New Balance X-Trail Courchevel 2018: Antolinos and Frechinet untouchable

New Balance X-Trail Courchevel 2018: the verdict is in!

54 Kilometres: Antolinos and Frechinet untouchable

The runner from team Terre de Running won the 54 km of the New Balance X-Trail Courchevel for the second time in his career, just like Fanny Frechinet among the women.

Antolinos doubles up

Courchevel suits him! After winning the 33 km and the 54 km, Fabien Antolinos added a new victory to his record this Sunday 5 August, over the longest distance. Over a “magical, 100% trails and very technical” course, he opened up a gap on his rivals to cross the finish line with more than 25 minutes in hand.

“The goal is achieved because the time is good. I didn’t take any risks, especially on the descent, because I didn’t want to get injured… But I still gave it my all. As for the record, I knew it wouldn’t be possible to go for it because by the aid station at Petite Val I was already 5 minutes behind.”

That record is that of Aurélien Dunand-Pallaz, set last year in 6h23. It took Fabien 20 minutes more, but it must be said that he is coming off a big block of work to prepare for the TDS, where the aim will be to make the podium. “I accumulated 45,000 m of elevation gain over the last 3 weeks. On Thursday I injured myself in training. It cost me 3 stitches and a doctor’s order not to race. As it was going fine, I decided to start anyway. I wanted to finish this block with a competition to finish the job properly.”

Delighted parents

Having come to cheer on their son, the parents of the runner from Lyon were delighted at the finish. The slight worry over the injury then gave way to pride and the joy of seeing Fabien take another win. “We’ve followed him for a long time. To reach this level, you have to give an enormous amount in training. His courage inevitably leaves us full of admiration.”

Calame for the pleasure, Sange Sherpa 3rd

26 minutes after the winner, it was Hugo Calame who crossed the finish line, satisfied with his race. “Honestly I wasn’t expecting to take 2nd place at all. It was a challenge between friends and I ran last week, so I hadn’t prepared for this race.” A fine performance, as he left behind a long-distance specialist. After winning the 160 km of Montreux last week, Sange Sherpa then admitted he needed “a bit of rest” before the next goal, the UTMB at the end of the month!

12th overall for the first woman

She had won the 54 km in 2016, and Fanny Frechinet repeated her performance. After 8h20 of racing, the young woman admitted she had suffered at the end. “I didn’t remember it being that long, I’m a bit disappointed with my time. Two years ago, I did 8h06.” A time gap that can be put into perspective given the heat of the moment!

Margaux Achard

33 km: Sumpter victorious in a sprint

They gave everything for 33 kilometres… only to finish in a sprint. Richard Sumpter , 36 and winner of the 21 km last year, took the 14th edition of the New Balance X-Trail by a short head.

Yet the sly move tried by young Valentin Bénard , 20, nearly paid off. Having set off in a group of four, Valentin Bénard saw Richard Sumpter pull away. “I was with one other, the first was far ahead. Around the 20th kilometre, I broke away and pulled ahead to get back to the front of the race. I was a minute behind at the Rosière lake.” Past the Praz lake, the recent French Espoir Trail runner-up (13th overall) came back on the Englishman on the final climb, a few dozen metres from the finish.

“Oh no, is he a competitor?” wondered Richard Sumpter , “Which distance? His bib is hidden!” For his part, the physiotherapy student in Belgium gave it a go. “At the top, I came back on him. He asked me: ‘Are you in the 54 or the 33?’ I smiled at him but said nothing. He quickly understood that I was in the 33, so he finished in a sprint, it was cool!” At the finish, it was the man originally from the Manchester area, recently settled in Bozel, who won, sure of his strength.

Lebarcq on a solo run

For Julie Lebarcq, the race was a little more “relaxed”.

Off from the first climb, the primary-school teacher from Thonon-les-Bains went solo in her first trail race of the season. Experienced in mountain running, the 32-year-old savoured it, despite a finish that did not quite suit her. In the first part, Julie Lebarcq dominated the climb in order to enjoy a more technical second phase. It was in the final section that she suffered most. “You had to keep something in reserve for the last seven kilometres of descent,” she smiled at the finish, with about twenty minutes in hand over Paula De Campos and Marie-Laure Caisse.

Adonis Vesin

22 km: Curtet master on home ground

Jean-Baptiste Curtet played and won on home ground, finishing ahead of Jonathan Perret and Valentin Vandelle. Marion Lac put in a fine descent to win ahead of Cupucine Bertrand and Dorine Buessler.

“When you know the course, it’s a small advantage but it’s still hard,” admitted the 2018 winner, Jean Baptiste Curtet. The man born “two hundred metres from the ski jumps” perfectly controlled his race. Setting off flat out, he reached the summit of the Dent du Villard with a good lead over his pursuers. “The descent is quite hard,” conceded the 30-year-old Savoyard, “Then you finish as best you can on this long, slightly uphill flat. But it went well!” The great Pierra Menta enthusiast won with a 5-minute lead over Motterain native Jonathan Perret, who put in a solid climb. “I arrived quite well at the foot of the climb,” said the cross-country mountain biking specialist delightedly, “The first took the lead straight away. The third I never saw again, so I managed my race to the finish.”

Lac, a formidable descender

For Marion Lac, the race was very different. The 28-year-old occupational therapist had to battle to win. “I set off in the first five and, little by little, I managed to overtake the girls,” said the winner, “I found myself in the lead before starting the climb of the Dent. Capucine overtook me fairly quickly but I regained the advantage on the descent, where I was able to open up a gap.” Capucine Bertrand, who had taken part the day before in the fête du Lac d’Annecy, took a fine second place, which Dorine Buessler did not threaten.

Adonis Vesin

11 km: Lamure at home

The Courchevel biathlete won the Express’ trail “in his own back garden”.

He came charging down the descent alongside the Le Praz ski jumps, as if to increase his lead still further. Morgan Lamure took just 1h01 to cover the 11 km. “I set off flat out on the climb and once there was no one left behind me, I settled into my own rhythm! I’m not as good on descents so I wanted to have at least 1min30 in hand at Mont Charvet!” The local favourite is thus fine-tuning his summer preparation in the best possible way, as a change from roller skiing. Behind him, Théo Arnaud and Kenta Osaki, who arrived hand in hand, admitted they could do nothing!

Among the women, an emotional moment for Faustine Novelli who was taking part in her first 11 km. “I can’t believe it. I started for an association that fights violence against women. We are warriors, I’m happy for all of us!” A surprise victory, then… and for a good cause!

Margaux Achard

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