ROUND 3 - MILLET SKI TOURING COURCHEVEL - Wednesday 4 January 2017

An explosive start to 2017 for William Bon Mardion and Corinne Favre at the Millet Ski Touring Courchevel.

Every new year is a chance to set off with good resolutions, and this Wednesday 4 January, 127 competitors were at the start of this 3rd round of the “Millet Ski Touring Courchevel” to begin 2017 with some ski touring. This 3rd stage was again held on the fallback course because of the lack of snow on the official route, but good news: the organisers of the “Courchevel Sports Outdoor Montagne et Escalade” club and their partner Millet have decided to award prizes, just as on the official course, for a record race on this fallback route (validated after 5 climbs run), with prize money and vouchers to reward the season’s records.

The cream of ski mountaineering was therefore there for this first ski mountaineering race of the year. The 2013 Individual world champion and winner that year of the World Cup overall standings, William Bon Mardion shot off like a bullet on this 2.6 km course with 500 m of elevation gain from Courchevel 1850 to the top of the La Loze relay, where the “Plum KV Courchevel” finishes usually take place. Devoured in just 20min02s, William took the new provisional record. Behind him, Mathéo Jacquemoud, also a multiple world champion and last year’s winner of the legendary Pierra Menta under the colours of Courchevel alongside Kilian Jornet, finished second of the evening in 20min39s, hot on the heels of Yoann Sert who hung on in 20min54s.

Among the women, who is going to be able to dethrone Corinne Favre? She has done all 3 rounds and still finishes in the lead. Holder of the provisional women’s record in 25min42s, she did not manage to do better this Wednesday, perhaps because of an over-celebrated New Year’s Eve, but she won hands down in 26min02s. Candice Bonnel, twice winner in 2015 and 2016 in a team with Léna and Lorna Bonnel of the “Dynastar X3 Courchevel”, an extraordinary mountain triathlon (a sequence of cycling, trail running and ski mountaineering) who will put their title back on the line in 2017, came second in 27min27s. Sophie Mollard, without disgracing herself in 28min33s, completed the podium.

The ESF Challenge is a huge hit, with already 49 instructors classified and 23 ESFs represented. Candice Bonnel of ESF La Toussuire takes the lead in the provisional standings among the women instructors in 27min27s. Grégory Gachet of ESF Arêches won this 3rd round in 23min51s, but the best time remains the preserve of Simon Bellabouvier of ESF Val d’Isère in 21min21s.

For the opening of this first ski mountaineering race of the year, it was Philippe Mugnier, the mayor of Courchevel, who led off by starting first in this time trial. He finished with a very good time of 42min28s, his reference time, which he will try to improve over the Wednesdays like most of the competitors entered. While the specialists chase the season record, the others fight for their personal best or to do better than their friends. After the effort, the reward: this climb was an opportunity to enjoy Epiphany cake at the finish of the competition.