Felt X3 Courchevel 2021: another success for an unprecedented format!
Indoor rowing, cycling, trail running. These are the three ingredients of the FeltX3 in Courchevel
Felt X3 Courchevel 2021: another success for an unprecedented format!
Indoor rowing, cycling, trail running. These are the three ingredients of the FeltX3 in Courchevel, the event that has won over many participants and enjoyed another success this Sunday 15 August.
There were 330 competitors, registered individually or in teams, who came to take on the mountain yesterday in Courchevel for the FeltX3. The mountain, but not only…
Since last year, the summer sporting event of the famous Savoie resort has started with indoor rowing. 6,000 metres to be completed on the formidable machine. And there was room for everyone: 100 ergometers were lined up on the floor of the Gymnase de l’Envolée. A European first! A technical and logistical feat made possible thanks to the partnership signed between the town hall of Courchevel, the French Rowing Federation and the organising club Courchevel Sports Outdoor, supported this weekend by the teams of the AURA rowing league.
The festivities thus began on Saturday with indoor rowing demonstrations and introductory sessions, and also on the waters of Lac du Praz. An activity that found its participants, with no fewer than 75 people, while the next day’s competitors collected their bibs.
National technical director Sébastien Vieilledent was present, but another person had also decided to come along: Claire Bové, Tokyo Olympic silver medallist, willingly obliged with autographs, as did Matthieu Androdias , Tokyo Olympic champion, the next day. He also commented on his race, shown on a giant screen, and encouraged the participants as patron of the event. Both received the medal of the town of Courchevel from the hands of the mayor, Jean-Yves Pachod.
“I am very enthusiastic,” said Anne Tollard, FFA vice-president in charge of development, “in future this event should be included in the federal calendar on the same footing as our other events. The FFA could possibly get more involved, for example through the presence of technical staff to further increase our presence. It is a fine showcase for rowing to have a spot in Courchevel after the beach tour; it opens up new opportunities with new formats that include rowing.”
A fine, hot day was thus about to begin in Courchevel with indoor rowing, with the voice of French rowing at the microphone, Sébastien Roure. A major advantage with the many rowers present, whose records the commentator was able to present. To commentate on the cycling and trail running parts, 2 other outdoor sports specialist speakers were on hand, Sébastien Mowglie and Ludovic Collet , who was celebrating his 50th birthday.
After linking the 6,000 m of indoor rowing, the 12.2 km and 750 m of elevation gain of cycling and the 7.8 km and 420 m of elevation gain of trail running under a magnificent sun, setting off from the Olympic ski jumps to land at the top of the altiport, the two title holders confirmed their supremacy.
A new title for Cédric Fleureton and Laura Deplanche
The start of this extraordinary triathlon got off to a flying start with the indoor rowing event. The French champion in the discipline over 500 m and reigning indoor rowing world championships bronze medallist Vincent Matz (20min18s) and the Dutchwoman, 2021 European Eights runner-up, Drenth Hermijntje (23min12s) set the benchmark times. Out in 61st position, the 2020 edition winner, crowned with an impressive record in trail running and triathlon, Cédric Fleureton made a fine comeback by setting the 2nd best cycling time behind Maxence Janodet, winner of the climb in 35min11s. He confirmed his good form by smashing the best trail time in 34min49s and crossed the finish line as scratch winner in 1h36min03s. He finished ahead of Will Juillaguet in 1h41min02s, followed by two-time world champion rower Damien Piqueras in 1h48min22s.
Among the women, same story for Laura Deplanche, a member of the French ski mountaineering team, who dug deep to retain her title won in 2020. Out in 29th position from the indoor rowing, Laura shone on the bike by opening up a decisive gap on her pursuers (best time in 40min38s), which allowed her to cross the finish line first in 1h57min26s. Ski mountaineer Margot Ravinel, bronze medallist in the Sprint and Individual ski mountaineering at the 2020 Youth Olympic Games, set the best trail time in 42min48s.
The final podium was completed by Slovakia’s Marianna Jagercikova, world sprint runner-up and bronze medallist in the overall standings of the 2021 ski mountaineering world championships, second in 2h05min24s, and by rower Aurélie Morizot, 4th in the 2021 World Cup in the double sculls in Sabaudia (Italy), 3rd in 2h07min20s.
In the trio teams, Mag Aviron came in force: 2 among the men and 1 women’s team. Mag Aviron 2, represented by Victor Marcelot (2nd in the lightweight men’s quadruple sculls (LM4x) at the European Championships in Varese (ITA) in 2021), Hugo Beurey (3rd in the lightweight men’s quadruple sculls (LM4x) at the European Championship in Lucerne (SUI) in 2019) and Ferdinand Ludwig (2nd in the lightweight men’s quadruple sculls (LM4x) at the European Championships in Varese (ITA)), won in 1h36min54s ahead of the “Ludwig Triolade” team made up of Florian, Fabian and Frédéric Ludwig , second in 1h40min30s. The podium was completed by Louis Bertrand, Thomas Allain and Martin Bertrand (Team Arturo), 3rd in 1h42min11s.
Dutch domination in the women’s trio. Perfectly set on the right track by Drenth Hermijntje in indoor rowing, the team “De Raketten”, completed by Diane Teste (bike) and Marleen Verburgh (trail), won in 2h03min30. The women of “Mag Aviron 3”, Maya and Emma Cornut Danjou and Josephine Cornélis , took the 2nd step in 2h08min37s ahead of the aptly named “La croisière s’amuse” (Alexandra Viboux, Clémentine Garde and Marion Pignot-Dubost), a valiant 3rd in 2h19min50s.
In the Mixed Trio category, the fight was fierce. The podium was separated by less than 3 min. Final victory went to the “Poseurs de Lino” in 1h49min31s with Lise Barra, Vincent Raffault and Pierre Hubert ahead of the “Go Fast” of Maxime Vicot, Clément Assier and Margot Ravinel (1h51min24s). Winners of the Dynastar X3 on 23 May, “Les Catalans” of Marc Romani, Biel Martinez and Julia Garriga completed the podium in 1h52min52s.
Challenge X3 Courchevel 2021
The 2021 X3 Challenge takes into account the combined times of the 2 extraordinary Courchevel triathlons: the Dynastar X3 held on 23 May and the Felt X3 this Sunday 5 August.
Cédric Fleureton and Laura Deplanche emerged as the big winners of this challenge and took the titles of X3 Man and X3 Woman 2021 respectively. They finished ahead of Will Juillaguet and Marianna Jagercikova (second) and Nicolas Raybaud and Christelle Zambon (third).
A memorable success that already makes the organisers want to look ahead to 14 August 2022, the date of the third edition of this extraordinary triathlon!
