ROUND 14 - MILLET SKI TOURING COURCHEVEL - Saturday 5 March 2022

The Ultra Ski Touring Courchevel: Millet Everest 2022

After the success of the 2021 edition of the Millet Everest challenge, the Ultra Ski Touring Courchevel (USTC) was back in the resort on the weekend of 5 and 6 March. 36 ski mountaineers had started this ski mountaineering Ultra in 2021. A world first, it consisted of completing 9,000 m of elevation gain by linking 18 climbs on the vertical race course of the Millet Ski Touring Courchevel (3.2 km / 500 m of elevation gain) within a set time limit. This crazy challenge, which consists of reaching the summit of Everest starting from sea level, is a superb concept that allows each participant to find their limit in terms of elevation gain. To win, you need strategy in managing rest times, nutrition and changes of clothing between each ascent, because only the climbs are timed.

Last year, the challenge took place over 2 days with a compulsory night in a tent. In the end, 34 competitors made it to the finish after completing 5,000 m of elevation gain on the first day in 10 hours and 4,000 m of elevation gain on the second day in under 8 hours. This year, the organisers set the bar even higher by offering a non-stop format lasting 20 hours, run in 2 phases with only 2 compulsory hours of rest:

- the 1st, known as the “M3000” qualification, started at 1 pm on Saturday 5 March and ended at 7 pm. In these first 6 hours of racing, 3,000 m of elevation gain had to be climbed in order to continue the ascent by night.

Once this qualification was validated, participants had to observe a compulsory 2-hour acclimatisation period at the Everest Base Camp on the Courchevel snow front, where the film “Everest 2021” was shown on a giant screen in the presence of Jonathan Lamy who made the ascent on 23 May 2021.

- the 2nd, known as the final ascent, took place at night from 9 pm until sunrise at 9 am on Sunday 6 March.

In the end, only one will remain: Mathys Coutton-Jean

28 competitors were at the start of this second edition of the USTC, unique in the world. Emulation was there from the very start of the challenge, with excellent times recorded on the first climbs of the qualification phase. As time went by, the difficulty of the event made itself felt and the first withdrawals came after 2 ascents for the least seasoned. In the end, 20 participants validated the M3000 qualification and only 15 of them had the courage to set off again at 9 pm for the final night assault.

At sunset, temperatures dropped sharply (-15°) and the wind rose. You had to be strong physically and mentally to go the distance. Difficult conditions that took a considerable toll on the bodies of the Ultra ski mountaineers as the climbs went on. In base camp, faces were battered by the cold, some had trouble eating, legs were tired. It felt like being in the death zone at over 8,000 m of altitude. Between midnight and 1 am, morale was at its lowest and withdrawals began to follow one another. The challenge seemed impossible and people began to say that the winner would be the one who got furthest. Rests interspersed with moments of drowsiness multiplied. They grew longer and longer, like those of Jonathan Lamy, who, before setting off to make a second ascent of Everest (the real one) next April, had to rest for long hours around 3 am before finding enough energy to validate, in the end, 14 climbs, or 7,000 m of elevation gain.

At daybreak, around 6.30 am, the morale of the troops still on the course returned to fair. According to estimates, Matthys Coutton-Jean, very consistent with excellent times, was the only one able to pull off this feat. The pressure mounted for him, as he had chosen to set off again at 10 pm to get a little more sleep for the second part. In the end, it was a winning decision as he was the only one to complete the challenge in its entirety, in a total time of 10h17min. “I’d never done anything like it. There was a lot of improvisation throughout the race. A great victory that I share with my father, who helped and motivated me a lot at base camp,” he said at the age of 21 after crossing the finish line within the time limit. After accumulating 17 climbs, or 7,500 m of elevation gain, in 10h29min23s, Olivier Pasteur takes second place ahead of Dylan Honnons, credited with 16 climbs, or 7,000 m of elevation gain, in 11h46min34s. Worthy of note is the remarkable performance of Guillaume Cambon, who also completed 16 climbs, in 12h09min43s.

Among the women, there was no finisher, but a fine victory for trail runner Fiona Porte who won after 12 climbs, or 6,000 m of elevation gain, in 07h02min15s. “I had planned to stop right after the 3,000 qualification. In the end I got into the game and managed to do 3,000 m more. I’m very happy to have taken part in this challenge. It’s a lovely discovery, but I need to come with a bit more specific preparation and a bit more freshness. It really makes me want to come back with more thorough mental preparation.” In second position, Coline Pasteur validated 8 climbs, or 4,000 m of elevation gain, in 5h16min05s. The 3rd step of the podium belongs to Violaine Setiey, who handed in a card of 4 climbs, or 2,000 m of elevation gain, in 3h12min13s.

Congratulations to all these athletes, who showed courage and tenacity, often going beyond their capacity.

The prize-giving for this 2022 edition of the Millet Everest will take place at the final of the Millet Ski Touring Courchevel on Wednesday 23 March.

Dimitri Colloud and Fiona Porte win round 14 of the Millet Ski Touring Courchevel

In parallel with this crazy challenge, the 14th round of the MSTC was held on Saturday 5 March. The best of the 6 times set by the Millet Everest participants during the M3000 qualification phase was counted for the standings of this round.

In this very specific context, Dimitri Colloud won in 28min15s ahead of Matthys Coutton-Jean (28min33s) and Jonathan Lamy (29min41s).

Among the women, Fiona Porte made it a double by winning in a time of 31min19s ahead of Coline Pasteur credited with 38min24s. Pascale Gachet-Mauroz of the ESF Courchevel Village joined the podium in 39min38s. Special mention to the young Capucine Le Corrone (9 years old), who completed her 10th climb of the season in 47min53s, only 30 seconds off her best time.

Next week, the 15th round of the MSTC will surely be an opportunity for amateurs to take the top podium places in the absence of the discipline’s stars, who are committed to the Pierra Menta. For the finale of this 12th edition of the “Millet”, the suspense remains intact until its conclusion on 23 March, with €8,000 of prize money and €4,800 of shopping vouchers at stake. At this great ski mountaineering party, which will coincide with the arrival of spring, fancy dress will be compulsory for participants, with many surprises to liven up the evening. The race start is set for 6 pm and the festivities will begin at 8 pm with the official prize-givings. From 9 pm, Louis Bertignac will set the place alight amid glitter and confetti. The concert is open to all, participants and spectators.

Next event: Millet Ski Touring Courchevel on Wednesday 9 March 2022