|
SNCF athletes climb Mont-Blanc to support Annecy 2018 bid |
|
 Posted by content on Friday 17th June, 2011 @ 11:04 GMT |
News Category: Miscellaneous | Visited 620 times |
|
|
 |
|
With only days left until the host city Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games 2018 is announced, the French railway company and official supporter of Annecy 2018, has renewed its support for the bid by sending an expedition to climb Mont-Blanc this weekend (18th and 19th June 2011). |
|
Three snowboarders from the SNCF – Olympic medal winner Paul-Henri Le Rue, world champion Xavier De Le Rue and world medal winner Sylvain Durfour – will be accompanied by representatives from Annecy 2018 and guided by members of the French Skiing and Mountaineering School (ENSA).
After two days of high altitude preparation and acclimatisation, the team will set off on Saturday 18th June to climb Mont-Blanc. Once they reach the summit, which is the highest peak in France and Europe, the team will unfold a banner in support of Annecy 2018. The three SNCF champions will then snowboard back down Mont-Blanc, while the others will return on foot.
The host city will be announced by the IOC (International Olympic Committee) on 6th July 2011 in Durban, South Africa. In the meantime, the SNCF and its athletes will show their support for Annecy 2018 at an altitude of precisely 4,810 metres.
The expedition officially set off when the athletes boarded the train at Paris’ Gare de Lyon station in the morning on Wed 15th June 2011.
More than 500 athletes are supporting Annecy 2018 including Zinédine Zidane, Tony Parker, Arsène Wenger, Marie-José Perec.
For more information, head to the Annecy 2018 website. |
|
|
|