Raid in France has become one of the leading adventure races in the French outdoor realm, a sport which had experienced a sharp expansion with nearly 200 races organised throughout France in 2014.
No other race is remotely like it: an adventure race in total autonomy. The concept is simple: 4 racers completely immersed in the wilderness for 5 to 8 days of non-stop adventure. The route remains secret until the race starts, and itineraries are uncovered in real time by the participants during the race.
The stages could include mountain biking, trekking, white waters (canoe, kayak), canyoning, caving, mountain climbing, ropes (abseiling, vertical jumar climb, monkey bridge, etc.), horse riding, and orienteering. Enough to keep any adventurer happy!
The key values of this adventure race are team spirit, since adventure racing is above all a team sport. The teams are made up of four runners, including at least one woman, with the ethos of getting the whole team to the finish line together.
The course also promotes solidarity amongst the participants, with each helping their teammates organise their belongings, eat, or get geared up. This type of contest has always been a platform for participants to discover and excel personal limits, and Raid in France is no different. The most motivated teams surpass their need for light and sleep to further their progression along the course, and all who finished pushed themselves to the limit and beyond.
The race organisers were very aware of the environmental impact that these types of competitions can cause. They had organised the race with the ethos of back to nature. The participants had gone back to a genuine "running" race, simple and authentic: orientation without GPS, a limited number of checkpoints for more freedom in orientation choices, and free-moving out of the signposted itinerary, forbidding any kind of movement assistance (sailing...), complete autonomy.
All teams were supplied with a YB3 tracker which collected and transmitted data every fifteen minutes. The data collected, including speed, direction and GPS co-ordinates, was sent through the Iridium satellite network almost instantaneously. It then arrived at YB Tracking HQ servers where it is visualised onto the race player. This makes it easy for any family, friends and supporters to keep up to date with the teams progress throughout the race. Our devices also have a safety beacon included so any accidents can be reported and dealt with quickly, so there is no need for families to worry about their loved ones.
For more information, please visit Raid In France.