Seine-et-Marne. The boom in Nordic walking

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Setting out under a gray sky which raised fears of rain, the numerous walkers of the Nordic Bellifontainespread over three events (26 km at 10 a.m. then joint start of the 14 and 8 km at 10:10 a.m.) then benefited from clearings and a mild atmosphere conducive to performance.

Registered for the national challenge, the 26 km, like the 14 km, attracted competitors from distant regions such as Philippe Weberthe Alsatian, winner in the 26 km, like his teammates Paul Masson and Christiane Salvi in ​​the 14 km. The proof that the pedestrian event, set up by Marc Thoraval and his team from the clubAzimut Sport Competition Fontainebleau now has the aura of great events. The latter was also voluble, just after the pressure and excitement of departures.

A craze for this discipline

“Over all the events, we have around 390 registered with 53 for the 8 km, 260 for the 14 km and 75, it seems to me, for the 26 km. The 14 and 26 km are two competitive Nordic walking events with a national label. They are part of the Nordic walking tour and are qualifiers for the French championship.

Appearing in France around fifteen years ago, there was initially no question of competition for Nordic walking. “It’s true that at the beginning, in the communication made in France, we talked about it as a discipline oriented more towards women, in the majority, and more towards a senior audience,” he recalls. It was the first image but there were a few of us who really campaigned to have this discipline in competition with rules. So today, we have judges who must attest to the quality of the technical walk. When athletes walk poorly, they are punished by a stop and go and are immobilized for a minute on the spot.

The image of Epinal has indeed lived on. Now, walkers tear down the routes at speeds that would make walkers pale. And let’s highlight the fact that Weber and Masson, the first in the 26 km (400 m D+) and the 14 km (200 m D+) each completed their journey at 9.19 km/h and 9.75 km/h!

And the wind of youth is beginning to be felt, as Thoraval indicates. » If it’s true that we have a peloton which is around fifty, we have more and more young people arriving and who are excellent. We have cadets who are in the top 10 in a national event. In competition, the cardio increases almost as quickly as in running. There is really a craze for this discipline in both practices, leisure and competition. It’s really a complementary discipline, he concludes. You can do trail, track, cross country and Nordic walking. It’s close to cross-country skiing.” Without a doubt, the 2025 edition therefore presents itself under the best auspices.

Reactions

Philippe Weber (1^is of the 26 km): I didn’t think I had that much lead, but I really hoped to win because that’s what I came for. With the Colmar club we wanted to win the 26 and 14 km. It’s a long way away, but when you want to race at a national level, you have to travel. The Fontainebleau forest is cool, I didn’t know about it. There was some elevation change and some real kicks as they say! But for me the hardest part was walking in the sand.

Delphine Pèse (1^re of 26 km): Really happy! The objective was to repeat my first place. Azimut Sport Compétition is an extremely friendly club and we know that Marc pampers us by organizing a truly exceptional event. And a nature trail is what I like to do. Long distances don’t scare me at all. I also work on the court and the road, that’s also useful. I qualified for the France 10 km.

Marc Virlouvet (president of the Seine-et-Marne Athletics Committee): Developing Nordic walking is a goal that we have set for the coming term. There are a few Nordic walking organizations alongside road races but not like this one at the competitive level. I think this is a possible area of ​​development and it responds to a demand.

Rankings

26 km: 1. Philippe Weber (S/L CSL Neuf-Brisach), 2h49’40”; 2. Yannick Bonin, 2:53:59; 3. Xavier Gélin, 2h54’12”; 4. Emmanuel Bombaud (all three from Athletic Club Latitude 30), 2h56’47”; 5. Jean-Yves Abraham (Romilly Sport 10 Athlé), 2h57’34”; 10. Delphine Pèse (Troyes Omnisports), 3h08’34”; 15. Gilma Tomassoni Vidal (Savigny Athlé 91), 3h14’40”; 16. Marion Rivoire, 3:14:43; 18. Linda Grau Viel (both from Athletic Club Latitude 30), 3:15:25; 20. Sandrine Brecy (Azimut Sport Compétition), 3h17’14” – 14 km: 1. Paul Masson (S/L CSL Neuf-Brisach), 1h25’52”; 2. Alan Dos Santos Doms (Team Guidetti Nordic Performance), 1h26’38”; 3. Olivier Guillemin (S/L Courir à Saint Ave), 1h28’20”; 6. Christiane Salvi (S/L CSL Neuf-Brisach), 1h32’13”; 11. Angélique Doms (Team Guidetti Nordic Performance), 1h34’10”; 25. Emmanuelle Defaut (S/L CSL Neuf-Brisach), 1h38’27” – 8 km: 1. Guillaume Gauthier (NL), 1h03’46”; 3. Isabelle Coutard (Pontault AAC), 1h08’10”.

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