Act 4 / TRAIL - PLUM KV COURCHEVEL - Wednesday 24 August 2016

Xavier Gachet and Axelle Mollaret take the records at the Plum KV Courchevel 2016.

Total triumph for the final of the Plum KV Courchevel, held this Wednesday 24 August with 113 competitors at the start, sun, heat, a good soup at the finish and a superb atmosphere enlivened by several runners in fancy dress. On this trail running Vertical Kilometre (KV) course of 1,000 m of elevation gain over 5 km from Le Praz to the summit of La Loze, 283 time-trial starts were given this summer for 228 different participants ranked. A fine success that Guillaume Prin, president of the club “Courchevel Sports Alpinisme”, and his whole team are delighted about. From this route, designed for trail running and ski mountaineering, a concept unique in the world was born: the “Challenge X2 KV Courchevel”, where ski mountaineers and trail runners can express themselves and compare their performances on a KV course that is strictly identical in winter and summer. A race format that is original and much appreciated by Albert Félisaz, director of the ski binding brand “Plum”, official partner of the race, who took advantage of this summer final to celebrate his birthday.

Top names were present for this last climb of the season. Xavier Gachet, 2015 French Vertical Race champion in ski mountaineering, took the €500 prize money for the best time of the season in 37min25s, followed by Tao Quéméré, winner of the 2016 Tour stage, in 38min22s and Cédric Fleureton, 2015 and 2016 French mountain running champion, in 38min29s.

A clean sweep for Axelle Mollaret!

Having set the women’s ski mountaineering record last winter, Axelle Mollaret set the trail running record in a time of 44min36s and won the €500. It should be said that with a double selection for the French team (mountain running and ski mountaineering), Axelle has every asset to achieve such a performance. Stéphanie Duc, 2013 French short trail champion and winner of the Dynastar X3 Courchevel 2016, came second in 48min54s. Corail Bugnard, dressed up as a tiger for the occasion, completed the podium in 57min43s.

Challenge X2 KV Courchevel 2016 for Jean-François Philipot and Axelle Mollaret.

The 2016 “Challenge X2 KV Courchevel” standings include everyone who took part in the Plum KV Courchevel in ski mountaineering last winter and in trail running this summer. This challenge results from adding the best time in each discipline. 56 participants did both sports this year. In this context the winners are Jean-François Philipot in 1h22min11s (44min09s in ski mountaineering and 38min02s in trail running) and Axelle Mollaret in 1h33min53s (49min17s in ski mountaineering and 44min36s in trail running). Both were rewarded with prize money of €1,000 for their performances.

All that remains now is to wait for the snow for the ski mountaineering version of the Plum KV Courchevel 2017, which will begin on Friday 30 December 2016. The Challenge X2 KV Courchevel 2017 will take into account the times of this summer 2016’s Plum KV Courchevel and those of next winter in ski mountaineering. Let us not forget the Challenge X3 KV Courchevel 2017, which, to be ranked, requires taking part at least once in each of the 3 Vertical Kilometre events offered in Courchevel: cycling at the Dynastar KV Courchevel 2016, trail running at the Plum KV Courchevel 2016 and ski mountaineering at the Plum KV Courchevel 2017.

Next date:

Millet Ski Touring Courchevel: Every Wednesday from 21 December to 22 March
Plum KV Courchevel in ski mountaineering: Fridays 30 December, 20 January, 17 February and 17 March
Dynastar X3 Courchevel: Sunday 16 April (registration is open on the website)