On July 17, Cloé and Mathieu, two high school students, will take on the challenge of reaching the Mediterranean Sea by kayak in 21 days from Dijon. A 550 kilometer journey for the benefit of an association which fights against ocean pollution.
Cloé Legrand and Matthieu Ngo Tri are 18 years old, and this year, their biggest challenge is not having the baccalaureate. On July 17, they will leave Dijon for a 550-kilometer kayaking journey.
The two friends have 21 days to reach Port-Saint-Louis-du-Rhône, a town in Bouches-du-Rhône. A slightly crazy idea, born in a class at the Saint-Bénigne high school. “We met two years ago. The project was born when we were next to each other in math class: “Imagine, we go down France on a raft to the Mediterranean Sea.”
The raft is no longer in the plans, but the idea remains intact. Cloé and Mathieu wanted to do it for the benefit of an association defending the environment: “the sea cleaners”for the decontamination of the oceans. “It’s important to us. We are a generation concerned about ecology and we have decided to fight for it. We are going to go over the rivers that lead to the sea.”
Mathieu and Cloé want to complete this challenge in three weeks.
•
© Kayaction
If the two high school students are athletic, kayaking will be a big first for them. “We trained last summer and this winter we went to the gym. A week ago, we started kayaking again. We’re right in our events, so we don’t have time to always train.”
July 2 and 3 will also be a real test for their crossing. Cloé and Matthieu will do the first stage as training: Dijon – Saint-Jean-de-Losne, or 70 kilometers round trip. “On average, we will have 26 kilometers to do per day, but it is quite irregular. We can do 19 or 42 kilometers.”
Cloé is taking on this challenge to fight against pollution in the oceans.
•
© Kayaction
To make their task easier, the people of Dijon will have to travel light, very light, on their kayak. “We took freeze-dried food to last the 21 days. We have the bare minimum of clothes with a bag for two.”
Most of the time, the two friends will spend their night in campsites, which have agreed to accommodate them free of charge. Enough to relieve them financially, they who had to take responsibility for the kayak. Funds have been set up to help them in their project.
Matthieu is impatient to begin his long journey.
•
© Kayaction
D-23 for Cloé and Matthieu. The excitement can be felt, but so does the stress. “We can’t wait because it’s a year and a half project. But we’re apprehensive, it’s a bit of an unknown and it’s going to be difficult. It’s not going to be easy every day, but we have the mentality. We don’t have much choice, we only have one objective, and that is to get there. Even if it’s difficult, we have to hold on.”
For the departure on July 17, all those close to the two friends will be present to encourage them. Upon arrival, Cloé and Matthieu hope to be able to tell their great adventure to the inhabitants of Port-Saint-Louis-du-Rhône and thus raise their awareness.
