ACT 12 - MILLET SKI TOURING COURCHEVEL - Wednesday 13 March 2019

Sébastien Figliolini and Véronique Lathuraz win the 12th round of the Millet Ski Touring Courchevel

The home straight before the grand final! Despite the showers very much in evidence this Wednesday, 107 competitors were at the start of this 12th and penultimate climb of the 2019 Millet Ski Touring Courchevel, held in parallel with the Pierra Menta and the Ski Mountaineering World Championships in Villars / Ollon. This 3.2 km Vertical Race course with 500 m of elevation gain between Le Praz and the Croisette in Courchevel has won international renown since its creation in 2011, as shown by its hosting of the French Championships in 2012 and 2013 and a World Cup round in 2014. The world’s elite of the discipline have fought it out on this climb, with prestigious winners: the Spaniard Mireia Miro Varela (2011), Laetitia Roux (2012, 2014, 2015 and 2016), the Swede Emelie Forsberg (2013) and Axelle Mollaret (2017 and 2018) among the women, Yannick Buffet (2011 and 2012), Mathéo Jacquemoud (2013 and 2016), the Catalan Kilian Jornet (2014 and 2015) and the Swiss Marti Werner (2017) and Rémi Bonnet (2018) among the men. This 9th season is no exception, with the last 2 winners at the top of the provisional standings: Axelle Mollaret and Rémi Bonnet, who, in the final, will try to keep their hold and to threaten the records held by Laetitia Roux and Kilian Jornet.

Also worth highlighting are the fine performances at the ongoing World Championships by Axelle Mollaret, gold medallist in the individual event, and by the provisional MSTC runners-up: the Russian Ekaterina Osichkina, junior world champion in sprint and individual, and Xavier Gachet, bronze medallist in the individual.

21 years after his victory in the Pierra Menta, Sébastien Figliolini wins the 12th stage.

Paired with Pierre-Roger Blanc in 1998 on the famous Savoyard race, Sébastien Figliolini, manager of the partner shop Le Camp de Base, did it again by winning this 12th round of the MSTC in a time of 26min42s. He finished ahead of Nicolas Magisson (27min10s) and Clément Mugnier of ESF Sainte Foy (28min35s), who also had the best time of the evening in the ESF challenge.

Among the women, a finish in a dead heat. Véronique Lathuraz, after one win and 4 second places this season, won in 32min13s ahead of the young Elisa Blanc (15 years old) in 32min32s. Clarisse Monnet completed the podium in 32min42s. Claude Chevassu of ESF Courchevel, in 38min09s, posted the top time among the women instructors.

Wednesday 20 March 2019: Great ski mountaineering celebration.

With the costumed presence of many 2019 World Championship medallists and athletes who will have distinguished themselves in the 34th Pierra Menta, the final battle will be intense and … festive. In this context, nothing is settled for the final podiums and the 8,000 euros of prize money and 4,800 euros of shopping vouchers at stake, but most competitors will come simply to unwind and enjoy this exceptional evening.

This great final of the 2019 Millet Ski Touring Courchevel will take place on Wednesday 20 March with, as its high point, a concert by the group Magic System.

For this great ski mountaineering celebration, which will bring together around 500 participants and as many spectators, Guillaume Prin, president of Courchevel Sports Outdoor Montagne et Escalade, and his whole team will do everything to make the evening a success. The starting signal for the traditional fancy-dress climb is scheduled for 6 pm at Le Praz. Many surprises will brighten the start and finish areas. Spectators can come and cheer on the runners and admire their costumes, taking advantage of the Praz gondola, free for the occasion and exceptionally open until 6.45 pm to reach the finish at Courchevel 1850. Extra ski buses are planned to bring back down everyone who wants to continue the festivities at the Envolée gymnasium in Le Praz. From 8 pm the buffet will be open, with the prize-giving ceremony hosted by Ludovic Collet. At 9 pm, it will be the turn of the group Magic System, who will set the evening alight with their biggest hits, which already had crowds on their feet and created a wild atmosphere during last summer’s Football World Cup… A huge atmosphere in prospect.