ROUND 3 - MILLET SKI TOURING COURCHEVEL - Wednesday 13 and Saturday 16 January 2021

Italy takes the lead in the 2021 Millet Ski Touring Courchevel!

Because of the lack of snow, the Millet Ski Touring Courchevel ski touring course had to be re-covered with snow at the start of the week, with the help of the Courchevel Town Hall services and the Société des 3 Vallées, so that ski tourers could contest the 3rd round of the season (Wednesday 13 and Saturday 16 January) on a well-prepared track. A good base layer was put down before the snowfall of late Tuesday 12 January. Ideal conditions were there on Wednesday 13 January for the first day of this “new-look” 3rd round of the MSTC. After a total of 40 cm of fresh snow fell overnight and the snowcat passed at dawn, the track was perfect and conducive to remarkable performances.

After a quick recce of the 3.2 km and 500 m of elevation gain of this Vertical Race course between Courchevel Le Praz and Courchevel, on which they had already shone in 2014 at the Courchevel Ski Mountaineering World Cup, the eagerly awaited members of the Italian national team Michele Boscacci and Alba De Silvestro went to the start with the best of intentions. 22min11s later, the verdict was in for Michele, who took the lead in the provisional 2021 overall standings and became the best Italian on this legendary course by setting the 6th fastest time in 10 years. Alba De Silvestro was not to be outdone. With a climb of 27min12s, she achieved the same feats as her partner: the 6th best women’s performance in 10 years and the lead in the provisional overall standings of this 11th season.

Yet nothing was settled on this 1st day. Holder of the 5th best time of the event in 22min07s, Yoann Sert, a member of the French ski mountaineering team, had the assets to upset the Azzurri’s ambitions. With a time of 23min26s on his 1st climb of the season, he took second place on the podium and 3rd position in the provisional 2021 overall standings. There is no doubt he will not stop there before the end of the season. To complete this very international podium, the Briton Simon Twigge set the best time on Saturday in 27min11s, which propelled him onto the 3rd step.

Among the women, behind Alba, untouchable in this 3rd round, Lucille Germain, a member of the French mountain running team (elite Trail vice-champion in 2019, 21st at the Trail World Championships and 2019 team Trail world champion) pulled off a double. On Saturday 16 January, among hundreds of tourers who had come to enjoy exceptional conditions, she set the 2nd time of the round in 32min56s, adding 3rd place in the provisional overall standings of the 2021 MSTC. She finished ahead of Caroline Rainieri who, in 36min21s, took her second consecutive podium.

A thrilling 4th round, with the prize-giving for the 10th season as a reward on Saturday 23 January.

The prize-giving for the 2020 season of the Millet Ski Touring, originally planned for 18 March 2020 with the concert by Shy’m but cancelled because of the lockdown, will take place on Saturday 23 January 2021 from 3 pm at the end of the 4th round of the MSTC. It will be held behind closed doors in the Facim hall with all the winners and hosted by Ludovic Collet, assisted by the famous sports journalist Nelson Monfort, patron of the race.

The ceremony will be broadcast live on the Courchevel Sports Outdoor Facebook page.

A celebration that will make the 4th round of this season very exciting, to be held on Wednesday 20 and Saturday 23 January from 10 am to 3 pm, with all the 2020 winners taking part on the second day of racing. Great suspense is in prospect, and perhaps new records.

Next dates: Round 4: Wednesday 20 January and Saturday 23 January from 10 am to 3 pm