2 posts tagged endurance

We know the IWC man enjoys a challenge. And we could all agree that cycling non-stop for 1000 km across Switzerland would be quite a challenge. Add in the country’s famed mountains and peaks and that ride now includes 13,000 meters of altitude difference! Definitely an event for the (well trained) adrenaline seeker.

Welcome to Tortour, the first ride of its kind in Switzerland. It involves singular riders and teams, both amateur and professional cyclists. The charter for the event includes the goal of creating a sustainable endurance race in the country, as well as promoting ultracycling and Swiss tourism. Potential earnings will be invested in the development of the event and the support of charitable projects.

Tortour 2012 Route

Riders kick off the event in Neuhausen, in the North of the country. The route ends at the IWC Arena in Schaffhausen.

Highlights of the 2011 Tortour

In fact IWC is a proud sponsor of the event, and The Laureus Foundation (one of our key philanthropic partners) is a corporate team participant.

Cyclists in last year’s event

We send best wishes to all race participants – wishing them a safe and speedy finish. Ride on!

Image source: Tortour.ch

As we share stories from around the world — a feature on Dunhill leather goods, an update on the Volvo Ocean race, or a peek at Assouline Publishing — they all focus on those who embody the values that we embrace here at IWC. To act with passion, precision, perfection, and technical acumen.

For us these values drive our quest for innovation, for the highest quality product, and a commitment to craftmanship. For Swiss triathlete Natascha Badmann it means consistent training and nutrition, mental preparedness, and extreme determination. And for Ms. Badmann it has resulted in becoming a globally renowned athlete, with gold medals in six Ironman World Championships.

Natascha Badmann while training

We had the pleasure of catching up with Ms. Badmann as she trains on the Canary Islands off the Spanish Coast. Having just completed her training for the day, she spoke with us about some of the core values that go into her efforts as a world-class athlete.

IWC: How does precision play into your training?

NB: Precision is something very important and I’ll give you an example from today’s training. There is a space on the course that I ride in a certain time, and the more I ride that section, my time gets faster. But it is so important that I hit that same piece of track within the same time, as it impacts the rest of the course. Also, it is important that my overall training is precise, and that I do not over train. If I am scheduled to train for 2 hours 10 minutes, I cannot train for 2 hours 12 minutes.

Training in Gran Canaria

IWC: What technical specifications do you look for in the equipment you use?

NB: There are four poles to my success: Training, Nutrition, Materials, and Mental. With my materials, they should always be the best. I look to use equipment that people say are not possible, but we find a way. 15 years ago I started riding a bike from a Swiss designer, a bike that was made ‘in fantasy’ but with a strong aerodynamics background. It took me 2 years to learn to ride the bike but its use of carbon is incredible. It was an example of people in my career making impossible things possible.

Ms. Badmann with her CAT Cheetah bicycle

IWC: What accomplishment was your hardest won and how did you achieve it?

NB: You would think that it would be my first Ironman, but for me it was when I first started training. I realized that once you are in a rhythm it is easy to continue, but it is very difficult to start. I grew up without an athletic background, I didn’t know how to swim except for the breaststroke in the pool. And then the first time I won the World Championship, and the first time it was won by a European woman, it was something I thought only in my wildest dreams I could win. After my accident in 2007 (at the Hawaii Ironman) I was diagnosed that I would never race again. I had to re-learn all of the movements and then here I am today training again for Hawaii Ironman 2012.

Four years after the accident that was supposed to end her career, Ms. Badmann returned to the professional circuit finishing 3rd in the European Championships and completing the Ironman Hawaii. Hers is a truly remarkable story — so thoroughly encompassing the tenets of both a strong character and superb athleticism.

Taking a well deserved break to enjoy the sea

We at IWC Schaffhausen congratulate Natascha Badmann and wish her luck as she trains for the Ironman World Championships 2012.

Source: Red Bull