ACT 5 - MILLET SKI TOURING COURCHEVEL - Wednesday 11 January 2023

Millet Ski Touring Courchevel, back on the official route with a fine line-up of Americans.

After a very busy week setting up the alternative course and organising the French ski mountaineering Vertical Race and Mixed Relay championships, the Millet Ski Touring Courchevel (MSTC) were able to return to cruising speed on the official course with the recent snowfalls. Back on the 3.2 km route with 500 m of elevation gain this Wednesday 11 January for the 5th round of the MSTC, with 61 participants at the start. A slight drop in attendance, but you had to be seriously motivated to get your touring skis out in the snowstorm at altitude and with a rain-snow line at the start in Courchevel Le Praz.

3 days before the race, the ski touring route was completely bare and the accumulated layer of snow of the last few days was not sufficient to allow the snowcat through in good conditions on the lower section. The skiers had to follow the track of the trail-breakers. If a majority of the runners who took part in one of the first 2 rounds managed to improve their time, records were hard to go after for the front runners, as the snow was balling up in places (it was sticking to the skins).

The American Cameron Smith makes the difference.

This situation did not spare the American, Cameron Smith, bronze medallist in the 3rd World Cup stage of Ski Mountaineering in the Vertical Race in Andorra in 2022, behind the Swiss Rémi Bonnet, holder of the MSTC record, and the Italian Robert Antonioli. He nevertheless wins this 5th round in 23min17s, a performance that takes him up to 3rd place in the provisional overall standings of the season, still led by Gédéon Pochat, French Vertical Race runner-up, in 22min21s. "The course is really good, but when I got to the front of the race, the snow started to stick under the skins. I lost quite a lot of time and energy. It allowed me to get a good intensity in before the next Vertical Race World Cup next week in Andorra. I will come back to Courchevel to do better," he said once he had crossed the line.

Jim Walmsley hangs in

The ultra trail specialist, long-distance mountain running World Champion in 2019 with, to his credit, numerous wins in the 100 miles of the Western States as well as the Grand Raid des Templiers and the Madeira Island Ultra in 2022, not to mention his superb 4th place at the UTMB, the American Jim Walmsley, based for some time near Arêches Beaufort, treats himself to a fine second place in 24min11s after finishing 11th in the French Vertical Race championship last Saturday on the alternative course. "The official course is a little less steep than the alternative one. There are more changes of pace with sequences of flat and steep sections. It is a very beautiful route and you quickly get hooked on the clock. For sure, I will come back to improve my performance and prepare my next trail running season in parallel," he confided straight after the race.

This international podium is completed by the Pole Sebastian Druszkiewicz, an employee of the partner shop le Camp de base, in 25min08s, who had already won the 3rd round of the MSTC on the alternative course.

A fine battle for the podium in the women’s race

Romane Lafarge of the ESF of Villard de Lans wins in 30min10s. She moves into 3rd place in the provisional overall standings, still dominated by Jessica Pardin (27min12s), and takes the lead in the women’s ESF challenge. The American Jessica Brazeau, partner of Jim Walmsley, finishes second only 20 seconds behind. For the 3rd step of the podium, Pascale Gachet-Mauroz, an instructor at the ESF in Courchevel Village, in 40min37s, beats Lola Even of Méribel Sport Montagne at the line by 2 small seconds.

Some fine suspense in prospect

After the Vertical Race event serving as the 4th round of the MSTC, held on the alternative course, the suspense remains intact for the upcoming dates. Indeed, the 2023 Crystal trophy Raymond et René Millet (founders of the partner company Millet) will be presented to the male and female winners on the official course, along with prize money of €2,000, at the end of the great fancy-dress final on Tuesday 21 March, followed by the exceptional closing concert with the band Tryo. €1,250 will be awarded to those placed second in the overall standings and €750 to those placed third. Should 5 rounds be held on the alternative course, 2 prize-givings would take place and only the prize money would be divided and cumulative across the different podiums. To date, everything seems to have returned to normal as regards the weather, so that the next rounds can take place on the official route. The record race is therefore far from over. From next Wednesday, for the 6th round, the official route will be groomed and maintained again so that all participants can express themselves and push themselves in the best possible conditions.

Next date: 6th round of the Millet Ski Touring Courchevel on Wednesday 18 January