The water was not quite 20° when the first brave souls set off. It was still warmer than the air temperature on Sunday morning, September 15. For the third year, the departmental swimming committee organized the Boucles de La Jemaye: a day with six races (including a relay) on the program, open to everyone, from 7 to 77 years old or almost.
And there were 190 registered, twice as many as last year, despite the competition from the Bordeaux-Lac meeting. Coming from all over the South-West, they were there with family, friends, and clubs, to prepare for next month’s 5,000m, to finish in less than fifty minutes, or just to finish.
Challenge in Dordogne
“Marmande came in large numbers for its resumption weekend,” says Laurent Pascaud, the president of the committee. “It’s a way to launch the season.” And the event is making its mark with partners and swimmers. “We have to make ourselves known, the first two years, we lost money.”
There is also a desire to develop open water. Although France did not bring back a medal from the Paris Olympics in the discipline, the Dutchwoman Sharon van Rouwendaal, Olympic champion, grew up in Dordogne. From there to organizing a national event in the Double pond? It is still a little early.
190 swimmers took to the waters of the Grand Étang de La Jemaye all day on Sunday, September 15.
A. L.
“We would like to do a small circuit in the Dordogne, a challenge with several dates,” explains Pascaud. There are already the Boucles de la Dordogne in Bergerac. Doing others in Sarladais or in Périgord vert, or even in Périgueux would be the goal. In the meantime, La Jemaye will be able to serve as a base to organize courses labeled by the swimming and triathlon federations.
“We lost 50% of our pool slots in one year”
Open water, which can be practiced nine months out of twelve provided you have a wetsuit, is also a way to diversify in the face of the lack of space in swimming pools. The Léon Marchand effect? ”All the slots are full. The clubs cannot accommodate more participants,” assures the president. “We have lost 50% of the pool slots in one year.”
It was not easy to ride the Olympic wave, even though a Phryge and a replica of the flame were present on the beach.
The winners
Gentlemen. 1,500 m and 3,000 m, seniors, Clément Caton (Marmande); juniors, Battit Bouesse (Mérignac); under-13s, Antton Caton (Marmande). 800 m, seniors, Cyril Persyn (CN Bergerac); juniors, Clément Gense (Marmande); under-13s, Jules Carpentier (Marmande). Relay (4×500 m), Marmande.
Ladies. 1,500 m and 3,000 m, seniors, Mathilde Gauthier (NL); juniors, Léane Lataste (Mérignac). 1,500 m, juniors, Célia Estreguil (Saint-Astier). 800 m, seniors, Julie Laux (Mont-de-Marsan); juniors, Lola Verdier (Marmande); juniors, Coline Blanchard (Marmande). Relay (4×500 m), Saint-Astier. Mixed relay, Marmande.
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