Round 4 - DYNAFIT SKI TOURING COURCHEVEL - 1 January 2014

The new year starts with a new provisional record for Valentine Fabre and a win for Pierre François Gachet at the 4th Dynafit Ski Touring Courchevel.

Among the 2014 New Year’s resolutions, many chose the sporty option. Proof of this is New Year’s Day, with 123 people at the 4th stage of the Dynafit Ski Touring Courchevel (DSTC). A year that begins rather well for the organisers of the association “Courchevel Sports Mountaineering” with this record turnout. “Since the launch of the DSTC in December 2010, participation has been constantly growing, and this 4th season we are seeing a real enthusiasm for ski touring. The equipment has evolved considerably and today allows you to climb light but also to enjoy the descents as in alpine skiing,” emphasised Guillaume Prin , president of the association “Courchevel Sports Mountaineering”.

First competition of the year and a new provisional record for Valentine Fabre , member of the French ski mountaineering team and of Chamonix Ski Alpinisme, in 30min38s. The reigning French trail running champion, Stéphanie Duc of the club VO2 La Plagne, took second place in 32min43s and was rewarded with a €500 cheque and Dynafit kit for having set the record at the “Dynafit MOONtain Races Courchevel” this summer in trail running. Meredith Edwards of the US national team completed the podium in 33min59s.

Among the men, Pierre-François Gachet , also a member of the French ski mountaineering team and of the Club Multisports d’Arêches Beaufort, gave himself his first win of the year in 24min39s ahead of Yann Gachet of Chamonix Ski Alpinisme in 26min29s and Tony Portanier of Team Courchevel Sports Mountaineering in 26min48s.

The 2009 trail running world champion, Thomas Lorblanchet of Team Asics, 4-time winner of Les Templiers and 2013 winner of the Carbornis trail, was also there with a fine 20th place in 30min55s. “I am not a great specialist of this discipline, but it is true that it is a good way to prepare for the trail season. The race format of this Dynafit Ski Touring Courchevel is very nice and suits me perfectly because there is nothing to fiddle with and the course really allows a good intensity session,” he told us at the finish.

Many French and foreign holidaymakers were also among the participants. Like Anna Orlova and Dmitry Orlov from Russia, all enjoyed this 3.2 km ski touring course with 500 metres of elevation gain by the light of a headlamp in the middle of the Praz forest.