How Adventure Racing United Sidney Togumi and Fabi Ferreira
Before her trail running mic days, the announcer tackled 24-hour races and served as ultramarathon crew support.
During a chat on Stemma Na Trilha, Fabiana Ferreira and Sidney Togumi looked back on how adventure racing sparked their friendship. They also shared the challenges and grueling moments they weathered during the Bertioga-Maresias ultramarathon.
The partnership between coach Sidney Togumi and sports announcer Fabiana Ferreira drives some of Brazil's premier trail running events today, but their connection began years earlier in adventure racing. In a relaxed conversation on Stemma Na Trilha, the duo reminisced about the early 2000s, when they first teamed up for an extreme endurance challenge.
The 130 km ordeal in Peruíbe
Their first meeting happened purely by chance. Sidney's team needed a female racer to complete their four-person squad for a 24-hour, 130 km adventure race in Peruíbe, on the coast of São Paulo. Thanks to a recommendation from mutual friends, the invitation reached Fabi.
Back then, far fewer women competed in adventure racing than today. Fabi recalled that while she did not consider herself the fastest athlete, she earned her spot through sheer resilience and good humor. She kept up with the pace, refused to quit, and crossed the finish line boosting team morale. Their chemistry clicked, leading the team across the finish line with Togumi providing crucial support during the toughest stretches of the course.
Bike support at Bertioga-Maresias
After losing touch for a while, the two reconnected on social media. Soon after, when Sidney's support crew bailed just two days before the 75 km Bertioga-Maresias ultramarathon, he turned to Fabi once again.
Fabi's mission was to accompany Togumi on a bicycle along the entire coastal route, serving as a true 'sherpa' with a backpack packed with nutrition and hydration. While Sidney maintained intense focus and a strong pace to wrap up the 75 km in just over seven hours, Fabi had to endure the slow grind of pedaling at around 10 km/h through sand—passing beaches like Baleia and Camburi—while doing her best to make the runner laugh during the most exhausting miles.
Years after those adventures, their bond remains strong. Today, they work side by side at major sporting events, with Fabi established as a leading announcer and Sidney managing, organizing, and coaching in the trail running scene.