MDS’ Most
Senior Citizen
Jean Accoyer took up walking late in life. It was only
when he retired from being an engineer that he discovered the Marathon
des Sables on tv. He started walking with the precise aim of
taking part in this competition. Since then Jean has come back
to MDS nine times. He had his 70th birthday on the day of the
3rd stage – reinforcing his title as doyen of the competitors.
But during the 4th stage this wonderful adventure threatened
to turn sour. After leaving CP4 along with Jean Vallon (203)
and Cheng Uyen Yee (504) from Hong Kong, they took off in the
opposite direction from the one leading to CP5. « I
followed the laser but in the wrong direction ». This experienced
walker then covered himself in the survival blanket whilst waiting
for help. During the nine hour wait he and his friend Jean Vallon
tried to make their water rations last. They regularly woke up
Cheng Uyen Yee to force her to drink. Was he afraid? “No,
not at all. I have enough confidence in Patrick Bauer and his
organisation to know he’d manage to find us in the end ».
Jean had intended this marathon to be his last but this misadventure
has made him think again: “it’s impossible to bow
out on a downer like that”.
