Round 7 - MILLET SKI TOURING COURCHEVEL - Wednesday 22 January 2025

Season 15 of the Millet Ski Touring Courchevel is in full swing!

The crowds keep coming. Each new season of the Millet Ski Touring Courchevel (MSTC) grows bigger. As proof, this Wednesday 22 January, 176 ski mountaineers were at the start of the 7th Vertical Race round, a race that has become the absolute benchmark in the ski mountaineering world. It is currently the only race in the world that brings together every level of competitor, from beginner to world elite. That is all the more striking for this edition because of the World Cup round on 15 December 2024. All enthusiasts and amateurs can calibrate their performance against the world’s best in the discipline.

Since last week, Brazil has been in the spotlight at the MSTC, with 2 very lively stages supported by the Tourist Office’s events team. It has become the unmissable event for Brazilian Armando Pires who won gold for the first time, setting his personal best in 33min28s. A little nod to his compatriot Klaus Allers, silver medallist in 47min54s.

Mathéo Jacquemoud and Perrine Gindre climb the standings.

Winner of the MSTC in 2013 and 2016, Mathéo Jacquemoud has a personal best of 22min04s, a performance that enabled him to finish 5th last season. By winning in 22min23s, he rockets to 21st in the 2025 Provisional Overall Standings. Eliott Robin-Saje, a member of Maurienne Ski Alpinisme, takes second place in 23min50s. Titouan Scheunemann with a time of 24min10s completes the podium ahead of Adrien Perret (24min32s). 

Théo Detienne, the Team New Balance trail runner and 2nd at the 2024 Marathon des Sables, finished in 28min18s equipped with 80 mm skis, freeride touring boots and a 3-kilo rucksack: good training for his future goals, which will include the UTMB.

Among the women, Perrine Gindre of Team Isère Montagne and a member of the French Ski Mountaineering team, enters the top 20 (19th) of the 2025 provisional standings with a time of 27min34s. 2024 Madeira Skyrace winner and ESF Champagny en Vanoise instructor Lucille Germain takes the lead of the women’s ESF challenge thanks to her second place in 27min51s. Laurie Renoton finished third in 28min58s, 5 seconds ahead of Marie Pollet-Villard.

A very positive mid-season review.

This 7th round marks the mid-point of this 15th edition, which will total 14 stages. With 1,061 starts, 671 competitors ranked and an average of 150 participants per round, this first period is by far the best in the whole history of the MSTC.

In the Provisional Overall Standings, Swiss runner Rémi Bonnet, winner of the 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2022 editions, leads the way with a record time of 19min47s. He is ahead of his compatriot Aurélien Gay (21min38s), followed by the French runners Xavier Gachet (21min45s) and Paul Jay (21min46s) and Belgian Maximilien Drion Du Chapois (21min46s). Among the women, seven-time MSTC winner from 2017 to 2023 Axelle Gachet Mollaret currently holds the lead with a time of 25min30s ahead of Emily Harrop (25min42s), Austrian Sarah Dreier (25min57s), Italian Alba De Silvestro (26min16s) and Spaniard Malen Osa Ansa (26min38s).

The countdown is now on to the grand costume finale on Monday 10 March. The season will end on a high with the concert by Fatal Bazooka which will set this 15th edition alight with Michael Youn accompanied by his Morning Live sidekicks, Benjamin Morgaine and Vincent Desagnat, not forgetting Big Ali, PZK and plenty of other surprises.

While Rémi Bonnet seems the only untouchable, nothing is settled at this stage of the competition in the men’s and women’s top 5. The second half promises to be thrilling and will feature a few highlights, including the famous “crêpes” evening on Wednesday 5 February to celebrate Candlemas, the 2 Plum specials on 10 February and 10 March under the full moon, and a Dynastar special on “Mercredi Gras” on 5 March, a prelude to the atmosphere of the finale. 

Next date: Millet Ski Touring Courchevel on Wednesday 29 January 2025