Round 12 - MILLET SKI TOURING COURCHEVEL - Wednesday 4 March 2015

The 12th round of the Millet Ski Touring Courchevel goes to Swann Juillaguet and Melanie Bernier.

After a mixed day of sunny spells, wind and showers, 105 ski mountaineers chose to come and take part in this 12th round of the Millet Ski Touring Courchevel (MSTC). A good decision, because the weather was rather kind when the time trial started at 6 pm, and everything had been arranged so that competitors could have the best possible track, with a tracked snow groomer passing over the whole course a few minutes before the race.

As the end of the ski mountaineering season approaches, it is increasingly difficult for MSTC regulars to improve their personal bests. Thanks to this unprecedented concept, invented 5 years ago by the organisers of the “Courchevel Sports Alpinisme” club, runners can choose the ideal Wednesday that suits them best to perform, depending on their physical condition or the weather. This Wednesday 4 March, everyone who stayed away because of the weather conditions was wrong, because almost all the participants who had already taken part in this race at least once this season managed to improve their times.

In this 12th round, it was Swann Juillaguet of the Haut Chablais Morzine club who put everyone in agreement on this course of 3.2 km and 500 m of elevation gain, winning hands down in 24min08s. Respectively 2nd and 3rd, William Perrier of the Courchevel Sports Alpinisme club in 25min08s and Clément Ripoll of CAF Annecy in 25min18s completed the podium.

Among the women, it was the Canadian Melanie Bernier of the Alpine Club of Canada who won in 29min17s (3rd provisional time in the MSTC 2015 overall standings) ahead of Elsa Nodet (30min38s) and Elsa Hugot of CAF Chambéry Excellence (32min19s).

In the ESF challenge, wins for Benjamin Bade of ESF Courchevel 1550 and Pauline Caillet of ESF Courchevel 1850 in 40min05s.

Worth noting among the locals of the evening is the fine performance of Roland Durand-Terrasson, manager of the radio station “R’Courchevel”, who finished in 45min07s on his first participation. Among the Benjamins, they climb fast, with Zoé Raoult, born in 2003, finishing in 43min, and Marius Flon, born in 2005, in 47min30s. With a time of 45min03s, Chiara Marhic, born in 2002, takes first place in the provisional overall standings in the “Minime” category.

It has become a tradition… for the last one, you come in fancy dress!!

The final of the Millet Ski Touring Courchevel will take place on Wednesday 25 March!! To celebrate this 5th ski mountaineering season, registration will be free for everyone who comes in fancy dress and has taken part at least once during the season in the MSTC. The closing meal prepared by the partner hotel “Le Chabichou” will be offered to all competitors and volunteers.

This final climb will be timed as every Wednesday, and everyone who wants to play the clock to the end can do so. But between now and then there are still two dates not to be missed, with the best athletes in the world expected to come and compete for the season’s record.