A Petit Futé team took part in the 18th edition of the Touchez la Nature raid organized in Saint-Jean-de-Maruejols last weekend. Departure at 9:30 am after the teams' briefing and prologue with a 3 km run through the village. Friendly atmosphere and a rather fast pace because a finish at the park by bike in the first ones allows you to have a free hand for the mountain bike event. Those who had opted for the Discovery course had only 8km rather accessible but the Intermediates and Adventures followed respectively with 12 and 20km more steeper and passages to be done on foot... for security reasons ! Every year, new tracks are added and this edition has not failed to follow the tradition. A thought for the Elokel Cévennes team, whose chain breakage in the first few kilometres did not prevent them from reaching the second step of the Intermediate podium in the mixed team
With the mountain bike handed over to the bike park, the orienteering race began. Equipped with the maps, our Little Cunning who had opted for the Discovery set out to find the first beacon. They had to find 11, but the competitors of the other formulas had to find 25. For the latter there was a real strategy to implement since the beacons brought more or less points... 50 for the most distant and only 5 for some near the village. Tag 4 seduced all the competitors because it was nestled in the middle of the Salamander Cave, recently opened to the public. Its illuminated course amazed all the competitors and its temperature of 12° appreciated by all. It was after the canoe course and a big hill through the woods. Additional difficulty, the Discovery teams had to return at 3pm maximum, the Intermediates at 4pm and the Adventures at 5pm. Beyond that limit, severe penalties applied... so much so that the smart ones rushed to find the beacons. Paying attention to the map locating them, to the movements of the competing teams (but were they taking the right path) and to the clues. Some seemed thin (ruin, gate...) but the harvest was good. No podium this year, but a real pleasure to discover this raid and the variety of the events. Once the finish line was crossed, a good meal prepared by the organizers helped to get back into shape.
The raid is open to the over 16s but Junior and Adapted Sport versions were organised on the same day. Everyone participates at his or her own pace according to his or her objectives. The most important thing is to participate and "Touch Nature". A promise made by the organizers that has been tested and approved by enthusiastic Little Wise Men ready to do it again
Practical information on their website and below a video published on the Raid facebook
