Round 2 / SKI MOUNTAINEERING - PLUM KV COURCHEVEL - Friday 3 February 2017

Snowstorm for the 2nd Plum KV Courchevel!

This Friday 3 February, after a sunny morning, the day looked set to be under the best auspices, with a thin layer of powder that had fallen overnight. Perfect conditions awaited the ski mountaineers for this second round of the Plum KV Courchevel on this 5 km Vertical Kilometre (KV) course with 1,000 metres of elevation gain. But in the mountains, the weather changes quickly.

While the first competitors in this time trial were setting off in the rain from the start at Le Praz at 1,250 m altitude, snow and wind made an appearance at the finish at the top of La Loze at 2,250 m. These tricky conditions for ski touring (wet snow on the first part of the route, colder and drier at the end) favoured the phenomenon of “balling up” (snow sticking under the skins and preventing smooth gliding).

In this context, the 35 brave entrants could not threaten the records, but they enjoyed a superb powder descent back to the aid station, where Nathalie and Gilles had prepared homemade crêpes for Candlemas.

Winner of the 7th round of the Millet Ski Touring Courchevel on Wednesday, Gédéon Pochat came back for more by winning this second round of the Plum KV Courchevel in 45min07s ahead of Arnaud Mazet (47min28s) and Alexandre Masson (48min40s). Among the women, a fine win for Catherine Juillaguet of the Courchevel Sports Outdoor Club in 59min36s, who beat Corinne Favre (59min37s) by a single second. Mélanie Rousset completed the podium in 1h02min56s.

In the provisional 2017 overall standings after the first 2 rounds, Yoann Sert keeps the lead in 43min06s ahead of Arnaud Mazet (44min40s) and Gédéon Pochat (45min07s). Among the women, Géraldine Bau holds first place in 57min24 ahead of Catherine Juillaguet (59min36s) and Corinne Favre (59min37s).

Everything will be decided in the last 2 rounds on Fridays 17 February and 17 March, with the 2017 French KV records, to be awarded to the winners (men and women), at stake.

Courchevel, the benchmark resort for the Vertical Kilometre with the X2 and X3 KV Courchevel challenges!

- X2 KV Courchevel Challenge 2017

The 228 athletes classified last summer in trail running in the 2016 “Plum KV Courchevel” can take part in the 2017 “X2 KV Courchevel Challenge” by competing at least once in one of the 4 rounds this winter in ski mountaineering. It is a concept unique in the world, where ski mountaineers and trail runners can express themselves and compare their performances on a Vertical Kilometre course that is strictly identical in winter and summer, with fine rewards at the end: 1st man and woman: €600, 2nd: €300 and 3rd: €100.

After the first 2 ski mountaineering events, the leaders are: Gédéon Pochat in 1h24min34s (Trail: 39min26s and ski mountaineering: 45min07s) and Corinne Favre in 1h51min11s (Trail: 51min34s and ski mountaineering: 59min37s).

- X3 KV Courchevel Challenge 2017

For this competition, the 50 athletes classified in summer 2016 who took part in both events (trail running in the 2016 “Plum KV Courchevel” and cycling in the 2016 “Dynastar KV Courchevel”) can play for the 2017 “X3 KV Courchevel Challenge” by taking part at least once in one of the 4 rounds this winter in ski mountaineering, with the following prizes: 1st man and woman: €800, 2nd: €500 and 3rd: €200.

For now, Tao Quéméré is in front with a combined time of 2h14min40s (Trail 38min22s, cycling: 44min57s and ski mountaineering 51min20s). Among the women, to paraphrase a famous film, for a handful of hundredths of a second, Géraldine Bau is beaten by Catherine Juillaguet, who clocks 2h52min01s (Trail: 53min49s, cycling: 58min35s and ski mountaineering: 59min36s).

Gédéon Pochat and Mélanie Rousset win the 2nd Grand Slam.

In the weeks when the "Millet Ski Touring Courchevel" (MSTC) and the "Plum KV Courchevel" (PKVC) are held, a specific ranking is drawn up for those who complete the "Grand Slam" (taking part in both events in the same week).

This week, the “Grand Slam” took into account the combined times of the MSTC on Wednesday 1 February with those of the PKVC on Friday 3 February. 18 competitors did both races back to back. Gédéon Pochat won in 1h09min34s and Mélanie Rousset won in 1h36min56s.

The official prize-giving for the season’s 4 “Grand Slams” and for the 2017 ski mountaineering “Plum KV Courchevel” will take place on Thursday 23 March during the great ski mountaineering party in Courchevel with Patrick Sébastien, on the occasion of the “Millet Ski Touring Courchevel” final. The X2 and X3 KV Courchevel Challenges will be awarded at the 2017 “Dynastar X3 Courchevel” on 16 April.