De la marche athlétique au Triathlon / The Race Walking to Triathlon

The runners of the Ryan Shay Classic go to the victory !

Sullivan CHAUVIN makes the lead !

Photo by Coach Philippe 2009

Other pictures of all the race day here

Hello everyone,

It is a very special day on many levels that I experienced on Sunday 18 January. The Ryan Shay Classic is a very great success, even if the weather was not particularly easy, the runners were given the best of themselves, both among women than among men, the small childrens to Veterans. It is also the culmination of a dream that I made after running a marathon of Mont St Michel and other regional races in memory of Ryan Shay.

I will never forget that day because I just live with other fans of cross-country and running, a very special day.

A collective preparation

The Steering Committee of the Granville AC and 60 volunteers were mobilized and the Committee of the Manche Athletics Championship Cross Country including the Ryan Shay Classic is a great success.

Saturday 17 January, several members remained at the club for the final preparations (bibs, pack for volunteers, drinks, signs indicate ...) while a team of 4 others were put on the roads leading to the racetrack of St Martin de brehal signs and the first ads and various other items for the big day.

A morning preparedness weather

On arriving at the site of the race from St Martin de Brehal this sunday we realize very quickly that the weather of the night in his work. Winds of more than 100 km / h slept the security gates, ribbons which delimit the racetrack are destroyed in several places! it must be a part of the team is mobilizing to put all this in a while the wind has calmed down a bit. During the work of two hours, we had two heavy showers: a hail, the rain spaced half an hour.

Fortunately, the nature of the racetrack reassures us about his condition for the 7 races will take place.
The land absobe well all this rain, it's not heavy and not in our support for all the runners are guaranteed. A wonderful racetrack , which requires highly technical rhythm, concentration and excellent management of the effort, particularly during the Ryan Shay Classic to be held on two courses:

• The seniors and veterans on a circuit of 4.7 km
• The senior men and veterans on a 9 km circuit that will use the three circuits of the race, the small, medium and large loop.

Excessive speed of the wind and the security requirements do not allow us to install the great arch of arrival of our partner Saucony: The great arch with the red logo will unfortunately not the party.

The introduction of continuous banners on the circuit, the volunteers who ensure the safety of the trail are at their post, the official starter of the French Athletic Federation are ready and the speaker. Spectators filled the stands and the various key locations of the first circuit, the first small loop of 1.4 km of the race of the small kids.

The first race, the small kids

It takes place at 12:00 this first race counting towards the championship round of the Cross-Country. It meets 88 Girls and boys of different Manche Athletic clubs . The starting point is the starter ... they soar on this line right before the left turn, they run along the stands keeping a good pace of strides, the big right turn after the first passage leads to the galleries competitors to the second line, which returns to the stands. The public supports these children by their encouragements, the speaker follows the first in the race ... the mood rises as they approached the finish line after have crossed the technical part of the circuit. A small group of all posts and increases its speed when approaching the finish. The audience gave voice is wonderful for those children who complete the second XC race of the season.

A beautiful finish

Three boys of the Granville Athletic Club go to  the finish line in ranks:

    1. Etienne JANOT in 5:22
    2. Louis LEBLANC in 5:23
    3. Charly LEPELLETIER in 5:26

Our three students in school athletics have a nice feat to other runners! the work done in recent sessions is paying! Parents and children expressed their joy!

For the girls

The girls follow the boys closely! Laure Triguel of the St James's club's won first place in 5:33, followed by Louise RENAUD in 5:36 and  Laure LEMASURIER in 5:55.

The first representative of Granville AC is in 5th place, it's Léa BOISROUX in 6:12.

The title team of small kids

The title of the XC champion of the Manche by team is take to Etienne Janot, champion of the Manche, Louis Leblanc (2nd), Charly Lepelletier (3rd) and Nathan Le Royer (5th). The Team 2 is vice champion of the Manche with Pierre Pontoizeau (15th). The team finished 4th with Flavien Savary (18th), Mathieu Provost (23rd), and Xavier Hurel (24th). The team 3 is 7th with Jules Toussaint (29th) and Leo Lemesle (39th). The team 4 finished 5th Raphaël Jourdan , Rémy Misery (44th), Alexis Provost (45th), Enzo Jourdan and Martin Louchart (48th).

Thegirls are also XC champions of the Manche  with The Macs (Manche Athle Centre Sud) with Léa Boisroux (5th) and Agathe Duplessy (6th). The team finished 3rd with Eva Bauer (22nd).

12:25: The BENJAMINS'S Race

Twenty-five minutes later, and the category of the Benjamin  soar in turn since the Great starting line: The 61 competitors move quickly off the line and for 2,230 km of an intense effort. They take the same route that the small kids made previously but travel twice. The strides are beautiful, the commitment is total.

Beautiful efforts

Each runner showed a great determination: This is not a day like any other and, whether girls or boys, they put all their energy to make the time to be hoped that very well or well placed. The fight for the classification is beautiful to see. Spectators and other runners in the higher categories follow this race with great interest! during their race, they will demonstrate the many public and run a championship cross-country demand to engage fully, both physically and mentally.

The second is made all the strides get longer, the speed increases to cross the finish line as expected!

The winners are among boys Victor VASSAL (Granville AC) in 7:27, the second is Roger MATHIEU of Avranches Athletic Club and the third is Alexandre LESAULNIER Granville AC. Victor is champion of the Manche for the second time ! because he made the same the last year in another race.

And the girls ?

Their race is also very committed and they are not far from the time boys: Justine BASSARD of Avranches AC won the title in 8:23 and  Marie LEMIERE in 8:38 followed by the Lucia in 8: 42.

The Team Titles

In this category, the youngest team of Macs (Manche Athlé Centre Sud) is a champion of the Manche.

From Granville, Victor Vassal,is  champion of the Manche, Emilien Vieu (10th), Simon Lecler (15th) and Joakim Gonzalez (26th) contributed to this success.

The team of Benjamines of the Macs is the champion of the Manche Championship with  Marie Lemière (2nd). The team finished 3rd of Macs with Ella Wood (13), Zélie Branjonneau and Emma Toussaint (28th).

The race of the girls

They are also in this race and they are involved with the panache of  Laëtitia Wood in 8:00 and at 8:10 Camille Adam dominated the race of girls by taking the first two places. The team is vice champion of the Manche.The team 2 finished at the 5th place of this championship with Manon Jourdan (28th)

12:50 The minimal and the Cadettes

After a warm-up period made during the previous race, at 12.50 pm is that small and younger men take the start. The long line of 43 participants out very quickly from the starting line signal from the starter. They will carry 3.1 km loop on the current average circuit.

The tone is set: speed, long strides and the air will to win that one lives on each of the courses, both for girls than for boys. The race takes as its true dimensions: the performance. This is further confirmed, as time goes by and the early afternoon flows.

The arrival is disputed: that the end is the first  Eléonore PLE from the Avranche AC which becomes champion of the Manche  and the 3.1 km loop in 12:47 followed by Laura LE BLEVEC in 13:50 and third Camille GODAN in 13:57. The fourth is Marie LEBLANC (Granville AC) will offering the team title with her teammates Clara Alberti VILLOUTA (6th), Léa LETESSIER (8th) and Marianne BUNEL (11th).

And the cadets?

For their part, the cadets take the start a little later, at 13:15 with the junior girls to a race of 3.7 km. The also give participants the best of themselves. The management of the effort, the pace of the strides of the race and allow Thomas MOTTET from Valognes to become champion of the Manchel in 12:01 (18.5 km / h) followed closely by Romain GARNIER (Macs) to 12 : 04 and in third place Arthur JEANNE (MACS) in 12:29.

Of 36 participants, 12 junior girls are also taking part in the race. The competition is open, especially they do not want a cadet can earn! This is Aurore GUERIN who wins the title of champion of the Manche in 13:41 followed by Mathilde LEGAGNEUX of Tourlaville in 14:30 and at the third place Mathilde Le Poittevin in 15:06.

The team title was won by the Cherbourg Athletic Club by the 6th, 7th and 8th place of their athletes.

The afternoon advance and rapidly the sky change. The wind is strong enough again on the circuit and will fall very quickly a hailstorm while participants at the Short XC Race head to the starting line which is given a few minutes later at 13:45.

Senior and vétérans1 men and women took the start under a deluge! it will last throughout the course of a 2.2-km route as the small loop that runs 2 times. The fight is tight between girls and boys, even under the deluge, which unfortunately does not girls to compete for a long time until the arrival marks the victory of Alain Lecuire from the  Sourdeval club in 6:09 followed by  Christian GIARD from Tourlaville in 6:10 and in third position of the other Sourdeval  member Pascal BARBOT in 6:11.

Among girls, real despite a desire to compete with boys, the second loop will not satisfy Isabelle Chaignon from the Avranches AC which carries the title of champion of the Manche in 7:46, the second arrived a little later .. . it's Helène ROMARY followed by Nathalie FOURNIER  in 9:46.

Participants at the Cross were short very brave to go to win the title that allows them to be qualified for the Regional XC Championship to be held in Vire  the February 8 next.

It is 2:10, the race between junior men Espoirs and veterans and senior girls before the Ryan Shay Classic men who will run at 2:50. This course will give an immense joy to a runner who had stopped running for three years!

The Ryan Shay Classic: Women's Race

Over the afternoon advance, most viewers are highly contested races as the sun comes after the hailstorm. The start of the race has been given. It will be a generational struggle between the girl, ie between Martine Robine, from the Cherbourg club , she's the oldest of the race and she have a great experience who will have to counter Mylène NOBIS, young Hope of the Granville AC. The other main leader of the Ryan Shay Classic is the other female from Cherbourg, Odile GOUBERT who also an elite runner who has experienced the high level 25 years ago and who, through his experience will give this a race flavor because these three talented runners will be competing with the junior men who want to make a good time.

The distance and the circuit

4,775 km, this is the exact the distance .The route of the race along the small loop 1000m, then the average 1480m loop then loop of 2065 m to cross the finish line. The circuit is technical but a rare technical quality, since, despite the climatic conditions of the night and day and the passage of the runners from the previous races do not affect the strides. These runners have both talent and foot. In addition, they can take risks because, on the Big Dig must cross a tree trunk laid across the runway, but this is not the only difficulty. The false flat, ups and downs of the Big Dig and the arrival in the dunes of the circuit are one step up the level. The speed is impressive, the very air trodden, especially among girls than boys.

A highly disputed finish

Each participant has developed a strategy to make the best hope time, manage the effort over the distance. Even if they know that this race is shorter than the Ryan Shay Classic men who it is 9 miles, the challenge is important: there are of course the title of champion of the Manche but not only. Running in honoring the memory of another great athlete not only inspire the juniors, but also women who, throughout the race will vibrate spectators. The emotion is there, this ... who will win the Women's Classic Ryan Shay and who will win the title in hopes?

A female strategy

They are all three pretty close to each other. As towers, the coaches give their instructions they will appear in the letter. They are in the rate of men, those hopes have yet more than 20 years younger than Martine ROBINE and Odile GOUBERT, but sport is also this, age is not in this race like no other. The sport gives all its nobility ... it is in the effort and the determination that they will find the place they deserve. The struggle is beautiful, the strides are increasingly accurate and fast, even if the fatigue of the end of the loop is present. Martine ROBINE to hear the advice of his coach while Mylene NOBIS is only at ten meters of it when they cross the dune area.

This area is in the end, after the tree trunk. A desente after this famous trunk, then a slight rise ... a little flat and that is down in the sand. Support is less precise, but this area is not a sand large . Turn right, a line of about ten meters, then another right turn which leads to a long line of shady trees ... there is no wind  ... Martine ROBINE decides  to extend its 'strides to counter Mylène NOBIS ... then the climb to the plateau of the racetrack and the sight of the finish.

Still a few turns, a little downhill and the long line that runs along the stands. Spectators exulted, the fight is tight between the three women! Martine Robine rises even more to cross the finish line under the vivas of the spectators in 18:11, followed by Mylène NOBIS in 18:31 in which win the title of champion of the Manche in the Hope Category then, for the third Instead, Odile GOUBERT in 18:45.

It's a nice surprise to Martine Robine who did not expect to win, because during the whole race, the three women were very close to each other while running with these men, these young hopefuls who see victory for two Cherbourg members: Victorien Jumelin: is champion of the Manche in 16:21 followed by Nicolas DOREY in 16:28 and third place is for Gaylord HAMEL of the Mortain club complete the podium.

The Ryan Shay Classic men asked to win!

As for the Ryan Shay Classic women's race , many specialists in running predict that Sullivan CHAUVIN  will win the classic.
He, meanwhile, did not cure. He joined the starting line with other participants after a long warm-up. The race mixes hopes and veterans. Among veterans, people over 50 years are on the starting line with the 40 + and young hopefuls. Pinnies differentiator pinned in the back to allow competitors to know that category is the runner in front of them. The hopes white bibs have crossed two blue lines with a S (like superman ?). The veterans do not differentiating numbers: they are the most numerous among the 119 who are committed to the 2:50 start.

Significant efforts

The circuit is 8,905 km and take the small loop once, then the average to complete two major! the technical difficulties are not lacking, the effort management is omnipresent. The experience of facing the big marathon runners to the of 10 km specialists  on the road.

The pressure mounts as they finish the small loop for their entry on average. Among seniors, the struggle between the three contenders for the victory! Arnaud DECEROIT makes a good race, he who used to be a top 10 km and half regional marathons like DUCEY. Bruno BOULEY of the Macs wants the victory, and he pushes for it throughout the race while Sullivan CHAUVIN will make a course of madness.

Initially, he ignored the taunts of other concurrenrts who know his name and also the fear...they think that after 3 years of stop running, the youngest member of the St James's club will not made necessarily a great day. It was a vacuum in his head before the start, then started to be in this group of three athletes who wants the win, the title is of course interesting, but what is even more interesting is that If there is a special gift upon arrival: Saucony, a partner in the Classic offers first 3 of the race and the first 3 of the race of women holding full Compétiton run (Tank, shorts and shoes)!

In the Memory of all Normandy runners, there has never been on a race of such a regional championship surprise. Sullivan continues his efforts .. well it manages its pace and energy during the race.

At the last round, the same fervor that take the audiences from the rostrum, the atmosphere rises more when they are in the dune area, who will win?

A highly disputed finish

They lead all three in the dunes area with the urge to cross the finish line as quickly as possible. This famous finish line is approaching when the last turn to enter the forums, the sprint! Sullivan CHAUVIN grits his teeth and laid his body on the line in 30:26 and in 30:41  Bruno BOULEY followed very closely by Arnaud DECEROIT in 30:45. The times achieved are excellent! The winner ran the Classic at 3:45 per kilometer.

The Ryan Shay Classic just ended, but the XC season continues  The next date? February 8 next in Vire for regional qualifiers for the 1 / 2 final for the XC France Championship.

All the pictures of this wonderful day are available by clicking here.

A video is being created in a few days ... it will be online.

In the Spirit of the running,

Philippe