Case Noyale Trail

Clivan Petite has emerged about 8 km, succeeding Bhuvish Lukea, winner in the Gorges (January 21), and Harris Khelawon first to Chamarel (February 18). About 12.5 km, Xavier Verny, who has long sought since the beginning of the year, has finally found and picked the victory. He succeeds him and Vishal Ittoo Jeni Smith, winners of the first two rounds.

The highway and civilization are not very far. Yet the impression of gigantism and obsolescence emerges as soon as we take the dirt road leading to Chasse Case Noyale. It leads to parking on a huge lawn, sort of clearing which is engulfed by the light of day.

The tamarind and flamboyant giants that grow here and there, oil palm, say less bulky in the silence of their branches where the wind alone meditates: "There all is order and beauty." They are a link scheduling with managed forests, where mantle marry all shades of green and covering the surrounding mountains, mountain Canoes, right, and Piton de la Riviere Noire, leftmost, under his cap of mist.

The booth, the old wooden house and plate, the small factory where brews coffee Chamarel engender a different impression: that of being suspended in a space-time continuum that would have escaped the passage of time.

Case Noyale forest invaded by exotic, is a game reserve. The sugar estate of Bel Ombre, owner, had recently undertaken the restoration of native forest existing on a certain area with the expertise of the Mauritian Wildlife Foundation.

The objective is to preserve the flora and fauna. Because the relics of ancient forest are home to endemic species of the rarest: wood nail, wood coffee brown, hibiscus, ebony trees, woods mapou, woods and poupart benjoins among others.

The departure of the two races, a trail along 12.5 km and a short trail of 8 km, is given next to a small square building painted white. This construction is actually an anonymous factory linked to the history of coffee and its preparation. That's where sent harvesting fruit that grow on coffee trees planted in a planting of a dozen acres in Chamarel.

The seeds are roasted and solubilized. The resulting coffee is packaged for sale. Chamarel coffee, coffee Pompeii, for family use, is very popular.

Coffee farming gained momentum during the first decade of the English occupation. It declined gradually decline qu'accélérèrent damage by Hurricane of 1824 and the presence of a fungus in plantations.

The planters preferred it when sugarcane. 2 km of ascent ... The runners are standing on the path that loses a few yards away in the dense forest. Yan Maroussem, stopwatch in hand, begins the countdown. The first waves of this sea of ??people rush to the hunted in no hurry nestled on the slopes of Piton de la Riviere Noire.

To 4 km of flat will take over 2 km and 1.5 km climb down flat. The last 5 km of the descent are common to both races. A total of riders entered in the main race will overcome 600 m of elevation gain.

The timekeeper Jean-Maurice Mamet provides two fast races and finish of the winner of 8 km after thirty minutes of exercise. His predictions are proven correct. Small Clivan advanced rocket and crossed the line in 32'28. It precedes Bhuvish Lukea (33'49) and Harris Khelawon (34'52). Clivan Petite, 25, finally tasted his first victory which he had touched her closely during the Trail of Chamarel, the second visit of the season on February 18. This time he was not wrong direction.

"I was well ahead in Chamarel but at 1.2 km from the finish, I took the wrong direction and I ran 1.2 kilometers more before I realized my error and trace the path to the finish. I still finished strong and took fourth place. It's a nice victory I won today (Editor's note: Saturday, March 17). I led from start to finish. Bhuvish Lukea followed me on the first two km but could not catch my stride in the climb. I ran one race alone, "he observes.

The drive made on Mount thumb two weeks ago along with Fra Janot him a favor. "We completed 3.5 km climb out of 5 km. I learned to descend, look for good support. It helped me today, "he says. Newcomer on the trail, he had started the Trail of the Marianas last year (September 19) and finished among the top ten of 16 km, Clivan Petite wants to continue the 2012 season on the court and ensure the title before consider to address the long trail. He has also gained experience.

This laboratory assistant at the textile factory in Saint-Malo is a jack of all since it triathlon, duathlon, he prefers because it is not a good swimmer, the race walking, swimming, cycling. What is certain, the trail has discovered another runner in value.

This is not Bhuvish Lukea that say otherwise. He took second place but could never worry Clivan Petite. "It started well. A half of the climb, after ten minutes of exercise, my legs no longer followed. I hung up the hill and then down, I gave it my all. I did not know the route. I am satisfied with second place in 33'49. I thank my father for his encouragement and Vishal (Vishal Ittoo, his cousin) for her advice, "he says.

Record exploded

The first woman on the 8 km is Pauline Toulet who got to trail "only two months." "I have a good race, I'm glad.

It was harder than Chamarel but I was better prepared. I'm happy with my time (Editor's note: 47'09), "says she.March 10, she finished tenth in the Trail of Mare Longue.

Mother of three and keen on running and biking, Pauline Toulet will also focus on the short trail this season. "It is not easy, between work and family," she adds.

The minutes tick by. While engaged in the short trailers continue to reach the finish line, the silhouette of Xavier Verny is emerging in a final acceleration alone. It explodes the record set last year by Jeni Smith. He won in 53 minutes.

"It's good for a comeback on the trail. My goal this season is the trail. I leave the track, I'm more motivated, I am not so encouraged by the Athletic Association. I loved my first race last year on Parakeet. I said, this is what I want to do.I took part in the cross because it is a must. The races on 10 and 12 km have helped me today, "he says.

The race went quickly past. Vishal Ittoo, Jeni Smith, SimonDesvaux, Xavier Verny Fra Janot and take control of operations.

It was hilly and pleasant, Verny says Xavier. After eight minutes of ascent, he believes he "assured the train." The four other riders are "thirty yards behind." He expects the growth to produce the effort. He finds himself alone in the lead. He feared the descent somewhat, it is not "technically correct" in this specialty. Tenth in the first round in the Gorge, he signed his first win of the season, most recently at Vertical Trail last November.

And surprise, Simon Desvaux did better than mingling with the scuffle. He finished second in 53'57. "It was a great race! Great! I take the races as they come, depending on my form. I had a week of complete rest and it helped me a lot. There were 4 km of flat, then 2 km climb. After they were false flats and downhill.

It's not really my type of race but I adapt, "says this lover of extreme racing. Vishal Ittoo third in 54'14, has simply "running behind".

"I stalled in the climb, I was the fourth time. A 4 km from the finish, I doubled Jeni 
Smith and I finished third, "he says. Vishal Ittoo prepares the race "Vital Basin" scheduled for 1 May in Reunion and reserves for 19 km. Jeni Smith, fourth in 55'09, speaks of a "quick errand". "The record of 2011 (Ed: his) was beaten.

The competitors were strong. Initially, we were five front runners. Verny became detached before the climb. I followed at my own pace. Simon Desvaux caught me at the end of the climb. Vishal Ittoo caught me, him, before the arrival. I'm happy with my race, "he says. The first five runners - the fifth place went to Fra Janot in 59'20 - have completed the 13 km in less than an hour.

In women also, the race was fast. Laurence Goilot, winner in 1h09'05 says have improved the time it had done last year (Editor's note: 54 seconds). "I was much more efficient climbing. I have not walked a lot, except where it is really hard. I advanced in small steps, raising just enough for the knees do not spend too much energy because there was 5 km downhill and Christianne Louis, with her legs, she took a step and me two, "she said beforehand.

Christianne and Sabrina Louis Keisler led the first five kilometers. Sabrina Keisler was dropped when she stopped to tie his shoes. Christianne Louis attack too early in the climb and overtaken by Laurence Goilot while there were still half struggling to deal with.

"This is a very fast course with a lot of false flats, change of pace. The fact of having run last year helped me to manage my race.

The weather was perfect, "says Laurence Goilot pursuing its faultless. Sabrina Keisler, second to five seconds of the winner, was the author of a great race.

"It was great! This is a very pretty course, well marked. The race was hotly contested.

We were all three to run for 7 km. We fought well, we took the relay in turn. Everything was in the last three miles.Laurence took the lead, it was the strongest. I finished strong in the end, "she says.

Following the season looks exciting. The next race will be the Trail of Guavas, scheduled for April 7 in the Gorges of the Black River. The format will be 25 km long and 2000 m of elevation gain, the short format, 9 km with 900 m of elevation gain.