Foulées du Gois
Encyclopedia
The Foulées du Gois is an international road running
race held annually on the Passage du Gois
, a tidal
causeway
between Beauvoir-sur-Mer
and the Île de Noirmoutier
, France
. The professional race, held over the submerged causeway, is from one end of the causeway to the other, a distance of 4.15 kilometres (2.6 mi). A series of alternate races are undertaken earlier in the day, when the tide is not over the causeway, for youth and non-professional divisions; the adult non-elite divisions are 8.3 kilometres (5.2 mi) in length, a round trip of the Passage du Gois. The event is the second-most publicised in the département of Vendée
, after the Vendée Globe
round-the-world
yacht race
.
of the 'Foulées du Gois'. The first event was held on June 20, 1987. The race takes place annually in early summer
, most frequently in the month of June, due to the logistics of tide
heights, daylight
hours, and water temperatures
; the race generally starts in the evening.
The professional race, which is limited to 30 competitors selected from French
and international
applicants, begins when the water first crosses the road. The leaders often finish with water up to their ankle
s, while those who have got caught in the rising swell are often forced to swim
to the finish line. The current record for the race is 12 minutes and 8 seconds, by French athlete and Olympian
Dominique Chauvelier in the 1990 running of the event.
is at the convergence point of two water currents
; the Bay of Bourneuf current to the left of the runners and the Fromentine current to right. The athletes use the wave caused by this meeting as a path, as it provides less resistance to wading compared to undisturbed water. However, at high tide
, the Bay of Bourgneuf current is stronger than the Fromentine current, and the wave line alters its course off the causeway. The height of the water at high tide varies between 1.3 metres (4.3 ft) and 4 metres (13.1 ft).
Road running
Road running is the sport of running on a measured course over an established road . These events would be classified as long distance according to athletics terminology, with distances typically ranging from 5 kilometers to 42.2 kilometers in the marathon. They may involve large numbers of runners...
race held annually on the Passage du Gois
Passage du Gois
Le Passage de Gois ou Gôa is a natural, periodically flooded passage leading to the island of Noirmoutier in France. It is located between Île de Noirmoutier and Beauvoir-sur-Mer, in the department of Vendée...
, a tidal
Tide
Tides are the rise and fall of sea levels caused by the combined effects of the gravitational forces exerted by the moon and the sun and the rotation of the Earth....
causeway
Causeway
In modern usage, a causeway is a road or railway elevated, usually across a broad body of water or wetland.- Etymology :When first used, the word appeared in a form such as “causey way” making clear its derivation from the earlier form “causey”. This word seems to have come from the same source by...
between Beauvoir-sur-Mer
Beauvoir-sur-Mer
Beauvoir-sur-Mer is a commune in the Vendée department in the Pays de la Loire region in western France.-References:*...
and the Île de Noirmoutier
Île de Noirmoutier
The island of Noirmoutier is off the Atlantic coast of France in the Vendée department.Parts of the island have been reclaimed from the sea. In 2005 it served as the finish of the Tour de France prologue....
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. The professional race, held over the submerged causeway, is from one end of the causeway to the other, a distance of 4.15 kilometres (2.6 mi). A series of alternate races are undertaken earlier in the day, when the tide is not over the causeway, for youth and non-professional divisions; the adult non-elite divisions are 8.3 kilometres (5.2 mi) in length, a round trip of the Passage du Gois. The event is the second-most publicised in the département of Vendée
Vendée
The Vendée is a department in the Pays-de-la-Loire region in west central France, on the Atlantic Ocean. The name Vendée is taken from the Vendée river which runs through the south-eastern part of the department.-History:...
, after the Vendée Globe
Vendée Globe
The Vendée Globe is a round-the-world single-handed yacht race, sailed non-stop and without assistance. The race was founded by Philippe Jeantot in 1989, and since 1992 has taken place every four years....
round-the-world
Circumnavigation
Circumnavigation – literally, "navigation of a circumference" – refers to travelling all the way around an island, a continent, or the entire planet Earth.- Global circumnavigation :...
yacht race
Yacht racing
Yacht racing is the sport of competitive yachting.While sailing groups organize the most active and popular competitive yachting, other boating events are also held world-wide: speed motorboat racing; competitive canoeing, kayaking, and rowing; model yachting; and navigational contests Yacht racing...
.
Racing history and records
The idea for a race on the Passage du Gois was conceived in the late stages of 1986, with Jo Cesbron the founding presidentPresident
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
of the 'Foulées du Gois'. The first event was held on June 20, 1987. The race takes place annually in early summer
Summer
Summer is the warmest of the four temperate seasons, between spring and autumn. At the summer solstice, the days are longest and the nights are shortest, with day-length decreasing as the season progresses after the solstice...
, most frequently in the month of June, due to the logistics of tide
Tide
Tides are the rise and fall of sea levels caused by the combined effects of the gravitational forces exerted by the moon and the sun and the rotation of the Earth....
heights, daylight
Daylight
Daylight or the light of day is the combination of all direct and indirect sunlight outdoors during the daytime. This includes direct sunlight, diffuse sky radiation, and both of these reflected from the Earth and terrestrial objects. Sunlight scattered or reflected from objects in outer space is...
hours, and water temperatures
Sea surface temperature
Sea surface temperature is the water temperature close to the oceans surface. The exact meaning of surface varies according to the measurement method used, but it is between and below the sea surface. Air masses in the Earth's atmosphere are highly modified by sea surface temperatures within a...
; the race generally starts in the evening.
The professional race, which is limited to 30 competitors selected from French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and international
International
----International mostly means something that involves more than one country. The term international as a word means involvement of, interaction between or encompassing more than one nation, or generally beyond national boundaries...
applicants, begins when the water first crosses the road. The leaders often finish with water up to their ankle
Ankle
The ankle joint is formed where the foot and the leg meet. The ankle, or talocrural joint, is a synovial hinge joint that connects the distal ends of the tibia and fibula in the lower limb with the proximal end of the talus bone in the foot...
s, while those who have got caught in the rising swell are often forced to swim
Swimming (sport)
Swimming is a sport governed by the Fédération Internationale de Natation .-History: Competitive swimming in Europe began around 1800 BCE, mostly in the form of the freestyle. In 1873 Steve Bowyer introduced the trudgen to Western swimming competitions, after copying the front crawl used by Native...
to the finish line. The current record for the race is 12 minutes and 8 seconds, by French athlete and Olympian
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
Dominique Chauvelier in the 1990 running of the event.
Conditions and geography
The Passage du GoisPassage du Gois
Le Passage de Gois ou Gôa is a natural, periodically flooded passage leading to the island of Noirmoutier in France. It is located between Île de Noirmoutier and Beauvoir-sur-Mer, in the department of Vendée...
is at the convergence point of two water currents
Ocean current
An ocean current is a continuous, directed movement of ocean water generated by the forces acting upon this mean flow, such as breaking waves, wind, Coriolis effect, cabbeling, temperature and salinity differences and tides caused by the gravitational pull of the Moon and the Sun...
; the Bay of Bourneuf current to the left of the runners and the Fromentine current to right. The athletes use the wave caused by this meeting as a path, as it provides less resistance to wading compared to undisturbed water. However, at high tide
High Tide
High Tide was a band formed in 1969 by Tony Hill , Simon House , Peter Pavli and Roger Hadden .-History:...
, the Bay of Bourgneuf current is stronger than the Fromentine current, and the wave line alters its course off the causeway. The height of the water at high tide varies between 1.3 metres (4.3 ft) and 4 metres (13.1 ft).