ChiroSport

Podium places at the 30th edition of the Grand Raid

Florence Darbellay, winner of the compeition over the full distance of the Grand Raid-BCVS in 2017, won this year another first place in the half-distance event. Except for the short distance Evolène-Grimetz she now has won the races of every distance.  
   She may participate in this race next year just to make the score complete. But a new challenge may come up, an extension of the classic distance of Verbier-Grimetz to Zermatt. No need to win that one, surviving it would already be a top achievement.        (Click on pictures to enlarge)

Second, yet virtually first:  Chris Wegelin has participated in the Grand Raid over different distances in the past. First participation was after buying his first mountain bike at age of sixty-five, second time at age of seventy and this year after having passed the three-quarter century mark.  
   He heard that there is an e-bike category. After having crossed Switzerland East to West on an e-MTB, participation promised to be fun.  And it was ! To his surprise he came in second in the overall ranking and this despite having been sent onto a wrong trail in the mid-section making him loose first place he held till then. This veteran athlete says that, like in ski mountaineering races, not only going up counts but being fast on technical sections and downhill can make the difference. This is especially true at the Grand Raid as, except for downhill, the bikes are electronically limited to 25 km/h.
   He was the oldest of the usually 3000 participants. As SCSC board member, he had CHIROSPORT posted on his bike ;-)  Click on picture to enlarge.

Congratulations to both for their achievement !