Relaxation and emotion before the start
PROMENADE DES ANGLAIS, NICE
Summary
Start village to the beat of the drums
All day long, the action at the start village has alternated between partner tents (Ligue contre le Cancer des Alpes-Maritimes, CBA Informatique, Bosch Car Service, VINCI Immobilier, HEC Paris and ville de Nice) and entertainment, with a batucada (traditional Brazilian percussion) band that set the mood throughout the morning. Team 127 (Perrine CHATEAU / Vickie HAAS - Ti'Payenké) has not quite realized that this is the big day. “It’s the unknown… even though we’re thoroughly briefed, we don’t know what to expect, but that’s what the adventure is all about,” remarks Perrine, for whom this is the second Rallye Aïcha des Gazelles du Maroc. Her teammate Vickie, a novice Gazelle, has tears in her eyes as they head to the beach for the group photo. A frenzied photo to the beat of the batacuda. After the photo, the Gazelles are stoked and stay on the beach to dance. Up by the GSF stage, event partners are invited to the VIP tent for lunch by Le Comptoir 2 Nicole accompanied by a glass of Tsarine champagne.
Partner gifts for Gazelles and guests
Participants and guests will have the chance to win many prizes with the 1,500 scratch tickets given out by Maïenga, organizer of the Rallye Aïcha des Gazelles du Maroc. In addition to an array of Rallye ‘goodies’, such as biodegradable cotton bags, fans, mirrors, bracelets and stickers, they can also win gifts from different event partners like Bosch Car Service (pens and keychains), Atol (notebooks) and Koni (caps). The Gazelles have had time to get to know each other, get some colour in their cheeks, take photos, enjoy a few last moments with their loved ones. Teams185 (Lauranne TORNAMBE / Estelle FERRARA - HC Résidences) and 201 (Claire TRIGNAT / Julia BARTHELEMY - Photoweb) drove down together from Grenoble: “That’s already created good memories. For now, we’re enjoying the moment, we’re so happy to he here. Last year we watched the official start and it made us dream… and now, here we are!”
Gazelles anthem for 2019
Two Gazelles take to the GSF stage to launch this 29th edition. First Nathalie Lechat, Team 131 (Hélène FABRE / Nathalie LECHAT - Aux bains de Cel), professional saxophonist, performs a song, to a standing ovation and under the proud gaze of her teammate Hélène. Of course, her saxophone is also heading to Morocco and the Gazelles will soon have the chance to hear it again, in the desert, under a brilliant starry sky… Then it’s the turn of Sophie Tapie, Team 216 (Kiera CHAPLIN / Sophie TAPIE - https://www.sainthonore.com/en/), singer, to perform the Gazelles anthem, “We Love”, “a song about tolerance because we are women and we can do just about anything.” Finally, Gazelles, organizers and the public are invited to take part in a mega-Zumba session… A great moment of connection, joy, smiles. In just a few moments, it will be time for the official start…
