The CAP OPTIMIST project was launched almost 2 years ago… 2 years that the waterwomen, the team, the partners imagine, project themselves, idealize perhaps all the axes of such a project. As you can imagine, this full-scale test will allow us to try to realize the final expedition in a shorter format.
In particular, the following will be tested
– Waterwomen:
Some are now experts in these ever more incredible challenges but others will discover this effort over a long period of time. It is a question for the rowers of getting in condition with different tests of duration of relay (between 1h and 2h), of measuring themselves in front of a long effort and thus to apprehend the management of the effort, the tiredness, the sleep, and of course to become aware of this collective of 6 women, their complementarity, their difference, their moment when they feel good, the others when they need support. It is also the occasion for the 3 mothers of the expedition to apprehend the “separation” with their child, to find the good words to explain them, …
This will allow each one to work on certain points with the mental trainers between July and December 2022 in order to be ready for the Great Departure.
– Crew:
The crew members who will leave on the final expedition are present on this expedition.
It is imperative to get to know each other, spend time during the effort together, learn to communicate, learn to trust each other and move forward together.
The crew is an essential piece of the puzzle for the success of the expedition. They are the ones who are primarily responsible for the safety of the rowers, monitoring the rower in the water. Patrick our doctor, Elodie our osteopath, Jérémie our photographer-camera man, Elohim our skipper and Alain the owner of the boat are all professionals in their expertise but they are also multi-skilled and will have to participate in the life on the boat, like taking a watch in the navigation, preparing food, and supporting our Waterwoman.
– Material:
These 1800 km will allow us to test the sports equipment, especially the paddleboards, their shape, their weight…
Then will be tested also the equipments of protection of the rower against the marine fauna (equipments and protocols), the equipments of navigation and security of day and night, the protocols of recovery, and all the material related to the scientific and medical expedition. We will also be able to use the equipment provided by our partners to adapt the choice of products for the final shipment.
AVENE allows us to test sun protection, creams and moisturizing products adapted to these conditions.
ROXY equips us with neoprene wetsuits. Depending on the weather, the time of rowing and the water temperature, 4 types of wetsuits will be tested.
DECATHLON equips us with sailing products, with the kayak that allows us to make transfers between the boat and the paddleboard.
MY MEDICAL equips us with products related to the medical protection of the rowers and the crew.
– Nutrition:
The menus were elaborated by Maeva, nutritionist at the European Center of Rehabilitation of the sportsman of Capbreton. Over 15 days, we will see if they are adapted to each one, to the management of the effort, to their practicality on board, …
In short, you will have understood, we are not going to pretend 🙂 It is much more than a test for us and then finally we enter the concrete sportsman of this project. 1800 km is a first effort of high level, where the performance and the rigor of the waterwomen is essential.
If you have any questions about this, contact us and we’ll talk about it!