Tourism Seychelles has announced the new date for the first international nature sports competition, the Seychelles Nature Trail (SNT), now set to take place on Saturday, 13th May 2023. The Nature Trail competition, initiated in 2019 in Reunion, had originally planned to take place in May 2020 but had to be postponed due to health restrictions amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
The 22 km trail competition will be on the main island of Mahé, starting in Port Glaud. The trail runners will trek through the picturesque hiking routes of Cap Ternay, Anse Major, Mare aux Cochons, and Casse Dent trails, finishing at Grand Anse.
In her opening remarks at a press conference at the Botanical House, the Principal Secretary for Tourism, Mrs Sherin Francis, expressed her delight to see the event finally happening in Seychelles.
This first Seychelles Nature Trail is being organised with the collaboration of ILOP Réunion, an agency specialising in organising sporting events in the Indian Ocean region and the initiator of the event in Seychelles in 2020.
Speaking to the press, the Director General for Destination Marketing, Mrs Bernadette Willemin, said, “It was about time that the Seychelles Islands had an event of the sort like other neighbouring Indian Ocean islands. Through the SNT, Tourism Seychelles plans to showcase that the wealth and beauty of our destination are also found in the island’s interior, with the thousands of endemic species in terms of flora and fauna.”
She added that the aim is to attract special interest visitors passionate about running and trekking but also mindful of environmental protection and sustainable development.
“The timing could not have been better now that trail will be added to the activity list of the Jeux des Iles. Having our own event will also provide an opportunity for our local athletes to participate alongside others from the region, some of whom they will likely meet in the competition in Madagascar,” said Mrs Willemin.
During the event, the Principal Secretary for Tourism and the Director-General for Destination Marketing both reiterated their gratitude to its local partners, including the Seychelles Parks and Gardens (SPGA), the National Sports Council (NSC) and the Seychelles Challenge and Outward Bounds Association (Scoba), who were all actively involved in planning the upcoming event.
The Tourism Seychelles team also thanked the local sponsors and partners for their support with a small token for their efforts in making this first event in Seychelles a successful one for the destination.
The local collaborators include Absa Bank Seychelles Limited, H Savy Insurance (HSI), IPSC, Cable and Wireless, Kempinski Seychelles Resort, Constance Hotels and Resorts, Hilton Seychelles, Eden Bleu Hotel, Club Med Seychelles, APEX, Ceres, Elle & Vire, Pascual and Sodepak.
Registration for the Seychelles Nature Trail event will kick start on 25th February 2023. International runners can register via Travel Concept Sport, and Local runners can register through the National Sports Council (NSC).
As part of the official launching in Réunion at the start of February 2023, the Director General for Destination Marketing, Bernadette Willemin, was invited to live and pre-recorded interviews with Réunion la Première to promote the event alongside the Director of the race Mr Christian Hamer.
