Another race against the clock. Putting this event together, we knew the National Federation would be up to its usual tricks, trying to sabotage our race at the last minute to put it out. 

We decide to announce on official documents a start time which is different from the one we intend to take. We think that, if it is possible to stop a race before the start is given, it might be more difficuult to stop a race already underway... 

True to itself, the sabotage of the National Federation starts 3 days before the race. Threats to the port authorities and municipal police are being sent. The race being an aquathlon, held on a private resort, there is not much to fear, but we take precautions nonetheless. The start time is crucial. 

On race day we do rush to send the athletes into the sea. Not even 5mn into the race, the port police arrives on site, ready to stop it all at once. We announce that the race IS already underway and they are left baffled, unsure what to do. And thanks for us... they then do nothing, except filing in a report and leave!

Let's not be fooled: for each and every one of these events where I write "thanks god nothing happened and the race took place as planned" there were countless hours, afterwards, spent cleaning up the mess. Attending convocations at the police office, at the port police office, writing reports to answer claims and accusations made from various authorities (all deriving from the faxes initially sent by the National Federation, lets not forget that). 

Thefeore although once again the race took place and all went fine, it was another round of justifications and a tough process to go through, which was starting to be really taxing on us... it was the 4th year of these, it was only intensifying, we were still the sole organiser, therefore the only one in the bulls' eye... it was starting to be stressfull and tiring. We started then to see that this would not be going on for too long. There is only so much 2 people can take...