This weekend, the Best Triathlon will be hosting its fourth aquathlon in Saint-Nazaire, with nearly 800 athletes from Benjamins to Seniors expected to participate along the waterfront starting at 3 p.m. This year, the Nazairian event will serve as the backdrop for the Pays de la Loire championships, promising an exciting show.
The adult race, starting at high tide at 7 p.m., is expected to be competitive as the organizing club will field some of its best athletes, including Elie Combat and Nathan Texereau, who finished fifth in the French championships last season. Both are likely to be top contenders for the regional championship title in the discipline. The youth races are also expected to be of high quality, bringing together the top specialists from the Brittany, Normandy, Centre Val de Loire, and Normandy regions.
The Benjamins/Minimes and Cadets/Juniors races will also serve as the regional championship and qualifiers for the French championships in Dole on July 6th, according to Marc Guillou, president of the Best Triathlon. He hopes to engage as many aquathletes as possible from his club, aiming to qualify around fifteen athletes this year, following the success of qualifying 25 members last year.
For the Benjamins and Minimes, the race will consist of a 500-meter swim and a 2.5 km run, while the distances will be doubled for the other categories. The running portion will lead the participants to the Saint-Louis high school.
The Aquathlon in Saint-Nazaire will have starts at 3 p.m. for Benjamins/Minimes, 5 p.m. for Cadets/Juniors, and 7 p.m. for the Open category on the main beach of Saint-Nazaire, in front of the sub-prefecture.
In addition to the exciting competitive aspect of the event, the Aquathlon in Saint-Nazaire also offers a great opportunity for athletes to showcase their skills and compete for regional titles and national qualifications. The event not only promotes sportsmanship and physical fitness but also highlights the talent and dedication of the participating triathletes. It serves as a platform for the community to come together, celebrate athleticism, and enjoy a day of thrilling competition by the waterfront in Saint-Nazaire.