ROUND 5 - MILLET SKI TOURING COURCHEVEL - Wednesday 23 January 2019

Florent Perrier and Sophie Mollard win the 5th round of the Millet Ski Touring Courchevel. Olivier Magne and Jean-Christophe Bette on the start line.

Despite fickle weather, with the welcome return of a snowfall and invigorating temperatures (-5° at the start area of this 5th round of the Millet Ski Touring Courchevel), 89 ski mountaineers turned up for this 3.2 km Vertical Race event with 500 m of elevation gain between Le Praz and Courchevel 1850. As befits a success, 2 big names of French sport mixed with the competitors. Olivier Magne, 90 caps for the French Rugby team, 1999 World Cup finalist and 2002 Grand Slam winner, currently a consultant for Eurosport, put on touring skis for the 1st time: a converted try with, at the finish, the silver “La Trace” in a time of 45min47s. On the other hand, Jean-Christophe Bette, Olympic gold medallist in rowing at the 2000 Sydney Games with 5 world champion titles, is an MSTC regular (3rd participation this season). With a time of 26min07s, he climbed onto the second step of the podium.

The Club Multisports d’Arêches Beaufort takes centre stage.

With 8 World champion titles, 6 European champion titles and 10 French champion titles in ski mountaineering, Florent Perrier came out on top in this 5th round in 24min and took 3rd place in the provisional overall standings. Jean-Christophe Bette (Val d’Arve Ski Alp) and Julien Brouilly (MSM) completed the podium.

Among the women, Sophie Mollard, also of the CMSAB, won in 29min45s, earning 3rd place in the provisional overall standings. Véronique Lathuraz took 2nd position in 31min42s ahead of Elsa Nodet in 32min24s.

This 5th stage was also an opportunity to focus on the 2019 ESF challenge by inviting instructors from all the Ecoles du Ski Français. A clean sweep for the ESF in Courchevel Village, with the largest number of runners but also with wins by Nicolas Mater in 29min48s and Pascale Gachet Mauroz in 40min36s.

Status quo for the provisional overall standings. Yoann Sert (23min 27s) and Corinne Favre (28min 16s) were not threatened and lead comfortably. For the ESF, Arthur Blanc (23min 50s) and Lorna Bonnel (28min 24s) lead the dance.

Special evening in support of Courchevel seasonal workers affected by the fire.

Next week, the 6th round of the Millet Ski Touring Courchevel will be dedicated to the Courchevel seasonal workers affected by the tragic fire of 20 January.

The entirety of the registration fees will be passed to the association “Lions Club Courchevel Tarentaise”, which will pass it on to the victims. “A nice message of hope and solidarity which, we hope, will be lit up by our great chain of ski mountaineers by headtorch light along the 3.2 km of the course,” says Guillaume Prin, president of the organising club “Courchevel Sports Outdoor Montagne”.