TESTER TEAM > The Team > Vibram® Natural Games® 2011

 

JULY 15th, 2011

45 000 people. That number alone illustrates the success of the 2011 edition of the Vibram® Natural Games® which took place from 23 to 26 June in Millau, in southern France. In just four years, including three under the auspices of Vibram, the Vibram® Natural Games® have become the largest international outdoor sports festival.

For Vibram, the Natural® Games® are above all "an ideal field test for virtually all the soles that have made the brand so famous, which explains the massive presence of the Vibram Tester Team during the four days of the event", notes Nicola Faccinetto, team coordinator.

"By taking part in every event and in the new sports trends presented at the Vibram® Natural Games®, our "tester" athletes project the company image and, even more important, test our products. They will acquire a vast range of background information that will help us to improve existing products and develop new ones", observes Jérôme Bernard, Vibram® marketing director.
 
 

MOUNTAIN BIKE-ENDURO with Karim Amour.
No need to present Karim. For almost 17 years, he has been collecting mountain-biking trophies. As a charismatic athlete and a new Vibram tester who has already won several major events (4X World Cup, Roc d’Azur, etc.), he was a "natural" winner at the 2011 Vibram® Natural Games®.

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MOUNTAIN BIKE-DIRT with Luis Biscaldi
The youngest team member, highly motivated at the idea of participating in this leg of the Dirt FMB World Tour, gave it his all in a series of figures up until the bad fall when he broke his collar bone. He nonetheless went home from the Vibram® Natural Games® with a big smile.
 
 

BOULDERING with Michele Caminati and Jacopo Larcher
One is a member, the other a former member of the Italian climbing team. Our great hopes were fulfilled with a spot in the bouldering finals for Michele (fifth) and an audience of over 20 000 people. True dynamite!!

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KAYAKING with Marcello Parmigiani
Marcello is the ideal participant at the Vibram® Natural Games® because he is a well-rounded athlete, a top-notch kayak rider, an international raider and a paraglider. His one goal since participating in Millau in 2010 was to come back. He reached the freestyle kayak half-finals wearing the Vibram® FiveFingers®. And between two runs, he was off to the Pouncho for some paragliding.

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TRIATHLON
The outdoor triathlon was the main new event at the 2011 Vibram® Natural Games® and drew 140 participants, both individuals and teams. It consisted of a 1-kilometre swim in the Tarn river, mountain biking 30 km with 1 000 metres of vertical gain and 10 km of trail running with a difficult section up and down the Pouncho hill. Team Lafuma Vibram won easily in the women's category thanks to the very fast Magalie Moreau. But the true sensation came in the team competition. Starting with an excellent swimmer, Christophe Camus (Sales director at Lafuma), then a mountain biker "who never gives up", Marc Balaskovic (multisport raid star and team manager of the Lafuma Vibram international raid team) and finally a newcomer to trail running, Jérôme Bernard (who also happens to be the Marketing director at… Vibram), "ZeDreamTeam" from Vibram finished in exactly three hours and won third place!

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PARKOUR
Of note is the third place by Daniele Doria on the C2 canoe course in the Tarn river (10 km course on the river). Daniele is an acrobat, a tightrope walker and the foremost Italian parkour expert, an up and coming sport that was demonstrated during the Vibram® Natural Games®.

 
 

EXTREME SPORTS
We must of course mention the extreme funambulists Tancrède Melet and Julien Millot. Both are Vibram slackliners, specialised in "highlining" (very high slacklines). Tancrède and Julien recently crossed the Verdon at heights ranging from 85 to 160 metres and are the inventors of the "swingline" (highline + lateral swinging line). They are among a very select group of world-class slackliners, a new sports trend that is growing rapidly. In Millau, they shared the lofty heights with the vultures on their breathtaking slacklines across the Cirque des Vases in the Jonte gorges. When they came back down, it was to demonstrate their tremendous skills on the 70-metre waterline strung 4 metres over the Tarn river in the middle of the Vibram® Natural Games® village. The slightest error was immediately paid with a dip in the water!

The two friends, always on the lookout for ways to pump up the adrenalin, are also well known for a number of base-jumping feats. Keep an eye on them.

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JUNE 15th, 2011

Vibram® Natural Games® are about to start again, and the Vibram Tester Team is ready for a new adventure in Millau next June 23-26.

After last year’s rushing trip, the athletes of the Team, involved each day in testing Vibram® soles on the field, will switch on their mini-van once again to travel towards the extreme outdoor routes of southern France and the Vibram base camp at the Camp Ground of Millau.

 

New challenges will wait for the Vibram Tester Team in a number of different sectors:

  • KAYAK FREESTYLE…. a dive in the rapids to ride the wave of emotions!!!
  • TRIATHLON OUTDOOR…..the new entry of Vibram® Natural Games®!!! The team Lafuma Vibram, used to fight in such contests, will join the multi-sport races wearing LAFUMA Moon Race powered by Vibram® TRAILGRIP
  • PARKOUR...Daniele Doria, one of the most well known parkour enthusiasts in Italy, will join the Vibram Tester Team on tour to Millau. For years now, Daniele has participated in parkour events for Team Vibram and worked hard to promote and develop the activity in Italy. His participation in the Vibram® Natural Games® will be an opportunity to meet French parkour athletes and talk shop. Daniele loves Vibram® fivefingers® which he uses for certain freestyle and freerunning exhibitions.