The Ironman of Nice started this Sunday, June 26, 2011, at 6:30 AM on the centenary beach. It was an opportunity for the city’s citizens to showcase that they are early risers. And it was indeed the case, as they truly fired up the start. They maintained this pace throughout the day thanks to the music and the numerous interventions of the four speakers present.
A scent of humidity, a sensation of wetness, a vast expanse of water as far as the eye can see, such is the setting of this Nice Ironman. The waves keep on attacking the pebbles, producing a clattering sound. Now, it’s the turn of the 2,500 athletes present on the beach to attack the sea!
Dressed in wetsuits, they dive into the Mediterranean, heads down. An emotional moment for the enormity of humans facing the sea. For the first time, it feels as though humans are stronger and bigger than the sea, as they fill it. A mottled crow, due to the colored caps, comes to life. It dies a few moments later in a “skewer” of competitors. A magical moment captured and photographed by enthusiasts.
These enthusiasts are even more numerous than the athletes!
A record for a Sunday morning at such an early hour! And they haven’t come to admire the cheerleaders but truly for the spectacle that the event offers. Some are also there to support their loved ones.
Belgians, Swiss, Spaniards, but mostly French, they have come from all corners of the world!
This is the case for Patrick’s support committee. Anything is good to get noticed: a T-shirt printed with his image, an Irish hat, a straw hat with a green wire coil attached, ending in a photo of Patrick and four-leaf clovers.
No doubt, luck can only be with him!
At the finish, it’s Frédéric Van Lierde who wins in 8 hours, 28 minutes, and 30 seconds. Not so well-supported, but the essentials are there: his wife, his brother, and his sponsors.
Nothing more is needed for his happiness outside of victory. Amid repeated applause, he admits: “I am so happy, it’s incredible! I had a race plan, I stuck to it and it worked! I came back to do better, and I succeeded!”
