Press release no. 2 - January 2014

For the first time, the Ski Mountaineering World Cup comes to the resort of Courchevel, with two competitions on the international calendar: an Individual race on Saturday 25 January and a Vertical Race on Sunday 26 January.

The Open Millet Coupe de France is also being held during these two days of competition, on the same course as the World Cup. Registration for the Open Millet Coupe de France is open to all enthusiasts, allowing them to test themselves against the times of the world’s best.

The opening ceremony of the Ski Mountaineering World Cup will be held on Friday 24 January in the Forum (Courchevel 1850) with the bib presentation to the 5 best men and women in the overall 2014 World Cup standings. The race partners’ exhibition will be open to the public from 4 pm to 7 pm in the Forum.

Saturday 25 January 2014 – Individual Race

On the World Cup programme since its creation, the Individual race is the discipline’s flagship event. It takes place mostly in high mountains, in the heart of exceptional landscapes.

In the Individual race, the elevation gain is significant with 4 to 5 climbs, and changes of progression mode are essential, with carrying and crampon work in some couloirs. It is the alpine race par excellence, on a high-mountain route that demands great physical strength, both uphill and downhill. That is why a win in an Individual race remains the most prestigious. The Frenchman Mathéo Jacquemoud and his compatriot Laetitia Roux won this discipline of the 2013 World Cup.

The Individual race of the World Cup and the Open Millet Coupe de France in Courchevel will take place in the Saulire massif, using the best-known couloirs such as the Petit and Grand couloirs de la Saulire, the Curé, the “Y” and those located in the Rocher de la Loze sector, formerly used for free-ride competitions. Starts and finishes will be at the top of the Sources drag lift.

In the event of bad weather or uncertain snow conditions, the Individual race will be run on a fallback course that will use, for the first part of the race, the Emile Allais slalom stadium, where the women’s alpine skiing World Cup was held in December!

Start time: 9 am World Cup / Open Millet Coupe de France
Race time for the best: around 1h40 for 1,700 metres of elevation gain.

Sunday 26 January 2014 – Vertical Race

A formidable and prestigious event, the Vertical Race consists of climbing as fast as possible 500 m to 600 m of elevation gain. No transitions; only speed of execution of a perfect movement and endurance count. Straight up the steep, groomed slope, the best need around twenty minutes to reach the top. This intense and violent effort for the heart and muscles demands exceptional speed and technique. In the 2013 World Cup, it was the Frenchman William Bon Mardion and the Frenchwoman Laetitia Roux who won the Vertical Race standings.

The course of the World Cup and Open Millet Coupe de France Vertical Race will be identical to that of the “DYNAFIT SKI TOURING COURCHEVEL” (DSTC) race, held every Wednesday evening from 11 December 2013 to 26 March 2014. The start will be at Le Praz and the finish on the Courchevel snow front (3.2 km and 500 metres of elevation gain).

For information, the times set during the World Cup and the Open Millet Coupe du Monde will count towards the 2014 DSTC overall standings. For now, the provisional records for the 2014 climb are held by the Catalan Kilian Jornet in 22min16s and the Frenchwoman Laetitia Roux in 26min55s.

Start time: 10 am World Cup / Open Millet Coupe de France
Minimum race time: around 20 min.

The world’s best athletes will be there…

Over these two days of competition, the world’s best athletes will be present. Among them will be the Spaniard Kilian Jornet Burgada, the Frenchmen William Bon Mardion (reigning world champion, winner of the 2013 World Cup crystal globe), Laetitia Roux (ten-time ski mountaineering world champion, 2013 World Cup winner), but also Mathéo Jacquemoud (four-time world champion, runner-up in the 2013 World Cup) and William Perrier, two champions who are members of the association Courchevel Sports Alpinisme and of the French team, who will try to fly the Courchevel colours high.

Spectators are expected in large numbers throughout the weekend to come and cheer on these exceptional athletes. All ski mountaineering enthusiasts will be able to take part in the Open Millet Coupe de France, which will take place on the same courses as the World Cup, a unique opportunity to measure yourself against the world’s ski mountaineering elite.

To close this fine weekend of competition organised by the Association “Courchevel Sports Alpinisme”, the closing ceremony will take place in the Croisette hall in Courchevel 1850 on Sunday 26 January and will be followed by a meal prepared by the hotel Le Chabichou.

THE SKI MOUNTAINEERING WORLD CUP IN NUMBERS:

- 150 international athletes
- 250 “Open Millet Coupe de France” athletes
- 150 volunteers
- 3,000 spectators
- 3 helicopters
- 30 journalists
- 4 cameramen
- 5 photographers

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