Round 13 - MILLET SKI TOURING COURCHEVEL - Wednesday 5 March 2025

Fatal Bazooka & Friends will bring the heavy artillery to close the 15th Millet Ski Touring Courchevel

From Sunday 15 December, on the occasion of the World Cup, followed by the Wednesdays from 18 December to 5 March, ski mountaineers have strapped on their touring skis to climb the 3.2 km ascent and 500 m of elevation gain separating Le Praz from La Croisette in Courchevel. The best specialists in the discipline rubbed shoulders to try to beat the race record or fine-tune their training, culminating in the grand finale on Monday 10 March 2025.

The evening will begin at 6 pm with more than 700 costumed participants, a majestic spectacle that you can follow all the way to the finish in Courchevel 1850 by taking advantage of the Praz ski lift, free for the event, which will bring you back to the concert hall in the l’Envolée gymnasium at the foot of the Olympic Ski Jumps. From 8 pm, a buffet will be offered to competitors, alongside the prize-giving ceremony. The concert is scheduled to start at 9 pm.

After Compagnie Créole, Patrick Sébastien, Émile et Images, Magic System, the concert by Shy’m cancelled because of covid, Keen’V, Louis Bertignac, Tryo, Deluxe, it will be the turn of Fatal Bazooka & Friends to set the place on fire with Michaël Youn at the helm, accompanied by his Morning Live sidekicks Benjamin Morgaine and Vincent Desagnat, not forgetting Big Ali, PZK and plenty of surprises. Already billed as “Sold out”, this evening promises to be ultra festive, but above all: Fous ta Cagoule!

Participation record for the penultimate round

After the steady rise in participant numbers over previous stages, a new attendance record was set this Wednesday 5 March for the 13th and penultimate round, with 248 ski mountaineers on the start line. This week of costumes, which began the day before, continued with this “Mercredi-Gras” Dynastar special. Eric Dancre, dressed as a hunter, was the lucky winner of a pair of skis from the same brand in a prize draw.

A large delegation of our Belgian friends turned up, with 34 competitors at the start. The overall wins went to Jean Buys in 31min16s and Jules De Witte in 49min03s. Since the start of the season, 74 athletes from this nation have been ranked in the MSTC. Before the last stage, pole position in the Belgian provisional overall standings belongs to 2025 Vertical Race vice-world champion Maximilien Drion Du Chapois. With a time of 21min46s, he sits in 5th place in the MSTC provisional overall standings, a performance achieved during the World Cup.

Sophie Mollard and Eliott Robin-Saje open their accounts

With a time of 23min32s, Eliott Robin-Saje, a member of Maurienne Ski Alpinisme, wins this 13th round in 23min32s ahead of 2024 TDS winner Thibault Marquet (24min03s). Antonin Therond of the Scott team completes the podium in 25min06s. The places of honour go to Jules Creuzet (CMSAB) 4th in 25min41s followed by Jordan Jaffry (BGSA) 5th in 26min02s.

Among the women, Sophie Mollard (CMSAB) won in 29min26s. On her first climb of the season, Corinne Favre, runner-up in the MSTC in 2012, 2015 and 2017, takes a creditable second place in 30min15s. Clémence David of Valmorel recorded a time of 30min30s for her 3rd podium of the season. She finished ahead of Spaniard Lula Martinez Perez, 4th in 31min04s.

The 2025 Vertical Race world champions will be at the finale

After taking the women’s and men’s world ski mountaineering titles in the Vertical Race this Tuesday 4 March in Morgins, Switzerland, Axelle Gachet Mollaret and Swiss runner Rémi Bonnet will be on the start line of the Millet Ski Touring Courchevel finale on Monday 10 March.

This will be the 8th triumph for Axelle and the 5th for Rémi, performances all the more commendable given that records fell this year. All of this season 15's winners will be given an ovation at the prize-giving ceremony hosted by Ludovic Collet.

Next date: Millet Ski Touring Courchevel costume finale on Monday 10 March 2025