Founder
Thierry Saunier
It's always difficult to talk about a friend after he leaves us. If we had to summarize Thierry in one word, only one would be: passYon, with a Y as in Thierry, with a Y to make it unique, not his passions which were multiple. So of course he was big and stubborn, sometimes disturbing and politically incorrect. So certainly he was born in Marseille, but beyond his country and his city, this whole character translated his convictions to develop his passions and especially to share them with others. Sharing was probably Thierry's first quality, generosity without limit for others. He offered his time, his knowledge, his skills, his know-how and interpersonal skills. Make a complete inventory would be complicated, if not impossible. Thierry, he was a lover of others and of life, this was true in the dozens of training courses he organized and animated, for the hundreds of trainees whom he trained and saw evolving.
Concerned about their safety and the quality of their learning, he knew how to develop his pedagogical and technical principles, starting from the principle that easier the technique, easier learning, the simpler the tool, the easier the mastery to handle it. These were the basics of his SF method, SF for Simplification of Training and Learning, but without forgetting the security. This approach aimed at simplifying training transformed him into a brilliant inventor, and how to talk about Thierry without mentioning the development of the double 8, or SFD8.
For many people, Thierry was involved only in canyoning. Certainly, this activity particularly highlighted him, we must not forget his other centers of interest, his passion for climbing, caving, caving rescue, mountains rescue and pets rescue. All these activities that he devoured with hunger, where he invested body and soul, in the CDSC 13, in the FFS (more than 10 years president of the cannon commission), in the AFC, with our friends from the FFME and the FFCAM They will become a major player in the creation of the CCI (Inter-Federal Cannon Commission). And yes, Thierry was unifying, he saw his passions beyond federal barriers. It was to bring together the enthusiasts that in 2008 launched the AFC project, to bring together professionals from all walks of life, federated professionals, professionals and free. In the process, he embarked on an ambitious project, beyond the borders with ICAN [2005] (International Canyoning Associations Network *), thus creating a global network that offers a quality label, training and exchanges on canyoning. (* which would later become in "International Centre of Adventure & Nature")
We could take a trip with Thierry, South America, Mexico, the United Arab Emirates, Mauritius, Portugal ... everywhere the testimonies are unanimous: humanity, humility, generosity, accessibility and joy of living, all these words that are raining now. like our tears when we talk about him.
Thierry did not get all the recognition he deserved, both in the federal and professional world.
The night of 03/27/20 a page in the history of the canyon turns. At a time when tributes are coming from all over the world, from all continents, the genius Thierry has returned to his lamp, the light has gone out, like a star that shone, dazzled and then faded quickly. Thierry inoculated us with his passions, influenced our commitments, we will continue your work without ever forgetting all that we owe you.
My Friend we will see you soon under the heavenly waterfalls
Franck Jourdan, Norbert Apiciella, Jean Marc Garcia, Eric Serre, Franck and Fabienne Casu, Huguette Remy, Marc Boureau: practitioners AFC, non-federated, federated FFME, Federated FFS and All ICAN members all united by the same PassYon.