Round 14 - MILLET SKI TOURING COURCHEVEL - Wednesday 6 March 2024

A look back at the Millet Ski Touring Courchevel with the American Jim Walmsley, winner of season 13

Season 14 of the Millet Ski Touring Courchevel will end on 20 March with the famous and magnificent fancy-dress final that everyone is eagerly awaiting, all the more so as this year the phenomenal concert by the band Deluxe will close this great ski mountaineering party. Kilo, Kaya, Pietre, Soubri, Pépé and Liliboy will be dressed for the occasion in even wilder, more colourful and glittering costumes inside a totally revamped set design, which will leave even more room for their explosiveness and infectious dynamism. Not forgetting their emblematic moustaches, which will once again take pride of place in an even crazier musical and visual performance.

Since the start of this edition, participation records have been set every Wednesday, and this momentum looks likely to blow the counters for the final, which should bring together close to 800 participants.

Mathéo Jacquemoud impresses.

For this 14th round on Wednesday 6 March, 148 competitors lined up at the start of this ski mountaineering Vertical Race. It is a 3.2 km course with 500 m of elevation gain between Courchevel Le Praz and Courchevel 1850 that Mathéo Jacquemoud, winner of the 2013 and 2016 editions, knows like the back of his hand. In excellent weather conditions, he took his 3rd win of the season with a new personal record of 22min04s, a cracking time that consolidates his 5th place in the provisional overall standings. To stay in the top 5, he will have to hang on. As proof, he is hounded by Yoann Sert, who nibbles away a few seconds each time he appears. With a time of 22min30s, he takes second place in the round and climbs to 6th position in the provisional overall standings.

After a euphoric 2023 (wins at the UTMB and the MSTC), the American Jim Walmsley clocked 23min17s, good for the 3rd step of the podium and a top 10 in the provisional overall standings. In the last 2 rounds, he should climb the rankings if he manages to approach his personal record of 21min51s.

Other big names were also present in the men’s field, such as Robin Galindo, 8th in 24min21s after taking his first World Cup gold medal in ski mountaineering 2 weeks ago in the sprint held in Val Martello in Italy, or the trail runner Rémi Berchet, 5th in the Grand Raid de la Réunion, who finished 14th in 26min12s.

Fine performances too from members of the French youth ski mountaineering team: Célestin Gullon set a time of 26min05s and took the lead in the provisional overall standings in the U18 category, while Jules Raybaud did the same in the U20 category with a time of 24min03s.

4th victory for Lucille Germain

A duel at the top of the table between the 2 members of the organising club Courchevel Sports Outdoor, Lucille Germain and Laura Deplanche. By 5 seconds, Lucille clinches a 4th win in 27min47s and keeps her 5th position in the provisional overall standings. For her part, Laura, after contesting 7 sprints, 5 mixed relays and 1 individual race in the World Cup, completed her first Vertical Race climb of the season in 27min52s. The American Jessica Brazeau, 2nd in the 2023 Nice Côte d’Azur by UTMB, completes the podium with a new personal record of 28min44s.

Loanne Roussillon, a member of the French youth ski mountaineering team, finishes in fourth position in 29min52s and consolidates her second place in the provisional overall standings, U20 category.

Note the participation of a fine delegation from the Lycée Reinach in La Motte Servolex, led by the brothers Léo and Tom Gauche.

Everything could be decided in the grand finale

With €9,800 in prize money and €4,800 in vouchers at stake this season 14, there is no doubt that the battle for the men’s and women’s top 5 and the category wins will remain undecided to the very end. With the Pierra Menta taking place next week, many elite runners will skip the 15th and penultimate round of the MSTC this Wednesday 13 March, with the exception of some such as Jim Walmsley, who could take the opportunity to pull off a coup.

Next date: - 15th Millet Ski Touring Courchevel on Wednesday 13 March 2024