In this new section, we'd like to tell you the stories of sportsmen and women with singular trajectories. Because the most beautiful stories are not always those of those who play the leading roles. Each and every one of us, at our level of practice and performance, has something to tell.
That's what we invite you to discover with our second story, the story of Kim Gintrand aka Gravel Kim, Baouw ambassador.
Kim is the story of a young girl who, full of questions, doubts and uncertainties, decided at the age of 23 to let herself be guided by a taste for the outdoors and adventure. Born in a small village in the heart of the Aveyron region, Kim grew up in an athletic family where cycling was omnipresent. At the age of 7, her first passion was not endurance sports, but the little yellow ball: tennis. It's a world that lulls her childhood and adolescence, right up to the ambition of making it her profession and becoming a professional. His future seemed written. But, as in every life course, there are hazards or rather opportunities, and seizing them becomes a matter of choice..
GAME, SET & SPORT STUDIES
With a passion for the outdoors and nature thanks to her father, a top-level cyclist, Kim's first love of sport was tennis. Progression and competition were the key words.
“J’ai commencé à jouer au tennis à l’âge de 7 ans. Très vite, j’ai commencé à faire de la compétition et à enchaîner les tournois. Plutôt douée pour ce sport, mes entraîneurs m’ont poussé à miser sur le tennis en raison de mon gros potentiel. Très tôt, ma vie a tourné autour de cela, je faisais du tennis toute la journée. J’ai eu l’opportunité de découvrir le quotidien d’une sportive de haut-niveau dès mon adolescence en passant notamment 18 mois au pôle espoir de Nantes. Suite à cela, changement radical, alors en classe de seconde, je fais le choix de continuer l’école par correspondance avec le CNED (centre national d’enseignement à distance) pour avoir plus de temps à consacrer au tennis. Tout s’enchaîne très vite ensuite, je participe à mes premiers tournois internationaux et je voyage partout dans le monde. C’est une expérience incroyable même si c’est un mode de vie totalement différent des ados de mon âge. Lorsque j’ai obtenu mon bac, deux choix s’offraient à moi : continuer les études, mais mettre de côté le sport ou alors continuer le sport à fond et mettre de côté les études, car en France, faire les 2 en même temps est quelque chose d’assez compliqué.”
DÉPART AUX US ET CHANGEMENT DE VIE
Kim seized her first great opportunity. In 2017, at the age of 18, this major step in her life led her to discover Uncle Sam's country and the paradise for athletes: American universities.
' “So I made the decision to move to the USA to combine sport and study, to take advantage of professional coaching and an exceptional training environment. I started my experience at the University of Alabama, one of the country's most prestigious sports universities, where I stayed for 3 years between 2017 and 2019. At the end of those 3 years, I finally decided to take a major turn by choosing to forgo tennis to prioritize my studies. So I went to Cincinnati for 2 years to finish my degree in finance and marketing. Why stop playing tennis? Tired of competition and prone to stress, I was tired of having to put up with it and make sacrifices. Above all, I discovered the “real” life of a student, and that was a turning point for me. I'd been in a very closed cocoon since I was 11, where my whole life was focused on tennis.'
L’ASCENSEUR ÉMOTIONNEL
Kim decides to pursue her professional adventure in the United States and plans to settle there permanently. Whether it was a new opportunity or a twist of fate, she found herself forced to return to France.
'“I started working in the USA in finance, but I had paperwork problems, which forced me to return and abandon the idea of living there. It was a shock, and I had a really hard time readjusting to life in Europe and getting back into my routine. Especially when you spend 5 very important years in your adult life, from the age of 18 to 23, in another country with a completely different culture.'
Kim returned to her parents' home in Aveyron. It was then that she discovered the sport that was to become her new passion, gravel.
'“During this period, which lasted about 1 year, I had a lot of trouble thinking about what I wanted to do next, and what I wanted to do with my life. Then, one day, my father suggested I try gravel. He explained to me that it was a sport that was coming on strong and becoming very popular in Europe. Intrigued, and with a lot of time on my hands at the time, I started to ride a little, then a lot, then a lot. There came a point when I rode every day, enjoying myself by racking up the miles and discovering the environment around me in depth. This allowed me to disconnect, reflect and exercise, which is essential to my life and mental health.'
A feeling of fulfillment and freedom she can't find anywhere else.
'With gravel, it's just incredible, you can really go where you want and it gives you immense route choice and flexibility. Roaming is really what I prefer. Probably because it allows me to stay far away and escape the competition, which at the time when I was playing tennis was constantly on my mind. I'm no longer interested in having my head in the sand, not enjoying myself 100% and racing for results. Nevertheless, I love taking part in gravel-related events, in particular the one my father created, Nature is Bike',one of the biggest gravel shows in France, where you can come and discover the discipline through different courses. It's a benchmark event for me.'
DÉCLIC ET RÉVÉLATION
Then it all came together. Kim's Instagram adventure began in 2021, giving birth to Gravel Kim. Very quickly, with no control over the situation, her account and number of followers took off. Today at the head of a community of 147,000 on Instagram, her networks occupy a predominant place in her life.
'“Almost on the heels of my discovery of gravel, I decided to create my instagram page, again on the advice of my father. I quickly realized that a lot of people were interested and that there was a real craze around this practice.'
One thing led to another, and the first contracts arrived.
'I've also continued to post on the networks and get contracts with year-round brands that accompany me and allow me to make a living from this passion. It'll be 3 years early next year. I didn't expect this, and there was no strategy at the start, I just posted what made me tick. Today, it's my professional activity. I take whatever there is to take at the moment, and we'll see how long it lasts. Finally, I've recently developed a Youtube channel, where I'm trying to publish larger-scale projects. '
CULTURE LOCALE, CUISINE ET SOBRIÉTÉ
'The networks are above all a showcase for her. But when you're followed by thousands of people, it's essential to get the right messages across.'
'Over time, the people who follow me became more and more curious about how I found my itineraries, so I decided to go one step further by creating my website destination gravel. It's a site where I reference the itineraries I've tested, and where I work with certain destinations that invite me to come and discover their territories. It was also important to me to offer all the good tips close to the routes I've taken: local shops, restaurants, cafés, hotels, etc., to make people's experience easier and richer. Finally, it allows me to show as many people as possible that it's possible to have fun close to home.'
'A fine demonstration of the attractive power of gravel: to marvel at the environment that surrounds us.'
'“On the networks, what I've always wanted to get across as a message is to get out of the house, to go outside, to enjoy nature, to invite people to get moving, whether through gravel riding, trail riding (which I also do a lot of), hiking and so on. My discovery of gravel has made me realize how lucky we are to live in a country like France, with such a diversity of landscapes. Going far away isn't really something that's essential in my life. I like to go in search of little nuggets close to home. With gravel, you can travel more sparingly and take your time. Time to enjoy and take a deep breath. What's more, it's also very inclusive. I have a lot of women following me, and I've noticed that a lot of them are getting into it. It's a real plus for the development of the discipline.'
'This practice has given rise to new habits, where eating well and eating better have become indispensable pillars of Kim's life. Her passion for cooking is a testament to this.'
'It's something I love to do, especially making food for others with the idea of sharing behind it. And I love eating. It encourages me, like cycling, to disconnect, to be in the moment, focused on what I'm doing, taking time for myself and then having a reward that makes me happy when I get home. It's also cool as an athlete, because it makes me very aware of the quality of my diet, which is ultra-important, even more so when you're doing endurance sports.'
BAOUW, COMME UNE ÉVIDENCE
'Kim's partnerships with brands are often the result of fluid, natural encounters. The collaboration with Baouw is a perfect example.'
'I discovered the brand when I arrived in Annecy 2 years ago, and we bumped into each other at several events. I love Baouw, because the products are really cool, it's a hyper-dynamic brand with a really cool team. The quality of the products used is exceptional. It really made sense for me to partner with them. I use the products in all circumstances, especially the new protein bars as a snack after a long run. The gels are also very useful, especially when I start having trouble eating on the bike. The fact that I can dilute them in my water bottles is really great. And the spread, of course, which really is the best thing in the world. The most versatile product I could take everywhere? The gels, because that's really what I use most often even in my cake recipes, with my favorite flavor: peach-matcha tea'.
Where can you find Kim next?
Her instagram page where she shares her passion for gravel and the outdoors : 𝗞𝗶𝗺 𝗚𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗱 (@gravel_kim) • Photos and videos Instagram
His Youtube channel, where you'll be able to discover his film about Mongolia, due for release in mid-October: (7) Gravel Kim - YouTube
