Nordic walking, a family affair for the Dos Santos

At the Dos Santos family, we practice Nordic walking as a family! Sébastien, Angélique (the parents), and Alan (the son) tell us how they discovered this sport and what they do.

Can you tell us about your sport, Nordic walking?

Nordic walking, or Nordic walking, is a dynamic walk that is practiced outdoors with specific poles. It’s a very complete sport, using both arms and legs since the poles are used for propulsion.

It can be practiced in summer and winter, alone or in a group, and is accessible to everyone, at any age.

You have to take the time to master the right movements because it’s not innate.

For our part, we practice Nordic walking competitively and walk from 1 hour to 1 hour 45 minutes to cover 10 to 15 km.

When and how did you start?

We didn’t really do any sport or we had stopped doing it and we wanted to start.
We started by simply walking, and one thing led to another, we wanted to walk faster.

Sébastien: I looked for information on existing disciplines and that's how I discovered Nordic walking in 2017. I joined the Breuillet club to benefit from the advice of a coach. Little by little, I started competing and was spotted by the manager of the Guidetti Nordic Horizon Team, which I joined in September 2018.

Angélique: At first, I didn't get into it because I couldn't do the right movement. So, I started running! Then, I tried Nordic walking again during the Breuillet Duo walk with Sébastien. By persevering, I managed to master the movement! I joined the Nordic walking club at the beginning of 2019 and the Team right away.

What do you particularly like about this discipline?

Sébastien: Basically, we're not athletes. I suffered from back pain and I was looking for a non-traumatic sport to get back into physical activity. Nordic walking is a very good compromise.
But be careful, it's still a very physical sport where the cardio gets quite high. It's a very complete sport that works all the muscles.
Practicing Nordic walking has given me better physical condition, to the point that I was able to start running 10 km again without specific training.

Angélique: At first, I didn't like it because I didn't walk well. But I already appreciated the friendly side and the fact that it took place outdoors. Then, when you progress, you always want more, you want to walk faster, improve your performance... Like Sébastien, I appreciate that it's a complete sport.

Alan: I enjoy walking with poles and competing!

What are the different Nordic walking competitions?

• The French Championships: this is a single race
• The Nordic Walking Tour: around thirty competitions per year throughout France
  You must have done 4 competitions, including the French championship, to be ranked.
• The departmental and regional championships: which are often linked to existing races
• Local races, without ranking.

There are also European and international competitions, but unofficial. There are no common rules or links between the different federations.

Given his age, Alan cannot participate in races over 15 km.

In a normal year, we participate in around fifteen competitions.

Tell us about your team, the Guidetti Nordic Horizon

The Guidetti Nordic Horizon Team was created in 2017 by Jean-Pierre Kolasinski. It now has 16 members, all competitors, ranging from the cadet to Master category.
Initially, Jean-Pierre formed it with people he knew, who were therefore spread out across France. Now, recruitment is increasingly local, with the majority of us living in Essonne.

At the last French championships, the Team was awarded three French Champion titles by category and the team vice-champion title for the second consecutive year. The coveted objective is the national team title, representative of the solidarity and the frank camaraderie that binds this group, perhaps this year in Chamarande?

The Team is equipped with Boréal Nordic walking poles, particularly suited to competition. Indeed, their 14 mm diameter reduces wind resistance by 12%!

What are your training habits?

Between mid-December and mid-January, we took a break from our training for about a month. We've just resumed a rhythm of three training sessions per week. And this will increase in intensity in the next 2-3 weeks as we prepare for the French Championships in April. We'll increase to 4-5 weekly training sessions.

Our training sessions mainly consist of Nordic walking: a long run, an interval run, hill work... and once a week, we practice another sport like running or cycling.

We do one team training session per week and our coach prepares our training schedules. We also plan to do a camp with the team.

Alan: I train much less than my parents! But I have to try to do two training sessions per week.

Are there any special nutritional requirements?

In Nordic walking, the refreshment stops are quite complicated because if you drop your pole, you get a penalty, and if you stop at the refreshment stops, you lose precious seconds. Which is unthinkable when you're aiming for the podium. So you have to drink while walking.

Sébastien: I got into the habit of drinking within half an hour before the start.

With Alan, 16, the family succession is assured!
Alan, when did you start Nordic walking?

Like my mother, at first, I didn't like Nordic walking because I couldn't master the movements. And finally, I improved my technique and really started at 14, with a first year without competition.
I joined the club and started competing in 2021.

In 2021, you finished 23rd at the French Championships. A very promising result, especially considering that you started recently.

What are your medium-term goals?

Catch up with my father, surpass him!

The number of young people taking up Nordic walking remains relatively low overall, but it is undeniably getting younger. What do you think?

In our club, there is another 20-year-old, but otherwise the average age for Nordic walking is around 55/60, and 50-60 in competition.
But we are definitely seeing young people coming into the discipline. For example: the 2021 French vice-champion, Leslie Lejeune, is under 40; the 2021 French vice-champion, David Delafenestre, is 35.

The competition aspect is a real gateway for those under 50, an area that deserves to be more prominently featured in communication. We need to show young people that there's more to it than just recreational practice!

And the level of walkers?

We see that the level is rising a notch every year. New faces are arriving, walkers who come to win and who have a very good sporting level. So the others are pushed up, and that's a good thing!

There are also headliners who do sport all day, all year round – it's their job (e.g. David Delafenestre). We have a job that has nothing to do with sport, and despite everything we achieve very good results. We are very satisfied!

Interview by Aurélie Joubin on January 21, 2022