ROUND 11 - DYNAFIT SKI TOURING COURCHEVEL - 15 February 2012

Round 11 to William Perrier and Blandine Du Crest.

It was in a snowstorm that the 61 participants had to take on the 3.2 km and 500 m of elevation gain of this 11th Dynafit Ski Touring Courchevel.

A few emblematic figures of trail running took the start. François D’Haene of CAF Chambéry, multiple trail winner including the Tour des Fiz and the Trail de Signes in 2011, finished the climb in 27min18s and took second place behind Wiliam Perrier of the Club Multisports d’Arêche Beauford, a regular on the climb, who finished on the highest step of the podium for the first time in 27min05s. The cadet, Simon Bellabouvier of the Etoile Sportive du Cormet, a few hundredths of a second behind François d’Haene , took third place in 27min18s.

Among the trail runners was also Christophe Aubonnet the organiser of the Maxi-Race d’Annecy, who finished in 34min12s. More and more mountain running enthusiasts are taking up ski mountaineering. “It’s a good way to keep training in winter, it makes a change from mountain running and it also gives a rest to the joints that are put through the mill on trails,” as François D’Haene explained to us.

Among the girls, it was Blandine Du Crest of the Club Courchevel Sports Alpinisme who, after good preparation for the French and European championships, won in 31min18s. Stéphanie Duc of the same club, winner two weeks ago of the first stage of the Trail Tour National at Montanay, finished second in 32min31s ahead of Ludivine Chauchaix in 36min02s.

The international director of the Dynafit brand, official partner of the race, Benedikt Boehm , did not hesitate to come from Munich to take part in this 11th edition. After 29min28s of racing and a fine 6th place, he thanked all the participants and congratulated the organising association Courchevel Sports Alpinisme for successfully running these DSTC which, as the Wednesdays go by, keep growing, with 425 participants to date.