Trans-Europe Footrace 2012 – Two Week Countdown

News from the French multiday runner and race director extraordinaire, Jean-Benoit Jaouen on the upcoming Trans-Europe Footrace 2012.

Well that’s it, here we are in August. On the still warm ashes of the London Olympics, the “Trans Europe Footrace” will start on the 19th of this month in Skagen –  a small fishing port located in the far north of Denmark, at the confluence of the North Sea and the Baltic Sea, which will be the starting point of a 4176 km race which will end, hopefully, in the Strait of Gibraltar. Once transferred “from sea to sea” …

This transcontinental race, the third organized by the Germans in Europe, travels 1330 km through France September 10th to 30th, stages no’s. 23-43. The mid-point will be located at the end of the 30th stage in the village of Montlevicq (Indre) and the next day the caravan will stop in St-Sulpice les Feuilles (Haute-Vienne) from where the layout of the course will follow the Transe Gaul route for 8 stages visiting the Creuse, Correze, Cantal, Aveyron to St-Pons-de-Thomières (Hérault) before turning to the Pyrenees and the Col d’Ares, then straight ahead for the final sprint across Spain until the finish line drawn at the foot of the rock of Gibraltar.

Fifty-one runners (1 + scooter) aged 37-77 years and representing 10 nations are registered for the test and the Japanese will be the largest group with 18 representatives. When they go to France, the survivors of the first third of the race will already have in the legs 1542 km and, among them the French riders will surely be delighted to receive the visit of these stages at home.

The UK’s only competitor is Neil Bryant from Bristol and we will be following his 64 day journey.

There is an opportunity for visitors to register for one or more stages enjoying the support of the organization (refreshments, dinner, accommodation, transport luggage) which costs 70 € per stage (contact the Race Director Ingo Schulze, ultralauf @ ischulze. de).