Ultra Ski Touring Courchevel 2024: third Millet Everest challenge

A 3rd edition of the Millet Everest to go down in the annals

A crazy challenge awaited ski mountaineers on the weekend of 2 and 3 March 2024 in the Courchevel resort, with the 3rd edition of the Ultra Ski Touring Courchevel: the Millet Everest. It is a unique event in which participants must climb 9,000 m of elevation gain on the Millet Ski Touring Courchevel course (3.2 km / 500 m of elevation gain), i.e. 18 climbs (57.6 km / 9,000 m of elevation gain), to reach the altitude of the summit of Everest (8,849 m) starting from sea level, as fast as possible. Only the climbs were timed within the allotted time.

The challenge took place over 2 days, combined on the Saturday evening with the 13th round of the MSTC. The 1st day started at 9 am and ended at 7 pm. In the first 10 hours of the race, 5,000 m of elevation gain had to be completed in order to continue the ascent the next day. Of the 51 participants entered, representing 6 nations, only 33 were able to qualify for the next part of the adventure. After completing the first 5,000 metres of elevation gain, competitors had to pitch their tent at the Everest base camp which, for the occasion, was located at the start. The night was rather restless as strong gusts of wind disturbed the warriors’ rest. “I spent the whole night re-pegging my tent, which kept collapsing on me. It was hell!” said Fiona Porte in essence at daybreak. On Sunday 3 March, despite the storm, a fine weather window opened up for the final ascent. With the previous day’s aches and a difficult night’s sleep, 6 qualified runners had to give up on continuing the adventure. Of the 27 survivors, only 18 would reach the final goal. It was a race that was extremely demanding physically but also mentally, where strategy comes into play regarding nutrition, recovery between each climb and consistency.

New records for Jocelyn Verdenal and Fiona Porte

To last the distance in this kind of endurance-based race format, you need to know your body well and set off at a cruising pace without getting carried away in the first climbs, because everything can change quickly. To get to the end of the Millet Everest, you have to be well prepared. This was the case for the 18 finishers of this 3rd edition. Second in the inaugural edition of this Ultra Ski Touring Courchevel, Jocelyn Verdenal showed his qualities by winning in a cracking time of 8h40min35s, a new event record, previously held by Alexandre Pellicier in 8h43min44s. “It was time it ended because I was almost hypoglycaemic on the last climb. I’m happy it came at the end and not before. It’s incredibly hard, you have to know yourself well. I got caught out on the last climb, which proves I managed things well before. I thank my girlfriend Jasmine, who was my sherpa for the occasion. She supported me for the 2 days,” he said once across the finish line. For the second step of the podium, the ultra trail running specialist Grégoire Curmer in 9h26min05s had to work hard to fend off the assaults of Pierre Reygade, licensed with Courchevel Sports Outdoor, 3rd in 9h32min02s. Guillaume Cambon in 9h53min56s also broke the 10-hour barrier, good for a fine 4th place.

Among the women, the record of the legendary Corinne Favre of 10h32min52s, set in the first edition in 2021, was also smashed by the rocket Fiona Porte. She clocked 10h12min37s, coupled with 5th place in the overall scratch ranking, a remarkable performance. “I’m exhausted. It was really hard. The first day went well, but today I had atrocious pain in my shin following a fall on the descent, not to mention the chaotic night with my tent problems in the storm.”

Having completed 8 climbs in 2022, Coline Pasteur went all the way to her ambitions by completing all 18 stages and took second place on the podium in 12h13min25s. She finished ahead of the Swiss Corina Sommer, 4th in the 2023 Marathon des Sables, third in 12h35min06s.

The 13th round of the Millet Ski Touring for Corinne Favre and Jocelyn Verdenal

Alongside the Millet Everest, the 13th stage of the 2024 Millet Ski Touring Courchevel was run on Saturday 2 March in the usual conditions. This round counted the best time of the 10 climbs completed by Millet Everest participants and the times of runners registered for this 13th round. Winner of the 1st edition of the Millet Everest, Corinne Favre, on her return, triumphed in 30min07s and took the lead in the provisional overall standings in the O40 category. She finished ahead of Fiona Porte (32min15s). For the last step of the podium, there was a fine battle between Corina Sommer (35min25s), Ségolène Veith (35min43s) and Lola Even Hibon (35min45s).

Among the men, the Millet Everest participants laid down the law with Jocelyn Verdenal (26min15s), Grégoire Curmer (27min12s) and Paul Jay (27min12s).

The fancy-dress grand finale is fast approaching

A historic season. To date, 942 runners have completed the MSTC at least once. There is no doubt that the 2014 season, with 1,063 different athletes, will be beaten over the 3 remaining rounds, including the fancy-dress grand finale on Wednesday 20 March. On that occasion, the band Deluxe will set the L’Envolée gymnasium ablaze to bring this season 14 to a magnificent close.

Next date: 14th Millet Ski Touring Courchevel on Wednesday 6 March 2024