Dynafit X3 Courchevel 2014: 400 participants X 3 disciplines = Huge success!

25 km and 2,060 metres of elevation gain to reach the highest point of Courchevel at the summit of the Saulire (2,710 m), starting from the lowest point of the resort at Le Carrey (830 m). At first sight it is fairly simple, but in the "Dynafit X3 Courchevel" you must not forget the "X3", which means "a sequence of 3 disciplines": cycling, trail running and ski mountaineering. An original and innovative race format, since this mountain triathlon is designed for experienced amateurs and specialists taking part "Solo" or in "Trio" relays.
Success was once again in evidence, with 400 participants entered and a waiting list of more than 160 people who could not be registered because of the limited number of places. This end-of-winter-season event has become the unmissable meeting point for outdoor sports enthusiasts. A good way to close the ski mountaineering season and bring out the trainers and the bike to start preparing for the summer season.

On Sunday 20 April, the starting signal for this second edition of the Dynafit X3 Courchevel was given at Le Carrey, beginning with 13.9 km (930 m elevation gain) of cycling, then 6.3 km (180 m elevation gain) of trail and 4.8 km (950 m elevation gain) of ski mountaineering.

In this first cycling leg, it was Yoann Sert who was the most impressive, setting the best time (40min46s) ahead of Florian Pinel (41min53s) and the 1997 road world champion Laurent Brochard (42min21s). Marion Manéglia of the French ski mountaineering team made the best climb among the women in 56min74s.
Arriving on the snow front of Courchevel 1850, where the bike, trail and ski mountaineering park was located, the cyclists dropped off their bikes to link on to the trail leg or handed over for the "Trio" teams.
Léo Rochaix flew through this second, trail leg, setting the best time (24min36s) ahead of the 2011 trail world champion Erik Clavery (25min10s) and Pascal Ghelma (25min11s).Caroline Freslon Bette of team Garmin Adventure set the women’s record in 33min36s.
Back at the base camp on the snow front of Courchevel 1850 after completing a loop to the Bouc Blanc in trail running on snow, the trail runners changed equipment to reach the finish at the top of the Saulire cable car on ski mountaineering skis.
This third and final leg is the hardest for the "solo" participants. The ski mountaineering world champion Mathéo Jacquemoud gave the other skiers no chance, setting a new record of 46min42s and thus allowing his team, completed by Laurent Brochard and Erik Clavery, to win this 2014 edition. The team of Florian Pinel, Yoann Mougel and Frédéric Perrin took second place in 2h03min01s ahead of the team of Florian Hudry, Pierre Joulin and Simon Bellabouvier in 2h04min.

Victory for Yoann Sert of team Vauban Dynafit in the "solo" category with an exceptional time of 2h00min12s ahead of the Italian Daniel Antonioli of the club "C.S. Esercito", who, after setting the third time in ski mountaineering (48min06s), took second place on the podium in 2h01min19s. The 2008 ski mountaineering world champion Florent Perrier of the Club Multisports d’Arêches Beaufort (2nd time in ski mountaineering: 47min31s) finished in third position in 2h01min35s.

In the "Women’s Solo" category, it was Marion Manéglia of the club Chamonix Ski Alpinisme who won in 2h38min03s ahead of Caroline Freslon Bette (2h45min28s) and Marion Mathieu (2h46min08s).

In the "Mixed Trio" teams, the team Jura France made up of Will, Daniel and Catherine Juillaget won the competition in 2h19min49s after the fine performance of Catherine, who set the best women’s time in ski mountaineering (57min37s). The team of Jean-Philippe Mollard, Roderick Assier and Sylvie Turbil came second in 2h24min45s and the team of Léa Moussouteguy, Germain Grangier and Clément Ripoll completed the podium in 2h25min35s.

In the "Women’s Trio", victory for the team of Sarah Deplanche, Sarah Pusset and Marie-Pascale Fontana in 3h00min55s, who finished ahead of the team of Adélaïde Sola, Jeanne Bougnol and Guylaine Blanc (3h06min58s) and the team of Florence Grand, Renoton Patricia and Renoton Laurie (3h09min08s).

Jean-Christophe Bette of team Garmin Adventure, the most decorated rower in French rowing, with an Olympic gold medal from the Sydney Games and five world titles to his name, took 11th position in "Men’s Solo" in 2h22min10s.
The 2011 Trail World Champion, Maud Gobert did the ski mountaineering climb in 1h01min58s and enabled her team "Trail Endurance mag", completed by Frédéric Bousseau and Sébastien Talotti, to take 5th place in "Mixed".

The 2005 Xterra world champion, Nicolas Lebrun, winner last year of the Dynafit X3 Courchevel, did not manage to keep up with the pace set by the lead group on the bike and finished with his partner Alexandra Borrely in 03h03min50.

At the finish, many spectators were there to applaud all these mountain triathletes, who were presented with a flower garland amid palm trees as at the finish of the Hawaii triathlon, but this time in the snow at 2,700 metres altitude. A magnificent day that ended around a sumptuous meal at the starred hotel Le Chabichou.