Dynafit X3 Courchevel: a fine first for the triathlon

After a fine spring-like week, “Winter” was there on Saturday 20 April to launch this first edition of the “DYNAFIT X3 COURCHEVEL”, organised in the resort of Courchevel by the association Courchevel Sports Alpinisme. The heavy snowfall did not frighten the volunteers, the various municipal services, the DDE (highways department) and the ski lift company, who worked day and night to allow the 300 entered runners to take up the challenge of this rather original mountain triathlon: starting from the lowest point of the resort, “Le Carrey” at 830 m of altitude, to reach the highest point, “La Saulire” at 2,700 m, i.e. 2,060 m of elevation gain and 25 km, with cycling, trail running and ski touring events.

It was under falling snowflakes that Philippe Mugnier, deputy mayor of Courchevel, gave the starting signal for this triathlon, which began with the cycling leg (13.9 km and 930 m of elevation gain). The peloton quickly spread out, with the specialists of the discipline at the front: Floriant Hudry, Tony Portanier, Yohann Sert, Nicolas Lebrun and Joris Chavanne. To add to the difficulty, the cyclists had to ride on a road completely covered by a few centimetres of snow in the last two kilometres before Courchevel 1850, where the bike park was located. But this did not stop Joris Chavanne, who was taking part in the trio team “Team Chablais” with Marc Tamanini for the trail and Adrien Piccot for the ski mountaineering, from taking the record for the cycling climb in 43min52s and handing over the lead to his teammate Marc Tamanini. Nicolas Lebrun, X-terra world champion, arrived 9 seconds behind to move on to the 6.8 km “Trail” leg with 180 m of ascent and descent. The French trail running champion, Stéphanie Duc, with the best women’s time of 53min15s on the bike, extended the gap in the women’s race, also taking the trail running record in 34min50s. In the men’s race, Clément Molliet of the “AB Nordic” team set the best trail running performance with a time of 30min07s. To finish, the participants had on the programme a fine ski mountaineering climb of 4.8 km and 950 m of elevation gain to reach the summit point of the Saulire, and it was Adrien Piccot, the third member of the “Team Chablais” team, who set the record for this leg in 47min01s and arrived first at the summit with his teammates to take victory in the “Men’s Trio” category (2h04min47s).

A flawless performance by Nicolas Lebrun, who managed his effort to add to his honours list victory in the Dynafit X3 Courchevel in 2h09min14s. “From the start we found ourselves three together with the first relay runners. On the bike, the cyclist Joris Chavanne set the pace for me and I took advantage of it; in any case there was no reason for the two of us to compete. And again on foot on the 6.5 km loop, I followed the runner Marc Tamanini’s tracks step by step; it let me get going again with every stride as if I were pushing off from mini starting blocks. On the touring skis I set off hard on the first part, then seeing that I had practically won the race I managed my effort on the second part.” A late-winter finale for the professional triathlete, who can say goodbye to winter and devote himself fully to his summer X-Terra season. Almost 1min30 behind, Florent Perrier (2h12min24s) gave it everything on the touring skis, his favourite terrain. But the gap had been opened too late to close. Tony Sbalbi, also a specialist of the discipline, did not manage to close the gap in the last part, finishing in third place (2h13min20s).

The reigning European ski mountaineering champion, Emilie Favre, third relay runner of the “Favre Sisters” team, set the best women’s ski mountaineering time in 58min00s and so, with her two sisters Sandrine and Lise, won the “Women’s Trio” category. Stéphanie Duc, well in the lead after the second leg, held on to her advantage in the final ski touring ascent to secure victory in 2h15min01s: “I had good legs, I was able to keep some in reserve towards the end, good preparation for the upcoming long-distance trails.” Caroline Freslon Bette, although well prepared for this event, did not manage to keep up with the pace set by Stéphanie and so took second place in 2h52min41s ahead of Katell Guizou (3h12min20s).

Among the mixed teams, it was the Juillaget family of Team Jura France, with Daniel on the bike, Will in trail running and Catherine in ski mountaineering, who won in 2h31min31s.

A fine success for this first edition, which ended at the gourmet restaurant of the Hôtel Le Chabichou for the prize-giving and closing meal.

Next edition: Sunday 20 April 2014. Registration opens 1 May 2013.