ROUND 1 - MILLET SKI TOURING COURCHEVEL - Wednesday 30 December 2020 to Tuesday 5 January 2021

Millet Ski Touring Courchevel: season 11 is under way!

Adapting was necessary for this season 11 of the Millet Ski Touring Courchevel. Guillaume Prin, president of the organising club Courchevel Sports Outdoor Montagne, and his whole team had to show imagination to keep this edition going while respecting the government’s covid-19 measures. Originally planned for Wednesday 30 December from 6 pm, this first round of 2021 was run over several days, from the original date until Tuesday 5 January, between 10 am and 3 pm to avoid gatherings of more than 6 people. It was a game won for the organisers, as 162 participants were classified over the whole week in absolute compliance with safety instructions. It was a record for the start of a season and an adaptation praised by all the competitors, delighted that the event was maintained.

After 7 days of racing, many holidaymakers took part, many of them beginning ski touring because of the temporary closure of the ski lifts. It was a boon for this discipline, which has exploded and allowed people to discover another side of mountain activities. It was also a boon for the legendary “Millet Ski Touring Courchevel” to be put in the spotlight and become known with the arrival of new practitioners. Over 10 years, 153 rounds have been held and 16,533 starts given in this ski touring race from Courchevel Le Praz up to Courchevel, a competition that has become an institution in the ski mountaineering world and the benchmark for Vertical Race events.

3.2 km and 500 m of elevation gain: that is the distance and climb that skiers must cover against the clock to win one of the ESF medals specific to the discipline, called “La trace ESF”. A reminder to place the performance levels: Gold medal with a maximum time of 33min30s, Vermeil medal for 42min45s, Silver medal for 52min, Bronze medal for 1h01min15s, not forgetting the Finisher medal, which rewards any competitor who crosses the finish line outside these time limits.

Thibaut Anselmet and Clarisse Monnet, first winners!

In this first round, Thibault Anselmet, an ESF instructor in Bonneval sur Arc and currently 2nd in the overall standings of the 2021 Ski Mountaineering World Cup after his win in the 1st stage in Italy in the sprint and his 5th place in the Vertical Race, set the bar high from day one with a time of 22min37s (13th fastest time in MSTC history). He finished ahead of Sébastien Fayolle in 25min16s and Loïc Bedoy in 26min18s.

Among the women, who make up more than 30% of those classified, the battle was fierce. In the end, Clarisse Monnet of the Club des Sports de Méribel won in 32min04s ahead of Céline Vocanson of ESF Valmorel in 36min25s and Ségolène Vito in 38min11s.

This 1st round should normally have been held under a magnificent full moon on Wednesday 30 December. For this “Full Moon” special, a pair of R150 bindings from the partner brand “Plum” was drawn by lot among all the week’s participants. The lucky winner is Zélie Guyon (aged 8) with a climb of 51min03s and a fine bronze medal as a reward.

The rest of the calendar…

For the rest of the season, the programme will be as follows:

Round 2: Wednesday 6 January and Saturday 9 January from 10 am to 3 pm
Round 3: Wednesday 13 January and Saturday 16 January from 10 am to 3 pm
Round 4: Wednesday 20 January at 6 pm
Round 5: Wednesday 27 January at 6 pm
Round 6: Wednesday 3 February at 6 pm
Round 7: Wednesday 10 February at 6 pm
Round 8: Wednesday 17 February at 6 pm
Round 9: Wednesday 24 February at 6 pm
Round 10: Wednesday 3 March at 6 pm
Round 11: Wednesday 17 March at 6 pm - 2021 fancy-dress final with Keen’V concert

Depending on government decisions, rounds 2 and 3 will be held on Wednesday and Saturday from 10 am to 3 pm. From round 4, and subject to the ski lifts opening, the competition will return to its usual cruising rhythm, namely every Wednesday at 6 pm.

The prize-giving for the 10th season, which had to be postponed last winter, will take place on Wednesday 20 January or Wednesday 10 February, depending on how health directives evolve.

Next dates: Round 2: Wednesday 6 January and Saturday 9 January from 10 am to 3 pm