Photo: Sergio Betancort
It was 3:20 a.m. on Monday when Patricio Doucet faced the last meters to reach the finish line located on the esplanade of Marina Lanzarote. The Argentine triathlete based on the island of Lanzarote completed the solidarity challenge "7 Challenges, 7 Islands", an event that began last Monday, October 5 in El Hierro, concluding in the early hours of Monday in the capital of Lanzarote. Patricio Doucet has completed seven Ironman distance triathlons (3.8 km swimming, 180 km cycling and 42.2 km running), in seven consecutive days and on seven different islands. A solidarity challenge that has served to raise funds for the Tinguafaya Association.
Completing seven Ironman distance triathlons in seven consecutive days, to which must be added the transfer between islands, is not within the reach of anyone. Throughout history, several famous triathletes have tried to complete this challenge, failing in their attempt and having to abandon some of the scheduled stages. Patricio Doucet inscribes his name in the history of sport, being the first to complete the adventure of doing a triathlon on each of the Canary Islands. There have been 26.6 kilometers swimming, 1,260 kilometers cycling and 295.4 kilometers running, to complete a total distance of 1,582 kilometers.
The last challenge began on Sunday morning in Lanzarote, an island he arrived at after resting barely an hour after completing the triathlon the day before in Fuerteventura. He completed the swimming segment in Playa Grande (Puerto del Carmen) and then completed the cycling segment pedaling the route that is usually used in the Ironman Lanzarote in May. Around ten o'clock at night he began the 42.2 kilometer running segment, completing a good part of the route between the towns of Playa Honda and Arrecife. The last kilometers ran through the capital of the island.
The Councilor for Tourism of the Arrecife City Council, Rafael Juan González, and the Councilor Carmen Delgado, were from the first hour of the night following the evolution of Patricio Doucet and waiting for his arrival at Marina Lanzarote. Through the members of Civil Protection of Arrecife, who watched over the safety of the triathlete, they were informed at all times of the evolution of Patricio Doucet in the 42.2 kilometers of the race on foot. And they put themselves in an emotional embrace with the triathlete upon his arrival at the finish line. Patricio has had the special collaboration of Turismo Arrecife, with many institutions and companies having been involved in this challenge.
Throughout the day on Sunday he was accompanied by dozens of friends and athletes who put their grain of sand to help Patricio Doucet complete the challenge, highlighting the company of Juan José Eugenio "Morete" during many of the kilometers of the race on foot. His arrival at the finish line was most exciting, being awaited by the members of the Tinguafaya Association and by many of the young people who belong to this NGO, who thanked firsthand the effort that Patricio Doucet has made.
Patricio Doucet's challenge does not end in Lanzarote. On Monday morning the triathlete traveled to the island of La Graciosa, with the intention of doing a small triathlon on the Eighth Island and thus completing a test on each of the inhabited islands of the Canary Islands. A challenge that has had charitable purposes, with the sole objective of raising funds for the Tinguafaya Association, a non-profit association dedicated to making life easier, fun and enjoyable for children and young people with physical, mental and/or sensory disabilities.
