The
Audax is style of randonneuring of endurance, with a speed imposed and controlled, drive by the masters of roads regulating the speed of the group. This rate is, between two stops, 20, 22.5 or 25 km/h depending on the profile of the course (average hourly announced in advance) for cyclists; from 6 to 6.5 km / h for walkers; of 1.714 km / h for swimmers; of 7 km / h for rowers and about 9 km / h for nordic skiers.
The beginning of this formula come from Italy, where the June, 12th, 1897 twelve cyclists (9 on the finish line) try to do the travel from Roma to Naples between the dawn and the sunset. (the name come from latin for Audacious)
In 1904,
Henri Desgrange (father in 1903 of the
Tour de France) create the Audax style brevet to promote long-distance cyclism for all (first brevet : April, 3rd, 1904).
The same year, begin the Audax walking brevet (06/26/1904), swimming brevet : 06/27/1913, rowing : 09/04/1921 and ski : 02/23/1985.
In 1921, a clash appear between the members of ACP : those who want to continue the Audax formula and those who want to do what we call now Randonneur.
Then since this date, there is two clubs in France :
ACP and the Brevet des Randonneurs Mondiaux (with a Paris-Brest each four years),
l'Union des Audax Francais who maintain the Audax formula (with a Paris-Brest each five years).
In 2011, the two events are the same year (with maybe two PBP groups for Audax, one at the beginning of July and another during the Randonneur).
The U.A.F is the owner of the registered trade-mark AUDAX (and Paris-Brest-Paris with ACP). Some old national clubs use the term Audax, because they use the term Audax before the register of AUDAX.
Since this year, Belgium and Nederland create national Union des Audax.
If somebody want to create the same in USA, we can help you.
(Excuse my poor english
)