On the last weekend in May, some of the best trail runners in the world will compete in the Ultra-Race (110 km 7 000 m+, 30 h max.) around lake Annecy, inaugurating the new route of the Salomon Gore-Tex®MaXi-Race. With an impressive international line-up, the race is set to be of a very high calibre and full of surprises.
This new trail follows the now legendary original MaXi-Race (83 km) route, location of the 2015 World Championships, extended with a brutal, technical 30km section in the alpine pastures of the Massif des Bauges Regional Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Ultra-Race has all the makings of a high level long-distance mountain trail, set to become a key international date for the spring season.
France will be represented by François D’Haene, multiple winner of the UTMB® and the Grand Raid de la Réunion, record-holder in the GR20, 1st winner of the Ultra-Trail® World Tour (UTWT) in 2015, (921 ITRA index) and Caroline Chaverot (804 ITRA index), winner of the 2016 UTMB®, 2016 Trail World Champion (TWC) and 2016 UTWT.
Alongside them will be a selection of the best runners in the world, with in the men’s category, Gediminas Grinius (Lithuania) 2nd in the UTMB and winner of the 2016 UTWT (890 ITRA index), and the Americans Dakota Jones, winner of the NF San Francisco and the Transvulcania (906 ITRA index) and Courtney Dauwalter, winner of the 2016 Javelina Hundred and Run Rabbit (750 ITRA index). Iain Don Wauchope (South Africa), winner of the Skyrun & African Otter Trail (871 ITRA index) and Julien Navarro (FR) (846 ITRA index), winner of the Grand Raid des Pyrénées are also contenders for the podium.
The competition amongst the ladies will be just as fierce, with Andrea Huser (Switzerland) 2nd in the UTMB® and the UTWT in 2016 and the 2017 Transgrancanaria (777 ITRA index) in stiff competition with Caroline Chaverot.. Mira Rai (Nepal), 2nd in the Ultra Pyrénéu and the Tromso Skyrace (773 ITRA index) and Francesca Canepa of Italy, winner of the Tor des Géants (757 ITRA index) will be strong outsiders!
And in the MaXi-Race (83 km, 5 200 m+) : Roberto Gil, Mathias Mouchart, Nicolas Duhail, Rémi Berchet, Donatello Rota, Sandrine Etienne, etc. In the Marathon-Race (42 km, 2 800 m+) : Robin Cattet, Benjamin Duffus, Clément Rippol, Clément Molliet, Michel Rabat, Mickael Pasero, Regis Durand, etc.
One finish line for the elite up front and the thousands of amateurs following!
The first runners will cross the finish line of the MaXi-Race (83 km) on Saturday 27 May from 1.30pm, followed by the first finishers of the 110km. Over two days, with more than 10 different races, around 7000 amateurs from 44 countries will pass through the arch at the finish line. For all participants, it will be a chance to surpass themselves physically, but above all to enjoy the event with friends, with family or as a personal challenge.
Notably, two brothers, Antoine, 25, and Romain, 29, are registered for the Ultra-Race, their first ever endurance race. With some experience, mostly in marathons, their goal is to surpass themselves and enjoy a unique outdoor experiene, without forgetting the most important thing: to finish the race side by side.
“It will also be an opportunity to spend time together,” says Jean-François of Brittany, who will be joined by a group of 15 friends in the Ultra-Race. “Brittany will be well represented!”
Franck, 51, is a veteran of the key trail races: a finisher at the 2012 TDS®, the 2014 Échappée Belle, the 2015 UTMB® and the 2016 UT4M. Since quitting his 2 packs a day smoking habit and losing 12 kg, he has no fewer than 510 races under his belt! Part of team Intersport Besançon for the last 5 years, he is an inspiration for his friends and family. He says, “My passion, the races and epic adventures have inspired many of my friends and colleagues to start exercising again and stop smoking!”
Laure, 47, married with 3 children (17, 15 and 7), started running 18 years ago, after quitting smoking. She started out with short distances on the road, followed by a marathon, and 5 years ago, took up trail running. First 15 km, then 20km, then 30km, and last year she ran the Aubrac 56 km, her first long distance race. “Unforgettable experiences!!!” she exclaims. As a nurse, Laure sees a lot of illness, suffering and death and “trail running allows me an escape and to clear my head. Being surrounded by nature fills me with joy. In the Annecy MaXi-Race, I will be alone with myself in a magical environment. Pure joy!!!”
Program:
- Friday 26 May 2017
12.30pm: Opening of the MaXi-Village and bib distribution (see timings on race info pages) – Albigny beach Annecy le Vieux
12.30pm: Start of bib distribution for the V-Race at MaXi-village
5.50: Briefing for the Vertical-Race at Petit Port – Annecy-le-Vieux (1,2km east of bib distribution point)
6pm: Start of the Vertical-Race every 10 seconds from Petit Port – Annecy-le-Vieux.
- Saturday 27 May 2017
1.30am: Start of Ultra Race – 110 km – Albigny beach Annecy le Vieux
5.00am: Start of MaXi-Race with 2000 runners -Albigny beach Annecy le Vieux
5.20am: Start of day 1 of XL-Race and the R-Races (Relay) – Albigny beach Annecy le Vieux
8.30am: Start of Femina-Race – Menthon-st-Bernard
9.30am: Opening of MaXi-Village – Albigny beach Annecy le Vieux
From 10am: Arrival of runners (staggered arrivals until Sunday morning) – Albigny beach Annecy le Vieux
2pm: Arrival 1st men from the 83km then 1st ladies (around 3pm – Albigny beach Annecy le Vieux
2.30pm: Arrival of 1st men from the 110km then the 1st ladies (around4pm) – Albigny beach Annecy le Vieux
4.30pm-5pm: Start of children’s Mini-Race (see details on the Mini-Race page)- Albigny beach.
- Sunday 28 May 2017
6.30am: Start of day 2 of XL-Race – Doussard
7.30am: Start of Marathon-Race – Doussard
8.30am – Start of Short-Race 15km – Menthon St Bernard
10am: Opening of MaXi-Village – Albigny beach Annecy le Vieux
6.30pm: Arrival of last finisher, all races closed – Albigny beach Annecy le Vieux
7pm: Closing of MaXi-Village.
