Using the weapons of the Amazons
Awena, Grace and Soizic are still getting to grips with archery, yet one thing quickly becomes clear at their weekly training sessions: all three of them love their new sport.
The Green Team: competing in the Californian desert
Training as Amazons
Awena, Grace and Soizic still have a long way to go before they achieve their goal. All three of them have jobs and families, yet they put every spare minute into training – despite Nantes’ mild summer evenings providing the perfect setting for relaxing with friends. The challenge: in California the women will not only run but also compete in mountain biking, archery and canoeing. And they are yet to learn how to paddle and shoot an arrow.
When we’re shooting arrows we have to stay completely still and concentrate solely on the target.
An all-terrain adventure
The three women are already keen cyclists. In California, they will have to ride for kilometres through the desert.
The battle with the sand and heat isn’t something we can train for.
Left, right, left
It takes teamwork to stay on track. Several months before the race, Awena, Grace and Soizic take up their positions in a canoe for the first time. Small navigation issues are quickly overcome and they make good progress.
One steers while the other two set the pace. We’re constantly fine-tuning our teamwork.
Reaching the goal together
Grace and Soizic are seasoned runners. During training, however, all three women have to give one-hundred per cent if they want to survive the desert race. They go running almost every day, also before work and during the breaks.
We need strength, concentration and stamina. A huge amount of stamina.
Photos: Mélanie Saumure & iStockPhoto
