They come from the United States, the flagship nation of the discipline, India, Brazil or Indonesia. Thirteen nations are taking part until August 25 in the boomerang world championships at the Moulerens complex on the outskirts of Bordeaux.
This Thursday noon, Jérôme Royo passes the baton to his teammate and catches his breath after having completed his series of throws at the heart of the target. This Alésien has been practicing the boomerang in competition for 40 years and he still wonders why he got hooked.
“It’s the word boomerang. I don’t quite know how to explain it to you. A kind of mysticism of this word that resonated in me. And then wanting to craft an item that works well and then throw it properly. It takes a few years. Need for maturity, for a bit of foresight on what you’re doing because it’s a pretty frustrating activity. She puts you in her place.“
The competitors may make their own boomerangs themselves to adapt them to their type of jet, repeat the gesture thousands of times, the key to success is adaptation, in particular to the wind, which is constantly measured, explains Girondine Marie Appriou, reigning world champion.
A UFO to master
“That’s the magic of this sport. We train a lot, we have boomerangs that are adapted to each of the conditions, but it’s true that everything can change at the last moment. It is an adaptation of the launcher, it is an adaptation to the hardware. I love…”
– Arnaud Carre
Manage all parameters including fatigue and competition stress. Outside of training, Marie Appriou practices CrossFit to maintain her level of physical fitness and avoid injuries. Objective: put all the assets on your side and focus on the essentials. Apprehend the whims of a UFO of a hundred grams which turns on itself at more than 100km per hour.
Boomerang, which has six competing disciplines, has been recognized as a sport since 2012 but remains confidential in France with a few hundred licensees. To find out, go to the Moulerens complex where the world championships continue until August 25th. Free entry.