Three athletes from Dieppe at the start of the Diagonale des fous in Reunion

See my news
Follow Dieppe Information

Talking about surpassing oneself is an understatement when we talk about the Diagonal of Fools. A new edition of this Ultra-trail takes place until Sunday on Reunion Island and it still brings together around 3,000 participants.

On their program, the return of the island from south to north for a 175 km journey with 10,000 m of elevation gain to be completed in less than 66 hours.

Specialist in solitary effort

Among the specialists in solitary efforts over very long distances embarked on this crazy adventure are three Dieppois who live on Reunion Island. Three friends ready to take on all the obstacles that the mountains, the heat and the cold, or even fatigue or perhaps even the rain, can provide.

The neophyte is Johan Thérin who, at 37 years old, will be at the start for the first time.

A former footballer notably in Belleville-sur-Mer, he is today a supermarket director in Saint-Pierre.

The second trailer is a real specialist since he is experiencing his ninth participation in this extraordinary raid.

At 39 years old, Jonathan Danjoux is an ambulance driver and remembers discovering running during the Dieppe Corrida.

Objective: cross the finish line

Finally, the name of the third will perhaps speak to someone since it is Jean-Paul Villain.

Not the athlete with three Olympiads and bearer of the Olympic flame during his visit to Dieppe this summer, but one of his sons who has lived for several years in Reunion.

At 40, he is a maintenance technician and is lining up for the fourth time at the start of the Diagonale des fous.

Of course, for the three Dieppois, there is no classification objective, but above all the ambition to finish and therefore to reach Redoute beach in Saint-Denis.

As a reminder, last year, only 2,000 participants crossed the finish line in less than 65 hours 37 minutes, with the best having completed the 175 km in just over 23 hours.

Follow all the news from your favorite cities and media by subscribing to Mon Actu.