Bayou Teche kayak, canoe racers to use GPS
From the mobile command center, Tour du Teche official Ray Pellerin watches the real-time progress of a team in the Chitimacha Race held last May. Using GPS technology specially designed for adventure races, TDT will be able to keep up with teams in the upcoming 275-mile Tour de la Rivière Rouge. (Photo by Ken Grissom)
Tour du Teche is putting on two new ultra marathons, Tour de la Rivière Rouge, 275 miles from Shreveport-Bossier City to Port Barre, and the 410 de Louisiane, 410 miles from Shreveport-Bossier City to Berwick, near Morgan City. Teams in both races will be required to run a SPOT tracking device during the Rivière Rouge portion of race.
The new races start Saturday, Sept. 26. The 410 de Louisiane includes the Tour du Teche 135, which starts in Port Barre on Oct. 2.
The SPOT is a GPS receiver capable of transmitting its location via the internet at frequent enough intervals to create a track on a map. Combined with the online services of Track Leader, anyone with a computer, tablet or smart phone can watch the progress of the Rivière Rouge, practically in real time. It will also enable race officials to keep track of everybody.
Coureurs de bois, or ground-support crew, are still required for Rivière Rouge. This is a round-the-clock race through vast uninhabited areas with no official checkpoints. The course goes down the Red River and into the Atchafalaya to Krotz Springs, with a motor portage over to Bayou Courtableu for the final leg to Port Barre.
Tour du Teche 135, the second leg of the 410 de Louisiane, is a race down historic Bayou Teche, which runs through the center of several cities and numerous towns. It’s a three-day staged race with official checkpoints between starts and finishes. Both coureurs de bois and SPOT devices are encouraged but not mandatory for teams in this 135-mile ulta marathon.
“We are leaning toward someday making SPOT checkers mandatory for Tour du Teche 135 as well,” race official Ray Pellerin said. “It is such a great safety feature, plus we think it’ll add a lot to the excitement of the race for spectators to be able to follow the progress of the race on their phones or laptops.”
Pellerin said many ultra marathon kayak/canoe races in the country require teams to run GPS tracking devices.
during the race.
For more information about Tour de la Rivière Rouge, 410 de Louisiane, and the Triple Crown of Louisiana Kayak Racing, go to www.tourduteche.com.
- Log in to post comments
