Round 14 - DYNAFIT SKI TOURING COURCHEVEL - 5 March 2014

The 14th stage of the Dynafit Ski Touring Courchevel for Jérémie Gachet and Elisa Gayet.

With 4 weeks to go before the final of the Dynafit Ski Touring Courchevel (DSTC) on 26 March, the opportunities to come and set a time or improve your record are starting to dwindle. That is why on this Wednesday 5 March, ski mountaineering amateurs and enthusiasts turned out in force, with 133 participants on the start line. After the 3.2 km and 500 m of elevation gain of this time-trial course, it was Jérémie Gachet who set the best climb in 25min19s. Winner of the Run and Skate in Chamonix in cross-country skiing and trail running three days earlier, Jérémie is in full preparation for the mountain triathlon (cycling, trail running and ski mountaineering) “Dynafit X3 Courchevel”, to be held on 20 April. Steeve Dobert took 2nd place on the podium of this 14th climb in 26min47s ahead of François Xavier Girardo, who completed the podium in 27min05s. Cédric Cunin, instructor at ESF Courchevel 1850, finished just off the podium in 27min33s and set the best time of the evening for the ESF challenge standings.

Among the women, Elisa Gayet, a member of the French team, won this 14th stage in 31min16s, improving on the time she had set at the Courchevel Ski Mountaineering World Cup. Caroline Freslon Bette came second in 32min49s, a few seconds ahead of Justine Tonso, who finished in 32min56s.
In the ESF challenge among the women instructors, Pauline Caillet of ESF Courchevel 1850 won once again in 35min15s.

Note the fine performances of Paul Richoux, director of ESF Courchevel 1650, who managed for the first time this season to go under the 30-minute mark with a time of 29min37s, and of Philippe Mugnier, who after many climbs managed to improve his record to 40min35s. Malo Lions, born in 2002, with a time of 36min59s, achieved the feat of the evening by setting a new record in the benjamin category.

For this 14th stage, the Courchevel guides were also on the course to help beginners on a voluntary basis, and will be there again for the last 3 stages to advise those less experienced in ski touring.

At the prize-giving, the competitors had the surprise of being congratulated by telephone by the famous sports journalist Nelson Monfort, who had just returned from the Sochi Olympic Games. A fine evening that closed with an oyster tasting offered by James Baron, who came from the Île de Ré.

For the 15th stage of the DSTC on Wednesday 12 March, the start will be at 6.30 pm instead of 6 pm, and registration will take place at the start of the race from 5.30 pm to 6.15 pm.