I came 2nd in the annecy fat race with an itiwit inflatable sup
Vincent, Itiwit ambassador, came to Annecy to compete in the Fat Race on the famous lake at the foot of the Alps.
Vincent, Itiwit ambassador, works at the Decathlon store in Dieppe and became addicted to stand up paddle board racing, to the point of going to Annecy to compete in the Fat Race on the famous lake at the foot of the Alps, on the weekend of 10 June. And there he showed his abilities by finishing 2nd with his inflatable Itiwit 12'6x26 Explorace. Some feedback on this superb performance.
What races have you already taken part in? In January, I had the chance to participate in the Glagla Race, which was already on Lake Annecy! It was a really beautiful race in the middle of winter! I finished the long-distance race with a great 6th place in the 12’6 inflatable category! With some near podium finishes, I had a revenge to take!
Why this one, what was so special? The site is just incredible: Venice of the Alps, with breathtaking landscapes and monuments, like a real picture-postcard! Taking part in a stand-up paddleboarding race on the purest lake in Europe is priceless...
What equipment did you choose to use and why? The Mini Fat Race route does a tour around the small lake of Annecy (the southern part of the lake), a 12km loop with 4 buoys to turn around. So I chose the Itiwit 12'6 x 26 stand up paddleboard because it’s the narrowest in the Explorace range, which makes it much faster. With its good performance, it’s ideal for this type of water body! And the fact that it’s inflatable makes it super easy to transport, I can even take it on the train. For the paddle, there was no hesitation, it had to be the new Itiwit 900 adjustable carbon paddle, which is perfect for paddling with greater frequency, which I like to do. It’s also super light, weighing only 540 grams. It’s perfect for going even faster.
Tell us about the race! Conditions were optimal, there was no wind, glassy water, mercury was at 17°C and the water was 20°! It was idyllic! There were 130 of us starting the race at 8 am sharp and the first buoy was really close to the starting line. The route was quite strenuous and many competitors fell in the water, but I managed to get out of this ‘traffic jam’ rather quickly and unscathed!
The group all spread out but I positioned myself in a small group of 3 competitors and took the opportunity to float a little to catch my breath...At the third buoy, I accelerated quickly and I escaped the group, with good grip and the flex of the new 900 carbon paddle, I managed to maintain this speed until the end!
I passed the finish line in the sprint and at the time with such effort, I didn’t realize how well I had performed...And what a great surprise at the awards ceremony in the evening, I was summoned to take second place on the podium for the inflatable category!
Exceptional! What a great reward to take my place on stage at an Alpine Lakes Tour event!
What advice would you give future participants? Stay well hydrated during the race! It makes all the difference. In hot weather, likase we had during the race, we must have at least 1.5 liters of water over long distances. Using an isotonic drink is a plus for providing energy.
