ThosePopular swimming
The pouquis jet assault by swimmers
On this back -to -school day before, the Bath light is the epicenter of the art of living in the Geneva. Reporting.
Departure with a fanfare from the popular category.
FRANK MENTHA
- 26e Race around the lighthouse attracts thousands of spectators to the Pâquis baths.
- The Neuchâtel Julien Baillod wins the elite event in nine minutes.
- Eighty swimmers participate in the popular race in ideal conditions.
- Marco Roncarolo, a young hope of 13, shines in the junior and popular categories.
What is missing in the landscape? Not much. On Sunday, the day before the back to school, the lake had spared nothing to cheer up from the Genevans. In the distance, a wreath of white clouds wet above the Jura, jumps from Mont-de-iz aux Voirons, but the sun sparkles, the atmosphere is lukewarm, refreshed by the sechard. On the pouquis pier, thousands of unprecedented people sleep, eat, chat in all the languages of the earth. It is a postcard Geneva.
A champion in the race
Julien Baillod, sports category winner.
FRANK MENTHA
At 2 p.m., a small crowd movement: it’s time for the race around the lighthouse for the elite, 26e edition, on 750 meters. “The main thing is to get to the end!” confides in advance an informed spectator. Twenty-five swimmers throw themselves into the water. Julien Baillod, 45, ends up. “Hot water, sun, little wind: ideal conditions for swimming,” comments the solid Neuchâtel. He is a regular at the race and a follower of the freestyle. He is preparing for the 3 km of Constance on August 31 and is quite satisfied with his race in nine minutes and a few. It’s his favorite hobby, he said. In May, He participated in the World Masters Games in Taiwan and won the 3 km And the 200 meters brewing.
Peloton
Around the lighthouse, the races are linked. There is that of the juniors, then “the popular”. For this one, each swimmer sports his numbered hat. The figure was also registered with the marker on the wrist “to identify the bodies after the race”, quips a participant. And it’s starting! This time, 80 swimmers throw themselves into the water. Some stand out very quickly in crawl. The rest of the peloton remains grouped, but arms and legs are furiously agitated. The slap box is open.
Arrival of the popular category. “The main thing is to get to the end,” says a connoisseur.
FRANK MENTHA
On arrival, a good quarter of an hour separates the first of the last. Everyone is quite happy to have arrived. By any chance, we congratulate Marco Roncarolo, 13, arrived 2eafter winning just before the junior race. He is a member of the Geneva Swimming 1885 club, and who knows if we have not had the pleasure of meeting one of the future great Swiss swimmers?
“Latest news”
Do you want to stay at the top of the info? “Tribune de Genève” offers you two meetings per day, directly in your e-mailbox. To not miss anything of what is happening in your canton, Switzerland or in the world.
Other newsletters
Did you find an error? Please report it to us.
