• Society

All-Women Raid Amazones Kicks off at Dawn 

• By Teng Yalirozy
• March 15, 2024 11:55 AM

SIEM REAP – The sky is still dark, but the Raid Amazones crew have their hands full setting up the scene for the first day of the event.

At the west gate of Ta Prohm temple, 275 women arrive before 6am to get ready for the first competition — a 15-kilometer trail run. 

Cicadas start ringing loudly as if they are welcoming women from countries and regions such as France, Australia, Belgium, Switzerland, North America, Turkey and the UK.

Color paints the sky. Flashlights are turned off. The participants can see each others’ faces clearly now.

With energy and enthusiasm, the participants warm up to the upbeat music before they enter the gate towards the forest.

Christelle Illes, from France, had taken part in many marathons in preparation for the Raid Amazones.

With her two daughters, Illes joined the event to create a family memory. She said it had been her dream to join the competition.

“It's a moment for our family,” she said. “In France, we have our jobs and our children. But here, it's our moment.”

The participants were divided into groups. Each group was called out, began their race and disappeared into the forest. 

The media team was not allowed to follow the groups in the forest. 

From March 15 through 20, participants will face each other in competitions from cycling, mountain bike riding and canoeing to treasure hunting among pre-Angkorian and Angkorian temples. 

Day 1: 15 km trail running through Angkorian temples: from Ta Prohm to Prasat Bei (through Takeo, Ta Nei, Preah Khan, and Angkor Thom temples as well as Victory Gate, the Gate of Dead and Tonle Om Gate.

At around 9, the participants reached the finish line at the Gate of Dead and Gone On Gate.

Raid Amazones was launched in 2001 by Alexandre Debanne from France. This will be the fourth time that the event has taken place in Cambodia. Previous events were in 2014, 2017 and 2018.