Round 9 - MILLET SKI TOURING COURCHEVEL - Wednesday 5 February 2025

The Millet Ski Touring Courchevel in the spotlight 

This Wednesday 5 February, the presenter of the programme “Echappée Belle”, Sophie Jovillard and her production team came to film a report on the Millet Ski Touring Courchevel, which will be broadcast on France 5 in a few months. For the occasion, Armand Favre, a former ESF ski instructor in Courchevel and a joiner by trade, wore bib no. 1. With 4 Pierra Menta races to his name and aged 72, he completed the course in 55min45s. He won the ESF “La Trace de Bronze” medal in front of the youngest participant, Louis Dara Phath Watteau , who, at the age of 10, leaves with the Vermeil medal in 42min46s.

A lovely surprise awaited the 118 ski mountaineers registered for this 9th round at the finish, the start of which was given by Sophie Jovillard. Indeed, Nathalie Langeard and Gilles Poirier had swapped their touring skis for kitchen spatulas to make delicious Candlemas crêpes.

Lucille Germain at the door of the top 5 

Just 2 small seconds short of the top 5, 2024 Madeira Skyrace winner Lucille Germain, a ski instructor at ESF Champagny en Vanoise, won the round with a new personal best of 26min32s. A cracking time that puts her in 6th place in the provisional overall standings and gives her the 3rd best French performance behind Axelle Gachet Mollaret who leads the race in 25min30s and Emily Harrop, second in 25min42s.

On her first climb of the season, Clémence David of Valmorel pulled off a masterstroke with the 2nd step of the podium in 30min18s. Géraldine Bau confirms her steady progress with a time of 31min07s, good for 3rd place.

Hugo Carcey Collet at the top of the podium.

After a 3.2 km climb with 500 m of elevation gain, Hugo Carcey Collet crossed the finish line on the Courchevel 1850 snow front in 23min54s and won the stage. He finished ahead of 2 trail running specialists: Loïc Robert, 2023 French Trail Running vice-champion and 2022 Skyrunning winner, second in 25min02s, and Rémi Berchet, 5th at the 2023 Grand Raid de la Réunion, third in 25min02s.

The fine performance of Himalayan climber Jonathan Lamyis worth noting. With 5 summits above 8,000 m to his name (Everest twice, Lhotse, Manaslu, Makalu and Annapurna), he finished just off the podium with a new personal best of 26min32s.

3rd full moon of the season on the programme next week.

The full moon will be on the menu on Wednesday 12 February for the 3rd Plum special of the season, which will take place on the official MSTC course, with a pair of Plum R120 bindings to be won in a prize draw among all participants.

Currently leading the World Cup overall standings with 8 podiums including 3 gold medals in the Sprint, Emily Harrop, a member of the organising club Courchevel Sports Outdoor, will be on the start line of the 10th round.

The end of the season promises to be thrilling. Swiss runners Rémi Bonnet, holder of the race record in 19min47s, and Aurélien Gay, second in the 2025 provisional overall standings, will be present for the grand costume finale scheduled for Monday 10 March with the exceptional concert by Fatal Bazooka and Friends. Between now and then, there are 4 rounds left that could shake up the overall standings. 

Next date: Millet Ski Touring Courchevel on Wednesday 12 February 2025