Fifth title for 400Team

400Team crossed the finish line as heroes of this Raid in France in Nouvelle-Aquitaine. They set the pace from start to finish, leading almost uncontested, despite their pursuers never giving up hope of causing an upset.

In 2007, Sandrine Béranger competed in her first long raid and the first Raid in France, in the Pyrenees. Since then, this mother of three has always been present, except during the births of her daughters and her youngest.

It was she who convinced Sébastien Raichon to embark on the Raid in France adventure in 2009. She is often the one who gets the team back on track when things go awry, never hesitating to tow her teammates or carry their bags to give them a break. This “ultra” never gives up; along with Sébastien Raichon, she has been the heart and soul of 400Team for 15 years. Today, alongside him, she signs her fifth victory in Raid in France, at the end of a race filled with experience, passion, and enthusiasm.

In the early morning, amidst humidity and drizzle, Sandrine Béranger, Sébastien Raichon, Benjamin Fayet, and Adrien Lhermet crossed the finish line of Raid in France 2024 Expedition Nouvelle-Aquitaine as winners, after 96 hours and a few minutes of

non-stop racing. They covered the 466 kilometers through Corrèze, Creuse, and Haute-Vienne at a relentless pace, leaving their direct pursuers about fifteen hours behind and earning their ticket to the Adventure Racing World Championship, scheduled for the end of the year in Ecuador. “We have never had such a calm and smooth race,” said Sébastien Raichon. “It was a pleasure to see my two navigator teammates guide us accurately.” The quality of the navigators’ work was rightly praised, filling Benjamin Fayet, the team’s youngest member, with joy, as he had dreamt for years of racing Raid in France with a great team.

In the late afternoon, while predictions were rife about the arrival timing of the other two potential podium candidates – 400Team Bis and Absolu Raid Aventure.fr XTTR – the rest of the caravan progressed on mountain bikes in the Xaintrie Blanche region, navigated in packrafts on the Maronne, a tributary of the Dordogne alternating between waterfalls and rapids, or prepared to enter the Monédières massif, a 6,000-hectare area in the Millevaches Regional Natural Park composed of remarkable dry heaths. Two more days of racing will be necessary to reach Bugeat, the finish line.

For all teams, discovering the Tours de Merle, where several checkpoints had to be marked, was an enjoyable break, combining historical immersion and breathtaking views of the Maronne. The Tours de Merle is a unique and essential medieval site in Xaintrie, dating back to the 12th and 16th centuries.

RUNNER’S WORD

“We prepared well for the race, but the level of Raid in France is very high. We lose a lot of time on navigation and managing transitions, which penalized us today in meeting the cut B time limit. We will redouble our efforts to cover the entire course to the finish. Raid in France is a demanding and challenging expedition race, a true self-sufficient adventure. We didn’t expect to have to carry our packrafts during the treks, but we are learning as we progress.”
Guerric Masson, Team Foch (4), France

“Last night was tough. I fell into the water at the beginning of the Maronne section. After three hours of rest at AT 10 in Port de Vaurs, morale is back up. The team is ready to resume its progress. We didn’t expect to discover such a beautiful region, especially the Tours de Merle… and so deserted.”
Gloria Sobrero Munoz, Budinoraid (24), Spain