York Olive Oil Co. -

More media interest, this time from the November edition of the York & Districts Community Matters: http://www.ydcm.com.au/

LOCAL IDENTITY MEETS
ANOTHER CHALLENGE

Above: Some award winning ice creams proudly displayed by Arnaud Courtin at the York Olive Oil Company shop and factory on Ashworth Road.

If there were awards for creativity, enterprise and willingness to take on a challenge there is one York resident who’d be high on the list of contenders.

Arnaud Courtin is well known for setting up the York Olive Oil Company with business partner, Jenny Baxter. Not only does the business process olives and market olive oil it has expanded into the making of other products including a range of award winning jams, chocolates and ice cream to give it continuity throughout the year.

On September 17 Arnaud added another success to his list of achievements. He completed a long held ambition to ride his pushbike to the top of Mont Ventoux in France three times in the one day. In so doing he qualified as a member of the Club des Cingles du Mont Ventoux that is, the Club of the Crazy Men of Mont Ventoux!

While French by birth, Arnaud is only the second Australian citizen to have achieved the feat in the over 60 category and one of only 290 in his age group and one of about 4,000 of any age to qualify in the club’s 24 years.

Mont Ventoux which rises 1,912 metres is familiar to followers of the Tour de France for its stark moonscape and the fact that its slopes are an unrelenting 10-11% from bottom to top, no matter which way you approach it. Furthermore, it has claimed the lives of a number of riders including at least one famous name in the Tour de France

Arnaud started his ride at 4.00am and finished at 4.30pm. To qualify for membership of the club, riders have to make the climb starting from three different towns, Bedoin, Malaucene and Sault. In all he covered 136 kilometres in the process.

“I’m always looking for a challenge and decided on Mont Ventoux after finishing the ride from Land’s End to John o’ Groats in the UK.  “While I ride to Beverley or Brookton twice a week and enter a number of sportives in WA and over east, nothing prepares you for something like Mont Ventoux. “I’ve been busy for the past 10 months doing my best to get ready,” Arnaud said

“I’m planning to have another go at Mont Ventoux next year but I’d like to have someone to ride with or to act as support. “If there is anyone out there who’d like to join me I would like to hear from them,” he said.

Bike riding has been one of Arnaud’s passions since he was a child. “I started riding again seriously six or seven years ago. “I have my own Randonneur touring bike and take it with me. “It  is made in Victoria of French design and looks a bit like a racing bike but is comfortable to ride and has appropriate gears. “I’m not out to break records just ride against my own times,” Arnaud said.

On his return to York, Arnaud was greeted with the news that the business had received two gold and six silver medals for chocolates, ice cream and jam at this year’s Perth Royal Show.

Lindsay McNeill: http://www.ydcm.com.au/

Arnaud Courtin nearing the end of one of his rides up Mont Ventoux.