Who? Claude Legrand, president of the association Chaud Devant and waiter for over 30 years at the restaurantLe Central in Trouville.
Race waiters organized: Trouville sur Mer 2011
Number of waiters race organized: 3 (1994, 1995, 2011)
About Trouville 2011 waiters race
WR.com: A small editorial about Trouville 2011 waiters race : the atmosphere etc…
Claude Legrand: This third race went very well - 42 men and women mainly catering professionals from Trouville and Deauville participated to the waiters race. Since the race took place during the holidays, many spectators attended the race and supported the participants throughout the route.
The participant who arrived last even took the time to serve a few people during its path!
The children’s race also went very well … The kids were able to decorate their tray the day before during a workshop organized by Trouville tourism office.
About the organization of the race
WR.com: was it the first edition?
Claude Legrand: No, The first waiters race in Trouville took place in 1994 and was also organized my wife and myself. The second took place in 1995 and then we had to wait until 2011 to see it happening again.
WR.com: How came-up the idea of organizing a waiters race in Trouville?
Claude Legrand: I wanted to re-organize the race out of love for the profession but also at the request of the municipality and many people of the profession.
WR.com: How many months before the event did you start preparing the event?
Claude Legrand: I presented the project six months before the race and since then have worked tirelessly to organize it. The Tourism Office has taken care of the communication aspect and the municipality was in charge of the technical part. On the day of the race, volunteers took care of the check points and of the security aspects of the race.
Promotion of the race
WR.com: What media did you use to promote your event?
Claude Legrand: we mainly used local media: newspapers such as Auge, Ouest France, Le courrier des deux rives; radios such as France Bleu Basse-Normandie and Cocktail FM - Radio Resonnance; The regional web TV channels ; and also an appearance on the show “C’est au programme” on France 2. To finish with and of course, your website specializing in waiters’ race all across the world.
WR.com: How did you prepare your press release?
Claude Legrand: The Trouville Tourism Office was responsible of the communication aspect: press release, media kits and a press conference.
WR.com: What did you expect from the media coverage of your race?
Claude Legrand: since it was a first edition, we only tried to appear in the local and regional media. From a technical point of view, we could not accommodate more than 100 participants this year.
WR.com: Have you invited VIPs and other officials for the race?
Claude Legrand: Not for this edition, but maybe for next year.
Sponsors and production
WR.com: Can you give us a general idea of the budget of such an event?
Claude Legrand: approximately 6000 €.
WR.com: How do your sponsors and partners have received the project?
Claude Legrand: Many partners are in the profession. They all responded positively. The alcohol brand St Raphael which was a major partner, provided the glasses, the bottles, the trays and the aprons…which is not nothing!
WR.com: Why didn’t you organize a waiters race last year and the previous years?
Claude Legrand: lack of time but also because of personal reasons …
Plans for the future
WR.com: Were the other people involved in the waiters race (participants, sponsors etc…) satisfied with the waiter’s race?
Claude Legrand: Yes, everyone!
WR.com: Do you intend to organize a waiter’s race in the future?
Claude Legrand: Yes. This year was a kind of ”trial”. We have many projects in mind for next year: several races (for professionals, for the public, for children, new challenges and perhaps a race at night …)
WR.com: Was there at your race something very original, innovative that you are proud of?
Claude Legrand: The route went all over the town: the streets, the docks, the fishing port, the beach … Also, there were stairs and the participants went through a restaurant.
