New Balance X-Trail Courchevel 2017: Dunand-Pallaz breaks the record

Dunand-Pallaz, record broken!

Record participation with nearly 800 entrants across the four races in Courchevel: the New Balance X-Trail Courchevel (NBXTC) 54 (54 km and 4,400 m of elevation gain), the NBXTC 33 (33 km and 2,200 m of elevation gain), the Trail de la Dent (21 km and 1,050 m of elevation gain) and the Trail Express (11.2 km and 580 m of elevation gain). Aurélien Dunand Pallaz from Savoie won the flagship race.

In the middle of the week, the forecasts had led the organisers to consider a fallback course. In the end, on Sunday at 4 am, 242 runners set off on the traditional hilly, technical NBXTC course, 54 km with 4,400 metres of elevation gain. The temperature was ideal, and even though the thick fog made some descents perilous and navigation difficult, all the competitors will keep an excellent memory of the race.

It was Aurélien Dunand-Pallaz (Scarpa Compress Sport) who won in 6h23'56, improving by nearly 2 minutes the record set last year by Ludovic Pommeret. After a very good start, he quickly found himself alone at the front of the race. “I felt good, relaxed, all on my own. I ran at my own pace, fighting against the clock.” Originally from Marthod, this Savoyard had come to recce the course two weeks ago. Feeling good in his legs, he was aiming for the record and was able to give it everything on the last descent. A fine performance after his two second places in 2017 (Trail Nivolet-Revard and High Trail Vanoise). He will be there for the Dynastar KV cycling finale in Courchevel in about ten days.

Nearly 45 minutes behind, in 7h09'01, Nicolas Sondaz sprang a surprise. A regular at races in South America – he currently lives in Colombia – he took advantage of his holiday to take part in this trail race. He had hoped to finish in the top ten and is over the moon! After an aggressive start, “straight up the slope”, he stayed in a group of about ten runners. The fog made a few competitors lose their way. He gladly swallowed up the ridges, enjoying good sensations on the descents, and managed to maintain a 3' lead over Sangé Sherpa. After winning the 160 km of Montreux last week, the Nepalese runner, fearing he did not have enough in his legs for Courchevel, still finished 3rd in 7h12'06.

First woman, Manikala Raï, a regular at the event (2nd in 2016 and 1st in 2015), finished in 8h42'18.

New Balance X-Trail Courchevel: Fleureton in control

Cédric Fleureton, the New Balance team’s star runner, won the X-Trail 33 (3h01'30). This Lyon triathlete, who switched to trail running in 2010, already has three French champion titles and a 3rd place at the 2017 Trail Running World Championships. Particularly at ease in the mountains, whatever the sport, he enjoyed the course, its elevation gain and its ridges. “It’s a distance I master; I quickly found myself alone at the front so I managed my effort.” Behind him, the chasers had a few twists. Benoît Crétien had a scare: “I stayed 2nd for a long time but then I lost the course marking and strayed from the route. I went back and found the route again. I had to give everything and take a few risks to make up the three or four places I had lost.”

He thus finished second in 3h13'31, a few seconds ahead of Mathieu Ringot (3h14'), delighted with his participation in this “technical and natural” trail race.

Young Swedish runner Lina El Kott Helander broke the women’s X-Trail 33 record, winning in 3h27'40, ahead of Nancy Jiang (3h31'26) and Sanna El Koot Helander (3h35'13).

Very tight finishes at the Trail de la Dent.

175 competitors went head to head over the 21 kilometres with 1,050 metres of elevation gain of the Trail de la Dent.
Richard Sumpter, who had finished 2nd in the Trail Express last year, won the Trail de la Dent this year in 2h5'19. Originally from Tincave, he runs to enjoy nature, animals and conviviality.
We will therefore find him next week on the 10 km in Méribel and probably next year on the Trail de la Dent. Behind him, the battle was tight. In 3rd position at the summit,
Yann Alarcon caught William Perrier on the descent and then opened up a gap: “I struggle on the climbs but the descent is what I prefer. I knew it well, I knew how to do it.” Yann Alarcon finally finished in 2h06'50 just ahead of William Perrier of the Courchevel Outdoor Sport team (2h08'47). The first woman, Gabriela Lopez-Gatell finished in 2h45, ahead of Charlotte Betrancourt (2h48'51) and Marime Boncompain (2h49'48).

Abderrahim Kemissa wins the Trail Express

The Trail Express route was changed this year: 2 km longer but above all three hard bumps to swallow. Already a finalist in the Red Bull 400 in Courchevel in June, and after a fabulous 34 km in Montreux last week (2nd place), Abderrahim Kemissa won the 11 km course with 580 m of elevation gain in 55'52. Julien Tardy (1h00'04) and Anthony Dominique (1h01'54) completed the podium. Among the women, Laurie Phaï Pang (1h09'39), Marion Milesi (1h14'01) and Mathilde Panisset (1h19'10) swept the first three places.

Perrine Ruaz