America's Top-Ranked Adventure Racer Cathy Sassin Readies Herself for the 700 Kilometers Across Ecuador

Business Wire, Sept 17, 1998

LOS ANGELES--(BW SportsWire)--Sept. 17, 1998--

Race Includes a 6,000-Meter Summit of a Volcanic Glacier in the

World's Toughest Race, the Raid Gauloises

One thing's for sure, there will be no debate on the issue of ESL (English as a Second Language) as team captain Cathy Sassin leads the rest of her pack as they strive to conquer the world-renowned Raid Gauloises.

The Raid Gauloises, an adventure race taking place this year in the natural terrain and beauty of Ecuador, finds Sassin as the only female and only American on a team participating in a competition by teams of five persons. A Los Angeles native, Sassin has come to accomplish more in her 37 years than most do in a lifetime.

Her previous participations in the 1994, 1995, 1996 and 1997 Raid Gauloises and ECO Challenges have led to a very impressive track record, with finishing times resulting in top-five finishes in all the expedition events. In August of 1997, Sassin became one of only a handful of Americans to trek across 320 miles through Australia's outback -- some of the toughest terrain in the world in the Discovery Channel's ECO Challenge.

As the ninth Raid Gauloises nears, with a start day in just a few days on Sept. 19, Sassin is faced with not only 400 to 700 kms of rafting, canoeing, kayaking, riding, running, hiking, horseback riding, camel riding and climbing, but doing so all the while as she captains a team of two Frenchmen, one Spaniard and an Italian, none of whom speak any English.

But crossing the language barrier (the official language of the Raid Gauloises is French) should be the least of the problems that lie ahead for Sassin. As more than 50 teams (only two American) challenge Ecuador, this year's expedition will highlight mountain climbing in a different venue -- a volcanic glacier.

Because of the immense volcanoes that are so characteristic of the country, the United States Air Force has become an important partner of the Raid Gauloises by allowing American teams to enter its base and use its equipment for diagnostic purposes.

And that's where Sassin and her teammates can be found today -- training at higher altitudes for the first days of the Raid Gauloises as they prepare to summit the 6,000-meter peaks of the glacier volcano and dream of crossing the finish line somewhere near the top of the world.

NOTE TO EDITORS: Action images of Sassin at previous Raid Gauloises are available upon request at no charge.