Every year, the Inverse Team Contest rewards the largest delegation from a single club. After the Belgium Triathlon Tenacity Team last year, it was the turn of the Sardines Triathlon Marseille to win, with 87 participants taking part in the M and L formats of the Alpe d’Huez Triathlon. Each Sardines representative will receive a personalised Inverse hoodie and a giant replica of the club’s jersey will be hung in one of the 21 legendary bends. Jean-Marc Delmas, one of the pioneers of Les Sardines, shares the story of a resolutely family-run association.
How did the Sardines Triathlon team come about?
« At the time, we were a small group of friends who were members of the SCO Sainte Marguerite Triathlon. One of us decided to leave the club, but the parents of children who were members urged him to set up his own association. So we put together a team of 5 people to support the new structure and we launched a new triathlon club in 2000. In the early days, there were around ten children and 5 adult members. During a meeting, we were discussing the name we could give the club and one of us mentioned the legend of the sardine that had blocked the port of Marseille. It made us laugh… and we decided to call ourselves Les Sardines. Today, we have more than 240 members, which is the highest number we’ve had since the club was founded. »
How do you explain such a success?
« I think our success is mainly due to the way people talk about us. We’re not only the biggest triathlon club in Marseille, which obviously gives us a lot of visibility, but we’re also, and above all, a family club, where there’s a very good atmosphere, with no distinct divisions between beginners and experts, between young and old. I like to say that at the Sardines we’re much more than a club: we’re a family. In fact, when there are birthdays, weddings or celebrations, we often get together with other Sardines. We often eat together after training and go for a drink together. There’s a strong spirit of solidarity among us. When we need help or comfort, we know we can count on the Sardines. »
Who are the club's members?
« There’s really something for everyone! Some are complete beginners who can barely ride a road bike, while others are very strong, winning podium places and taking part in the French and European championships. Our members are aged from 5 to 71. The most important thing is that we train and compete together. We all train at the same time, in the same time slots. The coach adapts the programme according to each individual’s level, of course, but we’re all in it together. »
Why was the Alpe d'Huez Triathlon chosen by the club this year?
« Each year, we choose to take part in certain races. In general, I try to put together the biggest possible delegation to win the team contests… which we often do! This season, during a cycling trip, two members mentioned the Alpe d’Huez Triathlon and said it was the race of their dreams. The project was born out of this simple conversation. I contacted Laurence Neveu and voilà, the Sardines were on board! We motivated our members and today 87 of us have reserved our race number. There will also be children who have not yet signed up. The choice of Alpe d’Huez was quite obvious, as we knew that the event is very well organised and offers several formats, so there’s something for everyone. What’s more, it’s a very tough event that represents a real challenge. And Alpe d’Huez isn’t very far from Marseille, so we can schedule training sessions before the race. »
How do you prepare for the Alpe d'Huez Triathlon on the coast?
« Preparing for a mountain triathlon in Marseille is certainly no easy task. The biggest pass in the region is just 10km long… Even if you can ride it three times in one outing, that’s not enough! So we’re planning a series of meetings in May in Bourg d’Oisans to ride some of the big Alpine passes. The Alpe d’Huez triathlon scares a lot of our members, so we have to prepare the event carefully. A lot of the women will be taking part in the L format and, for many of them, it will be their first long-distance triathlon. So we’re doing our best to support them in this great challenge. We’ll also be running at Alpe d’Huez to get used to the altitude. We’re passionate and determined! When you take on this kind of event, you have to give yourself the means to succeed. »
During the event, have you planned any collective moments to express the family spirit and solidarity that characterise Les Sardines?
« Yes, of course! We’ll all be wearing shirts bearing the colours of the club, the Alpe d’Huez Triathlon and the Le Point Rose charity, which we’ve been supporting for several years. We’ll be meeting up to collect our race numbers, but also for photos at the start line. We’ll be cheering each other on. Most of us are coming for the 4 days of the event. We only want finishers so that everyone is happy. Triathlon is an individual sport, but at the Sardines, when we set off together for a competition, triathlon becomes a team sport. If someone doesn’t finish their race, it spoils the party for everyone else. I gently put the pressure on everyone… and that pushes each Sardine to excel and, in the end, to cross the finish line with a smile on their face. »