Simply Passion
Diary of a novice (or almost) – Day 5
World Championships 49er and 49er FX 2013 Marseille
“Shake, some seriousness please! It’s 20 minutes we try to make this picture. Come on, 1, 2 , 3 … but wait , where Eliane? ”
It is 10:40 on the 4th day of the race of the World Championships 49er and 49erFX waterskiing Stadium Roucas Blanc. All volunteers and organizational staff were given an appointment at 10am for the family photo. We laugh and we heckling like schoolboys while Pierik, the official photographer of the event, presses the shutter of his camera . ” Cheeeeeese ! ” The moment, everyone returned to the post pronto . The wind seems less finicky than ever, and the sports program looks loaded with more than 20 races to start on threecourses for the 150 participating teams, divided into six fleets. The parking lot, between staff and competitors, it looks like an anthill that impressed me. Everyone is working on their tasks, the faces are concentrated, specific actions , techniques and concise conversations.
But where does this professionalism come from while it is still 10 am, it felt output class to Disneyland ? What about these super- effective volunteers ?
“The passion , simply. ” Smilingly replied under his breath Jean -Pierre, a member of the race committee . Same answer Nathalie and Jean -Luc , respectively quality controller in the Var and teacher of EPS in Charente- Maritime, who took days off to perform their duties during this high – level competition. With the other jury members, they go on the water, followed closely by their assistants setting the buoys and signing in of arrival / departure line … all volunteers.
Once at sea, they are in constant contact with the “Race Committee” which records the results and ensures that the information be provided to the participants to the ground. A strategic mission, provided with Olympic calm and phlegmatic humor Marc ( computer consultant ) and Danielle (retired), who has the burden to edit rankings as and when the race. By late afternoon , when the activity increases with the return of the fleet to land, they are joined by another Marc, professional trainer , which connects after a day from 7 am to math or geography . Tonight , because of 16 protests filed by competitors them , they will have to wait until past 10 pm to update the results
Meanwhile, Fanny, volunteer looking for a job , is wherever you need her: Monday- registration of participants , Tuesday to putting up posters, and now she plays the phone board by calling all leisure centers Marseille to invite them to come and enjoy the entertainment this weekend. Bernard , responsible fishing ducks, would also like to see a little more small Marseilles participate, not just those big kids that are racers , he jokes .
At the bar, Christian (also took a week off to Paoli- Calmette Hospital where he works) and Jean- arie seem to have done it all their lives. “I volunteer since I met Christian (Tommasini , the charismatic president of YCPR) , ie forever. Looking for friendship, so when you love … “. And indeed, with a time range of about 10 hours per day – the village is open to the public from 10 to 19 – they do not count their hours.
Christian Tommasini precisely President for 15 years of YCPR , here’s an example that illustrates the passionate commitment demonstrated by everyone I meet since the beginning of this week. A Shipbroker, he devotes nearly three-quarters of his free time to his favorite club, he recognizes serve as COO more than President “volunteer .” This is perhaps his locomotive of these volunteers far from the cliché of retired salesman raffle tickets .
We are interrupted by Fred driving the press boat, which returns to land after the embedded reporters and photographers for the last race of the day. When I learn that a civilian, he works in finance , I can not help but giggle, imagining in suit and tie, his face stripped white tan lines left by his sunglasses .
I then find the PC running, Marc , my main source of information for the articles, which in the electric atmosphere of a late afternoon in the semifinals of the world championships shows me the results: the Frenchman Dyen Christidis is 4th overall, followed by Delpech and Ortoli , 7th. But following a protest which disqualify Danish Warrer and Lang, they move up to the 2nd and 6th place! While the girls and Stayaert Boussard are placed second in 49er FX!
I remember that the quality engineer and teammate , school teacher “in real life”, had also told me earlier in the week that they dreamed of sailing full-time , and not just their spare time”…
That makes me want to know more now. Tomorrow I’ll go a little deeper into what makes these runners run, and which ones are able to make a living .
With 25 knots of wind under the peak of the day, which paradoxically may nail down exactly fleet becalmed as of yesterday, may I have some time to collect their testimonies .
In the meantime , come see us at the swimming stadium ( or follow live on the Internet ), there is the show!
Flavia
Lire le journal de bord des jours précédents :
Lundi : “Journal de bord d’une novice (ou presque)”
Mardi : “Et c’est parti pour le show !”
Mercredi : “Derrière le rideau”
Jeudi : “La guerre des nerfs”
