Millet XTrail Courchevel 2024: an unprecedented success

The Millet XTrail Courchevel 2024, an unprecedented success that left its mark.

On Sunday 4 August, the mountains of Courchevel hosted an exceptional sporting event: the Millet XTrail Courchevel. With 1,500 registrations, this race, unique in France, once again demonstrated its appeal for trail running enthusiasts, with 26 nations and 98 French départements represented.

An innovative concept that wins people over.

One of the original features of this trail is its “Find Your Limit” concept: a single start for 6 courses ranging from 11 to 66 km. Runners are thus free to choose their distance according to their fitness and the cut-off times spread along the course. This new format allowed everyone to find a challenge to suit them.

The Millet XTrail Courchevel courses offered participants breathtaking panoramas. From the summit of the Dent du Villard, runners were able to follow the ridges of Mont Charvet, then climb the rocky slopes beneath the aiguille de May before dropping down to the Grand Plan hut. The passages by the Merlet lakes in the col de la Vanoise and the snowfield beneath the col du Râteau also left their mark.

XTrailer 2024 titles for Canadian Christian Mayer and Blandine L’hirondel.

The course, renowned for its 4,100 m of elevation gain and its technical and varied sections amid grandiose landscapes, put the athletes through a severe test. On the 66 km, the headline race of the competition with its 7 cols to cross, 71 participants were within the time limit to pass the last cut-off, located at the 55 km mark. In the end, only 30 of them, including 7 women, had enough in reserve to tackle the final 11 kilometres of the 66.

Canada’s Christian Mayer of team Salomon, a former professional cyclist from 2009 to 2016 who won a national title in 2008 and the TDS in 2023, took the XTrailer 2024 title with a time of 7h31min52s. “It’s one of the most beautiful trail running courses I’ve ever done. Arriving at the summit of the Dent du Villard, the landscapes were grandiose all the way,” said Christian, who is among the favourites for UTMB 2024. Bertrand Brochot (7h52min52s) and Nicolas Firmin (8h43min01s) completed the podium.

Among the women, Blandine L’hirondel, Trail World Champion (2019 and 2022), European champion in 2022 and French champion (short in 2019 and long in 2021/2024), winner of the OCC in 2021 and the CCC in 2022 and 3rd at UTMB 2023, produced an exceptional performance to take the XTrailer crown, setting on the way new records for the 66 km in 8h02min20s and the 55 km in 6h44min51s. “I really didn’t expect that, the landscapes were grandiose. It’s great to set off all together. I had people with me all along the race except on the col du Râteau section. I’m very happy to have been able to complete the 66 km with good sensations and a good result before lining up at UTMB 2024.”

Marion Zaradzki took second place in 9h22min43s ahead of Caroline Delord (3rd in the extraordinary Björka X3 Courchevel triathlon 2 weeks ago), who held on well in 9h31min42s.

On the 55 km podium, the women’s podium is the same as for the 66 km, as all 66 km finishers are also ranked in the 55 km. Among the men, Thibaut Witvoet took the 3rd step in 6h42min24s behind the 66 km duo Christian Mayer (6h14min03s) and Bertrand Brochot (6h30min14s).

New records on the 44 km for Jean-Baptiste Curtet and Tifenn Piolot.

4h46min49s is the new reference time for the 44 km, set by Jean-Baptiste Curtet, a member of the organising club Courchevel Sports Outdoor and 3rd at the Wildstrubel by UTMB 2023. He had to push hard over this distance to get the better of New Zealand’s Scotty Hawker of team Wibram, second in 4h59min50s, and Pierre Rivet of partner company Millet, 3rd in 5h02min12s. “It was tough arriving in the vallée des Avals with cramps coming on at the aid stations,” he confided once across the finish line.

Among the women, Tiffenn Piolot also smashed the new 44 km record with a time of 5h46min27s ahead of the Netherlands' Renske Dickout (6h00min13s) and Camille Ancey (6h12min48s).

Clémentine Geoffray and Yoann Sert win the 33 km.

Reigning World and European trail running champion and 2024 Björka X3 Courchevel winner Clémentine Geoffray, also 3rd overall, set a new women’s 33 km record in 3h43min01s. “We were treated to a superb sunrise as we reached the summit of the Dent du Villard. It was magnificent. Before setting off, I had decided to do the 33 km. When I reached the fork for the 22 km, I hesitated because I had pain in my left leg. But you quickly get caught up in the race and I carried on with my original goal because I’m preparing for the OCC 2024. This course is perfect for that.” She won ahead of Elea Kopf (4h09min44s) and Kaline Osaki (4h21min14s).

After finishing second this year in both extraordinary triathlons, the Dynastar X3 Courchevel and the Björka X3 Courchevel, Yoann Sert made a superb winning comeback by taking the 33 km in 3h30min20s. He triumphed at the finish ahead of the new president of the triathlon and raid section of the club Courchevel Sports Outdoor, Fleury Roux (3h31min51s), winner this spring of the Great Himal Race after covering 1,600 km with 90,000 m of elevation gain, punctuated by 17 Nepalese passes at over 5,000 m altitude. Martin Guyon completed the podium in 3h55min03s.

The 22 km goes to Adrien Berthod and Julie Caramel.

“I had basically set off for the 33 km but, on the first climb, I latched on to the first 2, Yoann Sert and Jean-Baptiste Curtet. They were in cruise mode, chatting together while I was flat out. I told myself I wouldn’t be able to keep the pace. So when I saw the fork for the 22 km, I went in that direction,” said Adrien Berthod. A good decision, as he crossed the 22 km finish line as the winner in 2h19min23s. Spain’s Mario Werther Asuncion Mathias came second in 2h29min23s ahead of Lauris Command (2h41min34s).

Among the women, Julie Caramel won in 3h18min57s after a fine tussle with Sarah Crozet, second in 3h25min19s, and Switzerland’s Céline Guntern, 3rd in 3h32min02s. “The course was very nice with lots of singletrack. Once on the ridges, the view was splendid above the sea of clouds. The descent from the col de la Chal on the sentier des 1000 marches was very technical,” said the winner, who finished 20th in the Mascareignes in Réunion in 2023.

Baptiste Massot and Fannie Sapet dominate the 11 km.

Setting off with a headlamp at 5.30 am in conditions identical to those of an Ultra-Trail to run an 11 km will remain etched in the memories of the 143 finishers. A magnificent experience for all the participants in the shortest distance of the Millet XTrail Courchevel. Triathlete Baptiste Massot dominated this course in 56min30s ahead of William Dumenil (58min35s) and Robin Eyraud (59min03s).

Among the women, second in the under-23 category at the French short trail running championships, Fanny Sapet of team Scott took the win after 1h08min22s of racing. “After the French championship, I had a stress fracture. Today, it’s really a victory for me to have been able to finish without pain and to enjoy myself.” The podium was completed by Emma Pages (1h25min14s) and Elisa Blanc (1h29min40s).

The success of the “Find your limit” concept.

After 3 years of existence, the new Find Your Limit concept has won people over by allowing them to prepare gently for Ultra-Trail and by boosting the profile of the Millet XTrail Courchevel.

With 700 participants in 2022, nearly 1,000 in 2023 and 1,500 this year, the gamble has paid off for the Millet XTrail Courchevel, a race that has found its place among the most prestigious and sought-after trail races in the calendar.

See you in 2025 to experience the thrills of this international sporting competition.