August 2023 : the French rowing team returns to its favourite nautical site in Soustons before the major sporting events of the World Championships in Belgrade. This is another opportunity to meet Bastien Tabourier who explains to us the content of this sporting preparation. Endurance, speed, performance, concentration and lots of fun are part of the program. Let’s go for a new episode of our series [I train with you!]
Meeting with Bastien Tabourier
This morning we had a first warm-up and after we did a small lactic session, we did 2×500 and 1×1000. To prepare for tomorrow’s race, we have a handicap course for the preparation of the World championships in September.
What is the purpose of the camp ?
We’ve just completed a month of final preparation on Soustons lake. The goal was to do a lot of fundamental training, repeating pretty much what we had done during the winter. Then, at the end of the course, we transfer the fundamental work to working speed, which will gradually lead us to a very competitive job next week, at our next training site.
Why Soustons?
What is specific about this lake? It is magical. It has had a performance atmosphere for many years. No kidding, it is a real asset for us to be alone on the lake while training, athletes can really be focused. Being here, in the Landes in Soustons, it also allows us to take team breaks, also individual in the boats and then they can go for a ride, go to the beach or for a walk in the surroundings, which is not always the case with other sites.
Opening of the festivals of Soustons
Double Olympic champion Matthieu Androdias and Hugo Boucheron had the privilege of opening the festival. It’s great because rowing isn’t often on show, even though we’re in rugby country, and to see two rowers opening the festivities makes people talk about rowing a bit, and it also shows that the Soustons club, which is here, knows how to welcome people, has produced champions throughout the ages and that it’s still a great sport with great values.