Round 1 / TRAIL RUNNING - PLUM KV COURCHEVEL - Friday 10 July 2015

1st trail running round of the Plum KV Courchevel: Frédéric Thérisod and Corail Bugnard open the ball!

All winter, the best specialists were able to come and fight for the French ski mountaineering record at the “Plum KV Courchevel” on this vertical kilometre course approved by the French Mountain and Climbing Federation (FFME). At the end of the 4 winter climbs, two French Vertical Kilometre records were awarded to Yoann Sert (42min01s) and Catherine Juillaguet (54min26s).

This summer, it starts again in trail running version on the same course on Fridays 10 and 24 July and 7 and 21 August 2015. The most accomplished trail runners / skyrunners will be able to compete for the “Region Series Alpes 2015” title and try to win the “Skyrunner France Series KV” in the event on 24 July.

For the “Region Series Alpes 2015” standings, points will be awarded to each runner after each trail event and then added together to award the title of champion in the “Région Series Alpes 2015”. (Bonuses will be given for the Skyrunner France Series KV event. All athletes who have finished at least 1 of the 4 events will be ranked.)

As for all trail running enthusiasts, they will have "4 opportunities to run in an exceptional setting".

The best time by a man and a woman of the trail running season will be rewarded with prize money of €500, and the best time by a man and a woman of the season by adding the 2 best performances in ski mountaineering and trail running with €1,000.

On this Friday 10 July, for the 1st round of the season, 81 competitors were at the start of this vertical kilometre by the shore of the Praz lake. Starts were given as a time trial from 6 pm to 7 pm according to each runner’s estimated time, allowing the less experienced, who prefer walking to running, to arrive at the summit of La Loze together with the trail running and skyrunning specialists after covering the 5 km and 1,000 m of elevation gain. For this trail running opener, held under magnificent sunshine, it was among the men Frédéric Thérisod and among the women Corail Bugnard who opened the ball with the best times of the evening, 42min13s for Frédéric and 51min33s for Corail. In second position came William Perrier in 42min57s and Géraldine Bau in 56min49s. Yoann Caillot (43min10s) and Claude Chenal (1h00min26s) completed the podium.

Worthy of note is the fine performance of Jean-Claude Simon, for several years the organiser of the “Courch’ à pied”, who finished in 1h20min after estimating his climb at around 2 hours. Local runner Jean-Marc Sullice also made a very fine climb in 1h13min, after covering it last winter in ski mountaineering in 1h30min46s.

The registration fees for this 1st round of the Plum KV Courchevel on Friday 10 July 2015 were donated in full to the association “Parrains et Marraines” of Nepal.

"Courchevel Sports Alpinisme" had joined forces with Dawa Sherpa and his association “Parrains et Marraines” of Nepal to help the Nepalese in the isolated villages of SoluKhumbu hit by the earthquake. The registration fees of the 81 participants raised €810, to which were added the cost of the closing refreshments offered by Bernard Chardon et Emily Roux, €250, and donations, for a total of 1080€. The cheque will be given to Dawa Sherpa on 24 July at the 2nd round of the Plum KV Courchevel. For the occasion, the president of the association “Courchevel Sports Alpinisme”, Guillaume Prin, and his whole team of volunteers had decorated the start and finish in the colours of Nepal with prayer flags.