Mitsubishi Motors Motor Sports News
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October 20th, 2006
TEAM REPSOL MITSUBISHI RALLIART COMPLETES
PRE-DAKAR RALLY PHYSICAL TRAINING PROGRAMME
? Key team members take part in five-day training course in southern France
? Night navigation courses, team building, swimming, cycling and gym for crews
PONT-DE-VAUX, France ? Key members of Team Repsol Mitsubishi Ralliart have just completed a punishing five-day training course at La Grande Motte, neat Montpellier, in the south of France, in a bid to further prepare drivers, co-drivers and team management for the 2007 Dakar Rally, which starts in Lisbon on Saturday, January 6th.
Team drivers St?phane Peterhansel, Luc Alphand, Joan ?Nani? Roma and Hiroshi Masuoka left the team?s accommodation at Thalasso M?dit?rran?e by their respective co-drivers Jean-Paul Cottret, Gilles Picard, Pascal Maimon and Lucas Cruz, in addition to MMSP?s President Isao Torii and MMSP?s Sporting Director Dominique Serieys.
The majority of the group arrived at La Grande Motte on Sunday, October 15th and left the host Thalasso M?dit?rran?e venue after lunch on Friday, October 20th. Isao Torii joined the group from the UK on Tuesday afternoon and stayed for two days.
Under the supervision of Frenchman Patrick Chamagne and a physical training assistant, the Mitsubishi team underwent a number of physical tests, fitness regimes and team-building sessions during the course of the week, with the support of team sponsors ASICS (who supplied the training footwear and clothing) and Scott (team partner and mountain bike equipment supplier).
On Monday morning crew members visited the ASICS head office in Montpellier to receive their equipment for the week and started training the same afternoon.
The group experienced a swimming session in the Mediterranean on Tuesday morning – in water temperatures less than 15 degrees Centigrade ? a mountain biking session on Tuesday afternoon and an opportunity to try out their map reading skills with a stint at orienteering during a new and exciting night-time team-building exercise in the forests, near Montpellier.
The team also carried out a mountain biking off-road excursion, played badminton and rugby, took part in team building games, gym work, cardio-vascular exercises and underwent neck and body massage and other physiotherapy treatments throughout the week.
?I am very happy that we have just completed a very successful team-building exercise at La Grand Motte,? said MMSP?s Sporting Director Dominique Serieys. ?I am also proud of the attitude of our team and the way that they bonded during the course of the week. We have a very strong and determined group, who are well prepared for the challenges ahead. They were fully motivated. This week proved that they are not just champions in motor sport, but individuals who generally like to win.
?We laid on several different challenges this year, including a three-hour orienteering session at night in windy and wet conditions at an altitude of over 1,000 meters. It was a bit like Mitsubishi?s version of a trekking competition. Members of the team were asked to find 10 checkpoints and find hidden items within five meters of the original points. We changed the teams around to encourage everyone to work together. ASICS hosted the two refreshment points. The evening was a great success.
?We hid objects in nearby trees and vegetation and one in a nearby river that St?phane found. ?Nani? teamed up with Pascal, Hiroshi and Jean-Paul Cottret formed a pair, Luc and Lucas joined forces and St?phane and Gilles worked together. It was also an opportunity for Torii-san to take part alongside some VIPs from ASICS.?
Team Repsol Mitsubishi Ralliart now heads to the United Arab Emirates at the start of November to finalize preparations for the UAE Desert Challenge, the final round of this year?s FIA Cross-Country Rally World Cup, and the team?s final competitive shakedown before the 2007 Dakar Rally.
Management at Pont de Vaux have also arranged a final physical training and team bonding session for Team Repsol Mitsubishi Rallart in Brittany, northern France. That will take place between December 8th-15th.
Ends