The event, which attracts athletes from across Europe to a unique landscape between sea and marsh, saw a special participation this year from five runners originating from Kalymnos. Organizer Laurent Grenier highlighted the meaningful symbolism of their presence, offering them free entry while the Arles-Kalymnos Twinning Committee covered their accommodation.
Arriving two days before the race with Georgios Roussos, coach of their local athletics club and former mayor of Kalymnos, the Greeks were welcomed by the association Instant-Grec and the publishing house Odyssées. A Greek meal and dances marked this gathering, an homage to their roots for many, including Yannakis, president of Instant-Grec. He experienced an emotional moment discovering that one of the runners, Lefteris, was his cousin, sharing portraits of their common ancestors.
For Lefteris, who was visiting France for the first time, this trip will be memorable, as will it be for his Kalymnian teammate who finished on the podium of the 12 km race. The Greek delegation was invited to a farewell dinner at the home of Georges Mathianakis, president of the twinning committee. The story continues as the Grand Raid organizers have been invited to Kalymnos in January to help establish a race on the island.
