In less than two weeks, they will be in Chamonix for one of the highlight events on the French and international calendar. And already our headliners are experimenting with their upcoming battle on the trails in the world-renowned Trail Valley of Chamonix Mont-Blanc.
Who will take the title from Francois d’Haene (winner of the 80km in 2013), or from Spaniard Luis Alberto, or from Sweden’s Emelie Forsberg, who were on the top step of the podium in 2014?
Will the record time for the Vertical KM clocked by Kilian Jornet in 2014 of 34’18” be beat in 2015? And who could topple the record for the Mont-Blanc Marathon event?
3rd Edition of the Mont-Blanc 80km: Friday June 26, 2015 – Start at 4am – Limited to 1000 runners – ULTRA in semi-autonomy – Distance of 82km with a combined positive vertical gain and negative drop of 6000m.
In three years this event has become a classic, and not the easiest one either. At altitude this race is unforgiving at the start of the season with snow neves, and fragile legs not yet used to technical terrain.
American runners Dakota Jones and Alex Nicholas, Frenchmen Sebastien Chaigneau and Nicolas Pianet, German Philippe Reiter, Swiss Jules Henri Gabiou or Spaniards Cristofer Clemente and Javier Rodriguez… are each ready for a victory which will inevitably will be tight. For the women the field is comprised of elite athletes such as Amercian Rory Bosio, two-time winner of the UTMB (2013 and 2014), facing China’s Dong Li winner of the TNF 100 Australia in 2015, stage on the UTWT 2015. From the outsiders Virginie Govignon from Francce or Mira Rai from Nepal could surprise us.
The Mont-Blanc 42km race promises suspense! An unusual format (42km) for Xavier Thevenard who is the triple crown winner taking the CCC, UTMB and TDS titles. He will face athletes accustomed to this distance such as Ricky Lighfoot (UK) Trail Running World Champion in 2013, Michel Lanne (FRA), silver medalist in the Skyrunning World Championships in 2014, Sebastien Spehler (FRA) French National Champion in 2013, Max King (USA) 100km World Champion in 2014, and Swiss Marc Lauenstein. For the women a strong battle awaits us with the participation of Stephanie Jimenez (ITA) and Ellie Greenwood (USA).
In the Vertical KM, 10 men count more than 800 points in the ITRA rankings: A good fight is expected between Max King (USA), Aritw Egea Caceres (ESP), Thorbjorn LUdvigsen (NOR), Saul Antonio Padua Rodriguez (COL), Eirik Haugsnes (NOR), Gregory Vollet (FRA), Guillaume Peretti (FRA), Stian Hovind-Angermund (NOR), Pascal Egli (CH), Fabrice Arnaud (FRA), CHistophe Malarde (FRA), and Germain Grangier (FRA). Laura Orgue (ESP) winner in 2014, Antonella COnfortola (ITA), Stephanie JImenez (ITA) are the favorites!
National and International Recognition
Three races of the Mont-Blanc Marathon integrate the Skyrunning competition calendar:
- The Mont-Blanc Marathon is on the Salomon Skyrunner France Series 2015 which is comprised of 6 stages throughout France.
- The Mont-Blanc 80km counts for the Skyrunner® World Series ranking, in the Ultra category
- The Mont-Blanc Vertical KM for the Skyrunning Continental Championships in the VK category.
PROGRAM
Race Bib Pick-Up
Place du Mont-Blanc in Chamonix
| Thursday June 25Friday June 26Saturday June 27
Sunday June 28 |
10:00am – 20:003:00 – 3:30am for the Mont-Blanc 80KM10:00am -20:00 for the other races (end at 15:30 for the Vertical KM)
6:00am – 20:00 (end at 7:30 for the 23km, 9:30 for the mini-cross, 12:30 for the 10KM) 5:00 – 6:30am for the 42km |
18:00 Official athlete presentation
Place du Triangle de l’Amitié
| Thursday June 25 Friday June 26Saturday June 27 | Elite athletes for the Mont-Blanc 80KMElite athletes for the Vertical KMElite athletes for the Mont-Blanc 42KM |
Friday June 26, 2015
Place du Triangle de l’Amitié
| 4:00am2 :00pm4:00pm | Start of the Mont-Blanc 80KMFirst arrivals of the Mont-Blanc 80KMStart of the Vertical KM |
Saturday June 27, 2015
Paragliding Landing Field
| 8:00am10:00am1:00pm | Start of the Mont-Blanc 23KMStart of the Mini-CrossStart of the Mont-Blanc 10KM (in three waves) |
Saturday June 27, 2015
Place du Triangle de l’Amitié
| 7:00am10:30am | Start of the Mont-Blanc 42KMFirst arrivals of the Mont-Blanc 42km (at Planpraz) |
Mont-Blanc Marathon Races
MONT-BLANC 80 KM (3ème edition)
Friday June 26, 2015 start time at 4:00am. Limited to 1000 runners – ULTRA in semi-autonomy. Distance of 76km- 84km with a positive and negative vertical ranging from 6600m to 5880m depending on the route. FULL
Mont-Blanc Marathon (13th edition)
Sunday June 28, 2015 start time at 7:30am. Limited to 2000 runners – Trail in semi-autonomy. Distance of 42km with positive vertical gain of 2722m FULL
Mont-Blanc Cross (37th edition)
Saturday June 27, 2015 – Limited to 1500 runners – Short Trail in semi-autonomy. Distance of 23km with positive vertical gain of 1665m. FULL
Vertical KM (5th edition)
Friday June 26, 2015 start time at 4:00pm- Limited to 500 runners – Time-trial event. Distance of 3.8km with positive vertical gain of 1000m. FULL
Mont-Blanc 10KM (12th edition)
Saturday June 27, 2015 – Initiation to trail running. Distance of 10km with positive and negative vertical of 325m.
Limited to 1500 runners
Mini-Cross (12th edition)
Saturday June 27, 2015 – Races from 800m- 3km for children. Taking place in the Bois du Bouche.
INFO: Marathon Du Mont-Blanc
