The kick-off of the last day of the Mont-Blanc Marathon was given this Sunday with the start of the main event: the 42 km of Mont-Blanc. This historic and legendary race is one of the 9 global races of the Golden Trail World Series bringing together the best athletes on the trail planet. Alongside them, 2,300 participants, drawn at random from the 17,000 applications, lined up on the starting line ready to swallow the 2,540m of D+.
On the men’s side…
Elhousine ELAZZAOUI signed, this Sunday, June 30, 2024, his first victory at the Mont-Blanc Marathon, for his 4th participation (in 2022 he took 4th place) at the end of a constant battle with the Swiss Rémi BONNET (winner last year with more than 5 minutes ahead). The duel announced at the press conference the day before therefore took place! It was in the very wet and slippery final descent that the Moroccan managed to make the difference, undoubtedly also helped by a light rain at the end of the race and a rather cool temperature that he likes. He crossed the line in 3h 30min and 10s, 46 seconds ahead of his faithful competitor Rémi who will pay him the most beautiful tribute by saying that he preferred his 2nd place at the end of such a tussle than his victory in 2023 (less disputed)!
Third place was played out between Roberto DELORENZI and two Kenyans. Leaving the first two behind during the acceleration on the first climb, DELORENZI was able to curb the big strides of the Kenyan Kévin KIBET and secure the podium in the last descent on Chamonix. He crossed the finish line in 3h 33min 07s ahead of the Kenyans Kevin KIBET (03:35:05) and Ezekiel RUTTO (03:37:23).
On the women’s side…
The women’s elites kicked off the major event of the Mont-Blanc Marathon today at 6:45 a.m. A leading trio quickly formed between Judith WYDER, the Swiss athlete who took part in the Mont-Blanc Marathon for the first time this year, Monica Madalina FLOREA, unaccustomed to long distances, and Sophia LAUKLI, the title holder ( also winner of the 2023 Golden Trail World Series). Monica Madalina (in bronze at the European Mountain and Trail Running Championships last month and already winner of the GTWS 2023 final in Noli) took control of the race after the Col des Montets. Her special training this year in the descents paid off but did not allow her to sustainably distance Judith WYDER who stayed in her tracks then escaped before the finish line. Sophia LAUKLI unfortunately suffered a drop in speed at the end of the course and lost sight of her two competitors after the climb of Flégère; she will even see 3rd place slip away in the last descent in favor of the Chinese Miao YAO.
Judith WYDER won the women’s race after a race of 04h 11min 12s with a comfortable lead of 2mn 30 (04h 13m 42s) over the Romanian Monica Madalina FLOREA at the height of joy at the finish line. Miao YAO took 3rd place in 4h 18mn 30s.
For two, at night… the Starry Duo
Although the weather conditions at one point raised fears of a cancellation, it was rather pleasant conditions and beautiful evening light that accompanied the 500 pairs of the Starry Duo last night.
In an atmosphere that is still as relaxed as ever, the runners lining up for this semi-nocturnal race of 21km / 1450m D+ are now posting very high-level times.
It must be said that certain duets like the one called “C Kiki? PRUN! » disguised as “118-218” actually hides big names in world trail running: Blandine Lhirondel (double world trail champion, European champion) and Adeline Martin (double medalist of the last European championships).
It was therefore no surprise to see this smiling pair cross the finish line in 5th overall position (1st female) in 2h 27mn 51s, leaving the second team “CA Vétroz” (Delphine Mabillard and Joséphine Lambiel), who were nevertheless very fast, more than 35 minutes behind (03:03:34).
The men’s victory went to the “Mechante team” (Jeremy Laporte and Matthias Sevilla) with a time of 2h 20mn 35s followed very closely by “tights pips” Thomas Debray and Gaël Armand at 15s (02:20:50).
Note that the Chamonix snowboard champion Merlin Surget took a remarkable 10th place in the men’s category (02:43:20) with his teammate Mael Meunier!
Photos Morgan Bodet, Florian Legrand
