2024-09-08 11:30:00
They did it! After more than 180 kilometers of pedaling on water bikes and relays on the Mediterranean between Calvi and Monaco, and more than 22 hours of fierce racing, the five teams made up of four athletes set foot on the small gravel of Larvotto beach at 9 am yesterday.
Having left Corsica at 10am on Friday for the second edition of “The Crossing: Monaco – Calvi” – to raise funds for the Princess Charlene Foundation and raise awareness of the association’s various programmes, particularly concerning drowning – these 20 athletes (1) were given a fanfare welcome yesterday in Monaco by a troupe of Polynesian singers and dancers.
Valtteri Bottas at the end of his effort, upon his arrival by water bike on Larvotto beach. Photo Cyril Dodergny.
“We are all winners”
To the sound of their songs, and under the watchful eyes of Prince Albert II, Princess Charlene, and the new Minister of State Didier Guillaume, it was the “Lionheart” team led by the former Swedish cyclist Gustav Larsson who set foot on dry land first, closely followed by the “Rock to Rock” team.
In third place is the “Serenity” team, which includes, among others, the Secretary General of the Princess Charlene Foundation, Gareth Wittstock, the F1 driver Valtteri Bottas and the recently retired cyclist Peter Sagan. Finally, in fourth and fifth place, the Ferrari team followed by the “U17” team, in which the world boxing champion Oleksandr Usyk played, who arrived on his knees.
“The conditions were good, we tried to take turns on the water bike every hour… We really gave it our all”assures Valtteri Bottas, who immediately went to quench his thirst after arriving on Larvotto beach.
“It was a big challenge for us, the conditions were superb, except at the start in Calvi where it was a little more difficult. But today, we are all winners”adds his teammate of the day Gareth Wittstock. But the most important thing, beyond the sporting result, is the financial result.
More than 283,000 euros in donations were raised online. They will be used to finance the various programs of the Princess Charlene Foundation.
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