ROUND 5 - MILLET SKI TOURING COURCHEVEL - Friday 17 January 2020

Kilian Jornet’s record has fallen!

This Friday 17 January, as a prelude to the Individual event of the French Championships in Courchevel, will be a red-letter day for the Millet Ski Touring. Besides being held at the end of the week, this 5th round was the selection event for French athletes for the rest of the World Cups.

As a result, this evening, named for the occasion “the Chrono des Champions!”, brought together 125 participants, with all the members of the French Ski Mountaineering team present as well as a number of international competitors, including the Swiss Rémi Bonnet, holder of the records for the last 2 editions. After missing by only 4 seconds the event record held by Kilian Jornet (22min01s) since 2015, he had made his intentions clear at the start: the record was going to fall. Axelle Gachet-Mollaret, record winner for the past 3 years, was likewise aiming to beat the women’s best time, held by Laetitia Roux since 2014 at 25min31s.

2 athletes under 22 minutes!

3.2 km with 500 m of elevation gain: for 10 years, thousands of runners have tackled this course between Courchevel Le Praz and Courchevel, which has become legendary, each with different motivations. The most seasoned want to perfect their fitness and adapt their training programme; amateurs find pleasure in a healthy, invigorating sporting activity on a secure track. This 5th round had its share of surprises in store, worthy of Hitchcock’s best scripts. First, snow joined the feast by covering the track just before the race, but conditions proved excellent overall, as the times recorded show. Because of the staggered time-trial starts, the suspense was breathtaking.

First thunderclap: Gédéon Pochat of the “Atmaski / Salomon” team missed the record by a whisker. In 22min02s, he finished a mere second behind Kilian Jornet.

A few moments later, a sensation. 21min37s: the 22-minute wall had fallen. Xavier Gachet of the Arêches-Beaufort Multi Sports club was the 1st ski mountaineer to break that barrier.

2 minutes later, the beam of a head torch appeared at full speed and crossed the finish line. 21min20s: a feat. Rémi Bonnet of the “Salomon / Red Bull” team was true to his word. “I kept my promise; I had said I would come back for the record, and the conditions were really good for a fast time. Everything went well, it’s a good test before the next World Cup. It’s motivating and now I know I can be up at the front with the time I’ve done.” This stage allowed 4 other competitors to go under 23 min: Yoann Sert in 22min16s, Alexis Sevennec in 22min38s, Thibault Anselmet in 22min39s and Valentin Favre in 22min45s.

An international podium among the women

In this wild atmosphere, the women did not spoil the picture. Axelle Gachet-Mollaret set the new season record in 25min45s. “It was very good, with a great glide on the lower part; higher up there was quite a lot of fresh snow so the track was a bit less good, but overall conditions were good this evening. I’ll come back for the event record,” she told us at the finish. The most French of Slovaks, Marianna Jagercikova, licensed with CAF Gap and winner of the extraordinary triathlon “Dynastar X3 Courchevel in 2018”, came second with a time of 27min49s, 5 seconds ahead of the American Sierra Anderson (27min54s), who improved on her initial performance.

In the ESF standings, Alexis Sevennec of ESF Morzine used his 22min38s time to win the round and move into second place in the provisional overall standings behind Joris Perillat Pessey of ESF La Clusaz (22min35s). And among the women instructors, a win for Emily Harrop of ESF La Plagne, who stays top of the overall standings in 28min14s.

Also worth noting is the fine performance of Margot Rivanel, who finished 3rd junior in 31min49s after winning the bronze medal in the Sprint and Individual events and silver in the mixed relay last week at the Youth Olympic Games (YOG) in Lausanne.

After all these feats, the next date is the 6th round of the Millet Ski Touring Courchevel on Wednesday 22 January 2020.


Top 5 provisional overall standings:

Men:
1 Rémi Bonnet: 21min20s
2 Xavier Gachet: 21min37s
3 Gédéon Pochat: 22min02s
4 Yoann Sert: 22min16s
5 Joris Perillat Pessey: 22min34s
6 Alexis Sevennec: 22min38s
7 Thibault Anselmet: 22min38s
8 Valentin Favre: 22min44S
9 William Bon Mardion: 23min00s
10 Samuel Equy: 23min10s

Women:
1 Axelle Gachet-Mollaret: 25min45s
2 Marianna Jagercikova: 27min49s
3 Sierra Anderson: 27min54s
4 Emily Harrop: 28min14s
5 Laura Deplanche: 38min44s
6 Mallaurie Mattana: 28min53s
7 Grace Staberg: 28min56s
8 Sophie Mollard: 28min59s
9 Corinne Favre: 29min02s
10 Julie Roux: 29min13s