Round 13 - MILLET SKI TOURING COURCHEVEL - Wednesday 9 March 2016

Jean-François Philipot and Jennifer Fiechter win the 13th Millet Ski Touring Courchevel.

After the last two rounds, held in difficult conditions because of the thaw and snow showers, this 13th round of the Millet Ski Touring Courchevel on Wednesday 9 March was able to take place normally, with fine weather and a well-prepared course. The success of this ski mountaineering race was there once again, with 138 participants at the start. With the days getting longer week by week, and the first start of this time trial given at 6 pm, competitors can now enjoy daylight over more than half of this 3.2 km climb with 500 m of elevation gain between Le Praz and Courchevel 1850 before having to switch on their head torches.

Jean-François Philipot, the French trail running Vertical Kilometre champion, won this 13th round in 24min28s ahead of Yoann Sert (24min47s) and Yoann Caillot (25min51).

The Swiss ski mountaineering champion, Jennifer Fiechter, won hands down in 28min57s ahead of Véronique Lathuraz (31min36s) and Géraldine Bau (33min13s).

In the ESF challenge, wins for Cédric Cunin of ESF Courchevel 1850 in 27min55s and Corine Chauchaix of ESF Arêches in 34min46s.

The youth were well represented in this race, in which the young Antonin Blanc, born in 2006, first Benjamin, made a very fine climb in 46min07s.

For the 14th and penultimate round of the season, to be held next Wednesday 16 March, a gift will be given to all participants and registration will be free for everyone who has signed up for the final on Wednesday 23 March. That date will be the occasion to celebrate the 100th climb on this course with the traditional fancy-dress climb, and plenty of surprises will be revealed through the evening. A great festive evening that will begin with the official prize-givings for the 4 Grand Slam rounds, the Plum KV Courchevel 2016 and the MSTC 2016, followed by the famous band “La Compagnie Créole”, who will plunge the Envolée gymnasium into a memorable carnival atmosphere from 8.30 pm.

4th Grand Slam next week…

The 4th and last round of the Vertical Kilometre (KV) of the Plum KV Courchevel (PKVC) will be held on Friday 18 March. The 2016 French KV records will be awarded at the end of this final round, after the 4 rounds offered this season on this 5 km course with 1,000 m of elevation gain, approved by the French Mountain and Climbing Federation (FFME). The provisional best times of the PKVC 2016 are for the moment held by Mathéo Jacquemoud in 40min05s and Axelle Mollaret in 49min17s.

In the weeks when the MSTC and the PKVC are organised, a ranking is drawn up for those who complete the “Grand Slam” (taking part in the 2 events in the same week).

Next week, the "4th Grand Slam" of the season will take into account the combined times of the MSTC on Wednesday 16 March and those of the PKVC on Friday 18 March. The 2016 "Grand Slam" records are for the moment held by Arnaud Mazet in 1h09min22s and Axelle Mollaret in 1h16min46s.

Next dates:

Millet Ski Touring Courchevel: Wednesday 16 March
Plum KV Courchevel: Friday 18 March