Millet XTrail Courchevel 2023: record participation
A record turnout for the Millet XTrail Courchevel 2023
A record turnout for the Millet XTrail Courchevel 2023
A record turnout, including 18 nationalities, was recorded at this 2023 edition of the Millet XTrail Courchevel, with nearly 1,000 competitors at the start on Sunday 23 July. It must be said that the “Find your limit” concept offered by the organising club Courchevel Sports Outdoor is very appealing. Unique in France, all participants pay the same registration fee and start together in a pack at 5.30 am. During the race, on reaching the various cut-off points, the trail runners choose their course from among the 6 distances on offer (11, 22, 33, 44, 55 and 66 km). In the end, participants are refunded according to the distance covered.
32 finishers on the 66 km, with Théo Le Boudec and Claire Pérégo the big winners
While the first cut-off times seem easy to meet, like the 1st one, located at 4.9 km after around an hour of racing, things get gradually harder for the following ones, especially the last, set at kilometre 55 at 2.30 pm, i.e. after 9 hours of racing. One last loop to cover to reach the 66 km after tackling 3,510 m of elevation gain and loss: tough, tough!
A historic first: 2 women completed the 66 km (4,110 m of elevation gain and loss). Arriving first at the 55 km in 8h42min51s, Claire Pérégo set off on the final 11 kilometres with almost 6 minutes in hand over Ekaterina Hiol (8h49min24s). She made that lead count to take the women’s XTrailer 2023 title in 10h35min10s ahead of Ekaterina Hiol (10h41min07s). Missing the 66 km cut-off by only 5 minutes, Souadia Blain nevertheless finished 3rd on the 55 km (9h05min36s).
5th last year on the 55 km, Théo Le Boudec (Altra Running), in the middle of his UTMB preparation, won the 55 km (6h28min19s) and took the XTrailer 2023 title by completing the 66 km in 7h43min36s. “This is a race that was really close to my heart; I’ve stepped up a level since last year, when I managed it badly. Since then I have won the 105 km of the Templiers trail and the Istria 100 by UTMB in Croatia. Right after that, I had a moment of euphoria, and it wasn’t going at all well, with quite a lot of stress. Today it was really the race I needed to confirm things. As for the time, I’m really happy.”
Pierre Rivet, representing the partner company Millet, also did the double with second place on the 55 km (6h45min25s) and on the 66 km in 8h18min57s. Jérémy Yvinec of team Snowshoes 05 took third place on both distances, including a time of 8h30min49s on the 66 km (6h56min23s on the 55 km). “I’m preparing for the OCC at the end of August. The Millet XTrail Courchevel is still the best thing, with the choice of distances. On the last loop of the 66, I was completely spent, I took it easy.”
Back at the top for Dawa Dachhiri Sherpa.
After winning the 54 km of the Courchevel XTrail in 2012, the Nepalese legend Dawa Dachhiri Sherpa was at the start again. Over the 44 km (2,830 m of elevation gain and loss), in 5h25min12s, he finished in 1st place hand in hand with Geoffrey Cholley. Grégoire Deswarte completed the podium in 5h29min13s. Among the women, the 44 km victory went to Chloé Souvigne (6h43min23s) ahead of Tiffany Prinz (6h52min42s) and Sophie Rousseaux (7h28min23s).
Records broken on the 33 km (2,160 m of elevation gain and loss)
Gabriel Sintes smashed the record on the 33 km in 3h34min08s, as did Emily Chedal, the winner in 4h56min15s. Second places went to Quentin Rey (3h37min08s) and local runner Lola Even (5h03min59s). On the third step we find Florie Clément (5h38min21s) and Léo Philibert (4h03min06s), the latter surprised to be on the 33 km podium: “I had set off for the 22 km and, when I reached the 22 km split, I didn’t see the sign because the marshal was right in front of it. In the end I got to discover the landscapes, which were magnificent. Finishing third is great.”
Two Koh Lanta adventurers at the finish of the 22 km (1,580 m of elevation gain and loss)
The verdict is in for Héléna Roosen, winner of the obstacle course on Koh Lanta, broadcast this spring. She took a creditable 7th place in 3h43min17s. “I had come to check out the course at the end of June and I was aiming for the 33 or 44 km, but on reaching the 22 km split I could no longer eat properly. I decided to put my indicator on and, in the end, I’m very happy because I couldn’t have gone any further this time. I’m going to keep training to come back stronger next year.” Alongside her was also the former international footballer Julie Debever, a finalist of this 2023 edition of Koh Lanta, who fell at the orienteering challenge. She completed her very first trail race in 5h32min55s.
On the women’s 22 km podium, Lise Delacroix won, with a new record in 3h02min49s. She finished ahead of Constance Ingles (3h22min58s) and Irène Barbier (3h23min04s). Among the men, a great performance from the junior Pierre Pollet, in the middle of his preparation for the YCC (Youth Chamonix Courmayeur). After arriving in the lead at the col de la Chal, he took the title in 2h22min20s ahead of Guillaume Gaune, credited with a time of 2h39min45s after a fine battle with Axel Mulin, third in 2h40min42s.
An Ultra Trail-style start for the 11 km
Experiencing an Ultra Trail start, with all the compulsory kit and by the light of a head torch at 5.30 am among a thousand participants, for an 11 km race: it is possible at Courchevel. An unforgettable memory for the 64 finishers, among them the Mexican Antonio Rodriguez, who brought up the rear in 2h31min46s.
On this short but technical format with 630 m of elevation gain and loss, Cédric Dupuy, a member of the Laneuville-Devant-Nancy triathlon club, won in 58min50s ahead of Anthony Dominique (1h01min14s) and Robin Eyraud-Michelet (1h08min06s). Among the women, Adèle Martin made the difference in 1h21min32s ahead of Tara Mohri-Cotti (1h27min19s) and Margot Baheu (1h29min37s).
