ROUND 10 - MILLET SKI TOURING COURCHEVEL - Wednesday 3 and Saturday 6 March 2021
The Raymond and René Millet 2021 trophy will be presented to the winners of season 11 of the Millet Ski Touring Courchevel on 21 March 2021
The Raymond and René Millet 2021 trophy will be presented to the winners of season 11 of the Millet Ski Touring Courchevel on 21 March 2021
This 10th round of the Millet Ski Touring on Wednesday 3 and Saturday 6 March was marked by the centenary of the partner brand “ Millet ”. This company, founded by Raymond and René Millet, specialising in mountain clothing and equipment, has contributed greatly to the growth of the Millet Ski Touring Courchevel (MSTC), a Vertical Race competition that has become the benchmark in the world of ski mountaineering. In tribute to the founders, a crystal trophy engraved with their likenesses is awarded each season to the male and female winners, along with prize money of €2,000. This year, they will be awarded on 21 March at the prize-giving ceremony, held behind closed doors with only the winners present and hosted by singer Keen’V and Ludovic Collet from 4.30 pm. The event will be broadcast live on the Courchevel Sports Outdoor Facebook page.
Dawa Sherpa will take part in the Millet Everest challenge
To immortalise this 11th season, the organisers have cooked up a tailor-made final to comply with health regulations. The Millet Everest challenge will be its highlight. A limited number of athletes, pre-selected on the basis of the Millet 3000 Challenge, will be at the start on 20 and 21 March. This Millet 3000 Challenge, set up mid-season alongside the MSTC and held every Wednesday and Saturday from 10 am to 3 pm, consists of completing 6 climbs as fast as possible during the 5 hours of that time slot on the 3.2 km, 500 m elevation gain course. In the end, on Saturday 13 March, the 60 best men and 10 best women will be selected for the Millet Everest. This final will consist of completing over the 2 days 9,000 m of elevation gain on the MSTC course, i.e. 18 climbs (57.6 km / 9,000 m of elevation gain), to reach the altitude of the summit of Everest (8,849 m) starting from sea level, as quickly as possible (only the climbs will be timed within the allotted time).
Dawa Sherpa, Nepal’s most famous athlete, who in a few years has become one of the best ultra-distance runners after winning hundreds of races including the legendary UTMB, as well as competing three times at the Olympics in cross-country skiing, will be present to hand the official diploma to all finishers of the challenge. He will also add his name to the standings of the legendary MSTC by taking part in the final on Sunday 21 March alongside Keen’V between 10 am and 3 pm. In the current context, the organisation has exceptionally decided that the 2021 final will not be fancy dress, since spectators will not be allowed.
Corinne Favre and Sébastien Fayolle win the 10th round
Another great round and some lovely surprises with the presence of trail runners Yoann Stuck , who was doing his first ski touring competition (23rd in the round in 33min43s), as well as the Moroccan record holder for the climb of Toubkal in the Atlas, Abderrahim Kemmissa (7th in 20min10). Both now enter the circle of pre-qualified athletes for the Millet Everest.
Since her first MSTC in January 2012, Corinne Favre, reigning Master ski mountaineering World Champion, won her 24th round by setting her best time of the season in 29min28s, which brought an 8th place in the provisional overall standings. She finished ahead of Véronique Lathuraz (30min43s) and 2019 Hoka XTrail 11 km winner Faustine Novelli (37min41s).
Among the men, after 2 second places, Sébastien Fayolle climbed onto the top step of the podium in 24min28s, a performance that lets him join the top 10 of the provisional men’s overall standings. He won ahead of David Poncet (26min42s) and Gilles Isner (27min22s), who also set their best performances of the season.
The last two rounds will be decisive with the return of the world elite of the discipline, including the brand-new ski mountaineering World Champions from Andorra: Axelle Gachet-Mollaret, double gold medallist (Vertical Race and Individual) and four-time winner of the latest MSTC editions, as well as Switzerland’s Rémi Bonnet, current MSTC record holder in 21min20s and winner of the event for 3 years.
Next dates: Round 11: Wednesday 10 and Saturday 13 March from 10 am to 3 pm
