HOKA XTrail COURCHEVEL 2022
Aurélien Dunand-Pallaz takes the XTrailer 2022 title
The Hoka XTrail Courchevel 2022 shakes up the rules!
After several years of thought within the organising team of the Courchevel Sports Outdoor club, a new race format was born this Sunday 24 July at the Hoka XTrail Courchevel, with the “Find your limit” concept. Unique in France, 6 distances were offered (11, 22, 33, 44, 55 and 66 km) with a single registration fee and a single start at 5.30 am by headtorch light. Nearly 500 competitors set off from Courchevel Le Praz. On reaching the various cut-off times along the course, each of them was offered the choice of distance. At the checkpoints, the runner had the possibility to continue on the longer distance or switch to the shorter course. A trail runner arriving after the cut-off was automatically directed to the shorter course. Once across the finish line, participants are refunded pro rata to the distance covered.
In the end only 13 will remain!
This concept energised the race from the very first kilometres for runners aiming for the short distances, while keeping enormous suspense for those who had decided to commit to the long hours and win the title of “XTrailer 2022” by crossing the 7 passes and climbing the 4,100 m of elevation gain of the 66 km. Strategy and physical fitness were essential for the contenders for the various podiums. At any moment, these specialists of the discipline had a choice of destiny, an innovative format that allowed most participants to find their limit and ease into Ultra Trail gently, amid exceptional landscapes including a section in the Vanoise National Park.
11 km: victory for Audrey Delaye and Théo Bourgeois
The dawn start under a magnificent starry sky, followed by a beautiful sunny and hot day, delighted the whole pack, who were able to enjoy the various panoramas of this trail race, ranked among the most beautiful in France. Winner in Courchevel of the XTrail 54 km in 2017, 2018 French long-distance Trail champion Aurélien Dunand-Pallaz, also winner of the Transgrancanaria (128 km) and runner-up in the UTMB (170 km) in 2021, set off very strongly in the wake of Sébastien Fayolle. As they reached the summit of the Dent du Villard, the first major difficulty of the day at 10.9 km from the start, the first finishers of the 11 km were completing their race.
The young hope Théo Bourgeois of the Brooks Trail Runne team won in 53min07s ahead of Edgar Cognaud (59min45s) and the local of the day Mickaël Chapuis (1h11min14s). Among the women, Audrey Delaye took victory in 1h10min32s followed by Lucie Boisier in 1h13min24s despite good resistance from Juliette Gente in 1h14min02s.
Dixandra Magisson and Sébastien Fayolle win the 22 km
Having arrived at the second cut-off at the Col de la Chal (11.7 km), Sébastien Fayolle (Terre de Running Albertville) surged ahead on the 22 km course and won in 2h16min34s ahead of Pierre Paym (2h22min25s) and Louis Travaillot (2h24min28s).
Back in competition after injury, Dixandra Magisson won in 3h07min26s ahead of Marie-Xaviere Saffre (3h37min54s) and Aline Olgard (3h48min12s).
Héloise Péricarde and Jonas Forot in charge on the 33 km
Following a course error, Aurélien Dunad-Pallaz fell 8 minutes behind the American David Hedges at the foot of the Aiguille de Mey (19 km). At the same time, the 33 km competitors jostled at the finish. It was in a sprint that Jonas Forot (3h57min12s) beat Thomas Pituello (3h57min22s). Clément Jeannin completed the podium in 4h14min34s.
Among the women, Héloise Péricarde took a fine victory in 5h34min43sec ahead of Charlotte Campanella 5h37min55s and Gwenaelle Gaudillère Le Dain (5h43min56s).
Oana Mihalcea and Clément Allard on top on the 44 km
Back at the Grand Plan refuge after passing through the Col du Râteau (alt. 2,688 m), Aurélien Dunand-Pallaz continued his comeback with the gap reduced to 4 minutes on David Hedges. While a frantic return on the 55 km began for the 2 men, the 44 km runners were announced. Clément Allard won ahead of Nicolas Georg (6h03min36s) and Bruno Goddin (6h07min30s).
Among the women, a big performance from the Romanian Oana Mihalcea (Uglow Sport France), who, in 5h55min09s, won with the 2nd best overall time. She finished ahead of Coline Pasteur (6h58min36s) and Adèle Hadjali (7h04min16s).
The holy grail for Léa Germain and Aurélien Dunand-Pallaz on the 55 km
After 6h14min40s of racing, Aurélien Dunand-Pallaz took victory in the 55 km with a little under 4 minutes' lead over David Hedges (6h18min05s). The Colombian John Barrera, in full preparation for the UTMB like his 2 predecessors, could have continued on the last 11 km loop to compete for the 66 km podium but, after suffering some stomach problems after 20 km, preferred to stop at the 55 km line, taking third position (6h50min29s). A very international group of finishers, with 4th place going to the Belgian Guillaume Deneffe (6h51min22s). Among the women trail runners, Léa Germain made the difference in 9h09min54s ahead of Lucile Magnaldo ((9h36min07s) and Carole Millet (9h49min115s).
Aurélien Dunand-Pallaz takes the XTrailer 2022 title
For the 66 km, the journey ended with the women. Only 13 men earned the title of “Finisher”. The American David Hedges never gave up and put the watts down. He made up part of his deficit but in the end he was 1min20s short. Aurélien Dunand-Pallaz took the XTrailer 2022 title in 7h31min42s. David Hedges finished with silver in 7h33min03s. Without disgracing himself, Olivier Jouffrey took bronze in 9h54min. A fine success and very positive feedback at the end of the inauguration of this new concept, with a fine field and very good reference times.
