ACT 8 - MILLET SKI TOURING COURCHEVEL - Wednesday 5 February 2020

Alice Niemaz Portanier and Rémi Berchet, winners of the 8th round of the Millet Ski Touring 2020

Perfect conditions awaited the 100 ski mountaineers at the start of this 8th round of the Millet Ski Touring Courchevel, a straight climb of 3.2 km with 500 m of elevation gain between Le Praz and Courchevel 1850. This Vertical Race event, run as a time trial, allows the less experienced to rub shoulders with the elites and the informed amateurs of the discipline. For 10 years now, this ritual has allowed beginners, who start first, to climb calmly at their own pace without the stress of being dropped at the back of the pack, and the best to have hares to push them beyond their limits. At the finish, the competitors end up relatively bunched before heading to the aid station and enjoying the good soup from the cauldron.

For this stage, Rémi Berchet, already winner of the 5th round, improved his initial time with 24min03s. He finished ahead of Arnaud Mazet, who is playing a superb “Poulidor”, finishing second for the third consecutive time in 24min28s. Jean-Baptiste Bal in 26min32s completed the podium. In the women’s race, a day of glory for Alice Niemaz Portanier of Courchevel Sports Outdoor, winner in 31min29s ahead of Patricia Serda (32min36s) and Sabine Morand (35min49s).

The provisional overall standings show no notable change: Rémi Bonnet in 21min20s and Axelle Gachet-Mollaret in 25min45 keep the lead.

In the ESF challenge, Armelle Favre of the ESF Pralognan recorded her 2nd victory in 36min59s and in the men’s race, Adrien Mollier of the ESF Notre Dame de Bellecombe won in 28min56s.

3615 code MSTC

There was a time, not so long ago, when typing this code on a Minitel might have led you to Roland Claude Durand Terrasson, manager of the radio station R’Courchevel, a keen competitor who, for the second time running, clocked 36min15s. In the 3615 series we also find Robert Petitjean, head of the ONF in Courchevel, who made his first climb with the same time. They are preceded by Laurent Vially, a loyal follower of the race (he has taken part in every round since 2018), who set his personal best in 35min54s. Also worth noting is the performance of Stéphane Pétracin, head of the resort’s Municipal Police, who, for his first time of the season, completed the course in 47min06s, earning a silver medal.

With the arrival of the February holidays, the number of participants will rise noticeably over the coming rounds. Before the grand fancy-dress final scheduled for Wednesday 18 March, followed by an exceptional concert with Shy’m to celebrate the 10th anniversary of this competition, the organisers are cooking up some fine surprises. Among these highlights, make a note of Wednesday 4 March, the 12th round, with the presence of the famous sports journalist and patron of the race, Nelson Monfort, who will host the prize-giving and hand out many signed prizes to the participants.