanéO Nature, Fanny HUREAU and Marc LE PETIT, both experienced rally contestants and riders. Note: while vets are known for having fun in their free time, out on the terrain they take their work very seriously indeed…

28 – Raid Nature 09 -Elodie Castex, Frédéric Lille, Stéphane Maurel, Bruno TauzietBruno TAUZIET, a gendarme and native of Montpellier, enjoys the wide open air and the fun of strenuous sport and admits that his one small defect is that he hates losing. But he reports a mitigating circumstance: “There are plenty worse than me”! Absolutely, Bruno, so true... This rugby fan who also practices running, swimming and mountain biking has acquired lots of experience on events as far apart as the Philippines and the Elf Authentique Aventure. That is where he met up with another contestant in international races, Frédéric LILLE, from Ariège, whose twin passions are mountain biking and sea / river kayaking. And kayaking just happens to be the favourite sport of Stéphane MAUREL. Elodie CASTEX completes this team of Southerners. The Raid CanéO Nature will be a big first for her this year.

9 – Wilsa Sport Helly Hansen - Karine Baillet, Sébastien Sxay, Marcel Hagener, Franck SalguesThe team of Karine BAILLET was one of the last to sign up for the Raid CanéO Nature. Last but not least. Karine BAILLET is one of the best if not the very best world specialist in adventure nature sports. Perfectly at ease in all the disciplines, over thirteen years she has won all the titles going, on all the continents, in every latitude. First in the Réunion d’Aventures 2003 and 2004, first in the Oman Adventure 2005 and 2006, she now takes on the CanéO Nature with three athletes new to the competitions of Gérard Fusil. New but in no way novices in terms of rallies: Sébastien SXAY, from Grenoble, the New-Zealander Marcel HAGENER and SALGUES, from Marseille, have each taken part in international competitions for many years. So the team captained by Karine has all the right experience to help her towards a new victory.

30 – Marine Nationale – Lattitude 55 - Laurence Maurin, Gilles Guellenoc, Claude Blot, Philippe KerbaolWhen we heard at the end of the Oman Adventure 2006 that Laurence and Gilles were never going to run together again, the aftershock was tremendous. The duo formed by these two Navy champions, Laurence MAURIN and Gilles GUELLENOC, had become, over the years, a living legend in the Gérard FUSIL competitions. To her credit: seven Gauloises, two Réunion d’Aventures, two Oman Adventures and other laurels won all over the world. His track record includes three Réunion d’Aventures and three Oman Adventure plus all the rest. And they were splitting up? Whew, they’re back together! Along with Frédeéric CANTIN, who won 32 raids on a hundred competed, between Annapurna and Equator. The fourth, Philippe KERBAOL, is a newcomer but no novice either: two ascents of Mont Blanc, eleven out of nineteen rallies won, plus some titles as champion of Brittany in biathlon and triathlon. As a track record, we’ve seen worse.

31 - Team SPORT 2000 - LAFUMA - VIBRAM - Magali Moreau, Anthony Rabeau, Marc Balaskovi, Raphaël Leloup.Anthony rhymes with Magali as RABEAU rhymes with MOREAU and both happen to be gym teachers. But these two share more than that, as they both competed together in the Oman Adventure 2006 for the first time and achieved a magnificent performance by coming in 5th in the “Extreme” category in the overall classification! Their third team-mate is another outstanding veteran of the Raid Gauloises, Marc BALASKOVIC, who competed in them all, from 1989 to 2003, and reaching five podiums for his pains! And he can no longer remember how many rallies he has taken part in on the five continents. This should impress (or reassure?) Guillaume DEMANGEON who competed in Canada in the World Raids Chmpionship.

32 – Pic Saint-Loup Aventure - Patricia Bonneau, Christine Endel-Potriquet, Éric Potriquet, Mickael Poiret.In September 2003, the team of Patricia BONNEAU was placed first in the “Adventure” category of the first Réunion d’Aventures. In May of the following year, the team of Eric POTRIQUET was less lucky: beaten by the calamitous weather, they finished incomplete and so were unclassified. Both have accumulated a lot of international experience (Raids Gauloises) which they share with Michael POIRET, who took part in two of these rallies. So they will be taking good care of their fourth team-mate, Christine ENDEL-POTRIQUET. Eric’s little sister is interested in many different sports but her top favourite discipline is tennis, in which she won the title of amateur French champion. Alas, as we go to press, the Raid CanéO Nature is not programmed to go through Roland Garros…

33 – Petit Casino - Claire Lagache, Frédéric Cosson, Wilfrid Grossoeuvre, Jean-François Valleix.This foursome from Normandy, Lyon, Isère and Brittany represent the four corners of the Hexagon, or nearly, and they all share the same passion for adventure nature sports. Claire LAGACHE is keenest on horse riding and, since she is from Saint-Lô, we are not surprised to hear that she took part in the “Tour du Mont Saint Michel” rally, though it is true that she was slower than the treacherous tide there. Frédéric COSSON has already competed in six regional rallies and practices rock-climbing like his neighbour from Voreppe, the highlander Wilfrid GROSSOEUVRE. Completing the team is Jean-François VALLEIX.

34 – Made Agencement – Lattitude 55 - Pierre Diaz, Léonie Cartier, Frédéric Caillat, Nicolas Larroque-LoumietThree physiotherapists (for body cramps) and one teacher for special needs (for internal problems): this team is also three quarters masculine and three quarters native of Reunion, but four quarters nature sport fans. Pierre DIAZ, a physiotherapist in Reunion, Nicolas LARROQUE-LOUMIET, a physiotherapist in Pau and Frédéric CAILLAT, a teacher for special needs in Reunion, were on the same team for the Réunion d’Aventures 2005 which ended with them winning 3rd place in the “Adventure” category. Pierre DIAZ did even better: 2nd in the “Adventure” category in 2007. Can anyone do better than him? Léonie CARTIER, a physiotherapist in Reunion. She came 5th in the “Adventure” category during the nightmarish Réunion d’Aventures 2004, was 4th in 2005 and 1st in 2007! On top of that, she got close in the “Extreme” category on the Oman Adventure 2005. Not bad, eh?

35 – Team Adrenaline Aventure - Pamela Quebre, Aurore Gomez, Florine Laquerbe, Ludivine EspiPamela, Aurore, Charline and Ludivine are young and single from the Mediterranean and make up the second female team of the Raid CanéO Nature. The experience they bring to the rally is somewhat slim but their morale is second to none. The most experienced of the four is obviously Pamela QUEBRE who has already taken part in ten regional rallies and one particular riding competition that came badly unstuck: in the same fall, she and her horse broke a shin! Charline RIVIERE, like her, is lifeguard and also a good rider. Aurore GOMEZ is a top performer in badminton and Ludivine ESPI has run in two rallies. A bit slight, their track record? Maybe. But the important thing is surely to keep hope in the future, the kind of faith that can move mountains. And upset the forecasts.

36 – DENIV’ - Emilie Scribot, Olivier Decamps, Daniel Juin, Olivier Marty.Emilie SCRIBOT and Olivier DECAMPS were team-mates on the last Réunion d’Aventures. These two authentic tennis champions had set as their goal to finish in the toughest category, “Extreme”. They pulled off the challenge and were placed 5th in the overall classification. They will be joined for this new exploit by two other top level team mates: Olivier MARTY who took part in the world cup for canoe kayak in the USA and Daniel JUIN, a former French champion in team triathlon. Needless to say, the quartets are keen to realise their ambition to repeat the exploit of the Réunion d’Aventures on the Raid CanéO Nature.

37 – Helly Hansen UK - Sharp Ski, Nicola MacLeod, Mark Humphrey, Howard LoweAdmirable, impressive, formidable… All these compliments and many others could be used to hail this British team with its long and distinguished track record. Sharp SKI, 3rd in the Oman Adventure 2005, has run all over the world from Quebec to Croatia, from Brazil to Australia, from Canada to Tibet, and from the Hebrides to Newfoundland. And the doctor Nicola MACLEOD? Ditto, or even more. In the recent past, for example, thirteen international rallies and six of them won! And Mark HUMPHREY alongside his team-mate Howard LOWE are not far behind with a mass of titles and experience that would make others go green with envy. We will certainly have to consider them as among the favourites on the Raid CanéO Nature.