Round 15 - MILLET SKI TOURING COURCHEVEL - Wednesday 13 March 2024

Mega party with the band Deluxe for the grand finale of the 2024 Millet Ski Touring Courchevel

Since Saturday 16 December, on the occasion of the 2023 French Vertical Race championship, then every Wednesday from 20 December to 13 March, not forgetting the Millet Everest on 2 and 3 March, ski mountaineers have put on their touring skis to climb the 3.2 km and 500 m of elevation gain separating Le Praz from La Croisette in Courchevel. The best specialists of the discipline have rubbed shoulders to set the season record or fine-tune their training, up to the 2024 fancy-dress grand finale on Wednesday 20 March.

The evening will start at 6 pm with more than 800 participants in costume. It promises to be a fine spectacle, which you will be able to follow right up to the finish in Courchevel 1850 by taking the Praz lift, free for the occasion, which will bring you back to the performance hall located in the L’Envolée gymnasium at the foot of the Olympic Ski Jumping Hills. From 8 pm, a buffet will be offered to competitors in parallel with the ceremony. The concert is scheduled to start at 9 pm.

After Compagnie Créole, Patrick Sébastien, Emile et Images, Magic System, the concert by Shy’m cancelled because of covid, Keen’V, Louis Bertignac and Tryo, it will be the turn of the band Deluxe to set the place on fire with their greatest hits.

Sporting their emblematic moustaches, which will once again take pride of place, Deluxe are preparing an even crazier musical and visual performance for the grand finale of season 14 of the Millet Ski Touring Courchevel. With even wilder, more colourful and glittering costumes on stage, inside a totally revamped set design, the artists will give even more room to their explosiveness and infectious dynamism. In short… get ready for a phenomenal show!

First Russian victory.

This 15th and penultimate round, held on Wednesday 13 March, was once again full of surprises, with 132 ski mountaineers at the start, bringing to 1,020 the number of different runners since the start of the season for 2,080 starts given, an average of 139 competitors per round. The participation record has already been broken before the grand finale, which is set to blow the counters.

This edition was also marked by the presence of many nations, both in the rounds and on the podiums, proof that this Vertical Race is becoming a benchmark and is beginning to be recognised internationally, a situation that should grow in 2025.

For now, with a time of 22min38s, Filippov Nikita is the first Russian to win an MSTC round. This performance propels him into 7th position in the provisional overall standings and allows him to take the lead in the U23 category. Paul Jay, already a winner on 17 January, finishes second in 24min35s ahead of Vincent Loustau, third in 25min25s, his second podium finish of the season.

Note the fine performance of the youngest of the round, Louis-Dara Path Watteau, aged 10, who completed the climb in 47min58s, a silver medal.

And that makes 2 for the Polish Margarita Lokciewicz

Margarita Lokciewicz dazzled this season 14. A regular on the podium, she climbs onto the top step for the second time by winning this 15th round in 31min10s. Véronique Lathuraz held on well to cross the line in 31min30s, a thoroughly deserved second place. The Swiss Gabrielle Gachet completes the trio in 32min40s.

Who will be the winners of this season 14?

Leading the provisional overall standings, Thibault Anselemet in 21min21s and Emily Harrop in 25min25s, will they manage to hold on to the end? For now nothing is decided, and the same goes for the category standings. In some years, records have fallen on the day of the final, like the Swiss Rémi Bonnet who won the 2022 final. The suspense remains intact but one thing is certain: this final round will be a mega party!

Next date: - Fancy-dress final of the Millet Ski Touring Courchevel on Wednesday 20 March 2024