Round 7 - DYNAFIT SKI TOURING COURCHEVEL - 22 January 2014

Kilian Jornet wins the 7th stage of the Dynafit Ski Touring Courchevel.

Three days before the second stage of the Ski Mountaineering World Cup, to be held in Courchevel on 25 and 26 January, a few international athletes present in the resort took advantage of this 7th stage of the Dynafit Ski Touring Courchevel (DSTC) to scout the course, which will be identical on Sunday for the “Vertical Race” event of the Ski Mountaineering World Cup and the Open Millet French Cup.

After winning the “Individual” event last Saturday at the first stage of the Ski Mountaineering World Cup in Verbier, the Catalan Kilian Jornet gave no chance to the 89 competitors entered on this 3.2 km climb with 500 m of elevation gain. “A few days before the World Cup, I didn’t want to go for the record tonight. I kept something in reserve for this weekend,” he told us with a smile after crossing the finish line. Théo Dague of Caf Annecy Compétition finished second in 25min44s, a few seconds ahead of Tony Portanier of the club “Courchevel Sports Mountaineering” in 25min56s.

Spanish athletes also took the two top steps of the women’s podium, with Claudia Galicia dominating the event in 29min25s ahead of Marta Riba in 30min17s, leaving Séverine Rizza (36min26s) behind.

In the ESF challenge, Tony Portanier of ESF Courchevel 1550 won in 25min56 followed by Michel Sibuet Becquet of ESF Les Saisies in 28min14s and Nicolas Mater of ESF Courchevel 1550.
Among the female instructors, Pauline Caillet of ESF Courchevel 1850 made the best climb in 37min52s ahead of Angele Clavet of ESF Courchevel 1550 (40min29s) and Pauline Le Roux of ESF Courchevel 1650 (40min48s).

This 7th DSTC was also an opportunity for many competitors entered in the Open Millet French Cup, which will take place this weekend on the same courses as the World Cup, to do a last intensity session before D-day. The Sunday “Vertical Race” event is open to all and will count towards the overall standings of the DSTC 2014. Online registration is open until Thursday 23 January at 7 pm. There will be no registration on site.

To come and cheer on the runners throughout the World Cup weekend, the Société des Trois Vallées offers all spectators free access to the Verdons gondola from 8 am to 9 am on Saturday to reach the start and finish of the “Individual” event, then to the Saulire cable car from 9 am to 10 am to follow the race that will wind through the couloirs between La Saulire and the Rocher de la Loze.
For the “Vertical Race” event, access to the Le Praz gondola will be free from 9 am to 1 pm on Sunday.