From August 1 to 3 in Chamonix, the second edition of "Sport for future" will enable ten top sportsmen and women supervised by Kilian Jornet, Xavier Thévenard and three glaciologists to raise awareness of glacier melt.
Between 2020 and 2021, Armelle Courtois (world speed kitesurfing vice-champion) and Martin Thomas (world team champion and European slalom canoeing vice-champion) pushed back the limits of kitesurfing by riding the world's highest lakes, all at altitudes of over 5000 m, from the Alps to the Andes to the Himalayas. The result of this adventure is a 52-minute documentary entitled " One Degree "(teaser to be discovered or rediscovered below), as well as a new look at global warming through the glacial retreat that is generating the formation of numerous lakes in the high mountains, directly threatening ecosystems and millions of human beings.
On their return from their expeditions, Armelle and Martin felt an urgent need to raise awareness of the impact of the climate crisis. And what could be more natural than to do so among their peers, both top-level sportsmen and women? And so it was that Sport For Future was born in 2022. Last year, for the first edition of Sport For Future, professional sportsmen and women gathered in Chamonix, Haute-Savoie, in the heart of the Alps and the Mont Blanc massif. The location was chosen because of its many glaciers, including the Mer de Glace, Bossons, Giant and Argentière glaciers.
This year, "Sport for future" is proposing a second edition, organized over three days (as opposed to two in 2022). Once again, the 10 top athletes taking part in this adventure will be coached by Kilian Jornet, Xavier Thévenard and three internationally renowned glaciologists. From August 1 to 3, the declared aim of the event's creators is to " motivate these athletes to take positive action and spread the word about crucial climate issues to their communities, so that the message is spread as widely as possible" . This year's guests include Nailé Meignan (French climbing team, world champion and European champion in youth bouldering 2021), Benjamin Auffret (4th at the Rio Olympics and European champion in diving), and international rugby player Mathieu Bastareaud.
The whole group will visit the Mer de Glace and, close to the melting torrents, explore a unique subglacial cavity beneath the Argentière glacier to discover and understand the phenomenon of glacier melt and its consequences. Two associations will also be involved in the event: "Ice&Life", which works and campaigns to protect glaciers and post-glacial ecosystems in the face of the unprecedented challenges of the Anthropocene (climate, water, biodiversity, etc.), and "Une Bouteille à la Mer", which aims to raise awareness of environmental threats through images and sport.
