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La Traversee Du Lac St Jean

david_barradavid_barra NYCharter Member
edited May 2012 in General Discussion
I know @swimmer25k has participated in the race, but I was wondering if anyone has done the solo. I understand they offer about 5 slots on some years, and though I've been in touch with the organizers, communication has been rather sparse.

Any advice? insight?

...anything worth doing is worth overdoing.

david_barra

Comments

  • KBREEDERKBREEDER Member
    I did the solo several times. It used to be 40K and we swam across from the river (not straight to the finish) and then along the shore. I did it when it was the only event and (no shorter races) and they would support about 20 pros. I don't know how they select for it now. I would just send them your resume and hope for the best, stay in touch with them. It is a warm year, so far so that should help the temperature. It is a weird lake because it's temperature can change very quickly. A cold day with wind would churn in up and the temperature would drop dramatically.
    david_barra
  • MunatonesMunatones Charter Member
    Send me your request. I know the race organizers quite well and will ask on your behalf, if you wish.
    david_barratimsroot

    Steven Munatones
    www.worldopenwaterswimmingassociation.com
    Huntington Beach, California, U.S.A.

  • david_barradavid_barra NYCharter Member
    Munatones wrote:
    Send me your request. I know the race organizers quite well and will ask on your behalf, if you wish.

    Will do Steve. I am off to AZ for a few days, but will put it together when I get back.

    Thanks.

    ...anything worth doing is worth overdoing.

  • swimmer25kswimmer25k Charter Member
    One of the best races I've ever been part of. You get to eat lots of rabbit and blueberried while in Roberval. The night before the swim, we stayed in a monestary with not-so-comfortable sleeping arrangements. This was in 1999, so things may have changed. If you get in; roll with it! Good luck!
    david_barra
  • david_barradavid_barra NYCharter Member
    edited July 2012
    Woohoo! I'm in!
    evmoheart

    ...anything worth doing is worth overdoing.

  • evmoevmo Sydneydev
    Awesome. Very happy for you, and just a little bit envious!
    david_barra
  • david_barradavid_barra NYCharter Member
    edited July 2012
    So it looks like I will have the lake all to myself on Saturday.
    The adventure begins at 4:00 PM Thursday... Clare and I will be driving 12 hours to Roberval. Splash time is 7:00 AM Saturday.
    I'm looking forward to some cool water as we are into our third heatwave of the season already... everything around here is melting, wilting, sweating and deflating.
    Its not the heat; its the humility!

    ...anything worth doing is worth overdoing.

  • IronMikeIronMike Northern VirginiaCharter Member
    What do you mean by "all to myself"? Is no one else swimming? or no other amateurs?

    We're all just carbon, water, starlight, oxygen and dreams

  • david_barradavid_barra NYCharter Member
    IronMike wrote:
    What do you mean by "all to myself"? Is no one else swimming? or no other amateurs?
    The pro race is the following weekend. No other amateurs scheduled to swim.

    ...anything worth doing is worth overdoing.

  • smithsmith Huntsville, AlabamaSenior Member
    Can you set up GPS tracking like Darren Miller & Stephen Redmond did so we can track your progress??

    Keep moving forward.

  • david_barradavid_barra NYCharter Member
    https://www.facebook.com/Traversee
    and
    https://twitter.com/Traversee

    will be updating.... parlez-vous francais?
    smith

    ...anything worth doing is worth overdoing.

  • ViveBeneViveBene Member
    Eau libre...

    Very nice writeup in the Quotidien, "Seul contre le lac St-Jean," awesome photo.
    "Pour la première fois depuis 2008, un nageur tentera de vaincre le lac Saint-Jean en solo, samedi."
    Have a great swim!
    david_barra
  • smithsmith Huntsville, AlabamaSenior Member
    Best of luck!!

    Keep moving forward.

  • Leonard_JansenLeonard_Jansen Charter Member
    Go like H@ll, Dave!

    -LBJ

    “Moderation is a fatal thing. Nothing succeeds like excess.” - Oscar Wilde

  • evmoevmo Sydneydev
    Here's the link to the article @ViveBene mentioned:

    http://www.lapresse.ca/le-quotidien/sports/201207/18/01-4556570-seul-contre-le-lac-st-jean.php
  • ViveBeneViveBene Member
    Sorry, my faux pas! I should have supplied the link.
    It looks as though Dave is tweeting in French (at the Tweet link posted above).
    His photo looks like statuary from the Heroic Age (l'Age des Heroes).
    evmo wrote:
    Here's the link to the article @ViveBene mentioned:

    http://www.lapresse.ca/le-quotidien/sports/201207/18/01-4556570-seul-contre-le-lac-st-jean.php

  • david_barradavid_barra NYCharter Member
    just arrived in Roberval.... its dark; I'm tired. Passed only 4 other vehicles in the last 3.5 hours of the drive. (where is everyone!)
    I'll do a little exploring tomorrow.

    ...anything worth doing is worth overdoing.

  • ViveBeneViveBene Member
    edited July 2012
    A tweet:
    Traversée lac StJean‏@Traversee

    @dvdbarra il est à 12km de la rade. Nous prévoyons l'arrivée dans les environs de 18 h. #Traversee2012

    Details
    Very nice photo of him from yesterday on the Facebook page, and several (under "Photos") of him at splash time this morning. Go, Dave! Looks like beautiful lake and cloudless skies.
    david_barra
  • evmoevmo Sydneydev
    He made it - 12h50m.

    Bravo! Félicitations!
    david_barraForeverSwim
  • heartheart San Francisco, CACharter Member
    Wonderful!
    david_barra
  • ForeverSwimForeverSwim Pittsburgh, PennsylvaniaCharter Member
    Great Job Dave! Excellent swim sir...
    david_barra

    www.darren-miller.com
    Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania U.S.A.

  • david_barradavid_barra NYCharter Member
    What a great venue. Its almost as if Roberval was built around La Traversee. It should be on everyone's short list. When I get a moment I'll do a little write up.

    ...anything worth doing is worth overdoing.

  • IronMikeIronMike Northern VirginiaCharter Member
    Congrats! Awesome. Reading about this swim in that history book Wind Waves and Sunburn makes me want to attempt it.
    david_barra

    We're all just carbon, water, starlight, oxygen and dreams

  • david_barradavid_barra NYCharter Member
    http://forums.usms.org/blog.php?u=3970
    WaterGirl

    ...anything worth doing is worth overdoing.

  • evmoevmo Sydneydev

    So this is pretty cool:

    Alex Meyer, who swam in the London Olympics 10K for the US, will be swimming the FINA Traversee du Lac St Jean 32km tomorrow -- the last race of his professional career.

    You can follow him on track.rs/meyer, starting around 0800 Eastern.

    rlmIronMiketimsrootJaimiedavid_barrassthomas
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