everything you need to know about the 32nd edition which starts this Thursday

From Thursday October 17 to Friday October 20, Reunion will live to the rhythm of the Grand Raid. Meeting 1^era lets you follow the event on radio, television and on the internet.

A few hours before the first departures, the 7 300 runners collected their bibs yesterday, Wednesday October 16 in Saint-Pierre. They will set off from this Thursday, October 17 on the five races of the Grand Raid : Relais Zembrocal, Diagonale des Fous, Le Trail de Bourbon, La Mascareignes and the Métis Trail.

The Zembrocal Relay will be the first to leave. The departure will be in front of the Saint-Joseph town hall at 5 p.m., this Thursday, October 17for the first runners of each of the 222 teams. There will be four per team to cover the 149 kilometers and 9 115 meters of positive altitude difference of the race. The first runners are expected at La Redoute stadium, in Saint-Denis, from 3:30 p.m. on Friday October 18. Last year,the “Avon Athletics Club” Team won in 22 hours and 26 minutes.

Find the route of the Relais Zembrocal

The 2 937 runners in the main event, the Diagonale des Fous, will then set off at 10 p.m. from the Ravine Blanche in Saint-Pierre. The 1s 222 premises, the 1 459 metropolitans and 256 internationals will attempt to cover the 175 kilometers and 10 100 meters of positive altitude difference on this ultra-trail. The elites should cross the finish line at La Redoute stadium around 9:30 p.m. Friday October 18. Last year,Aurélien Dunand-Pallaz won the Diagonale des Fous in 23h21.

Find the route of the Diagonale des Fous.

Grand Raid 2024 General route 3D diagonal with elevation and without tracking V1410.mov

The battle promises to be tough, difficult to predict which of the favorites will cross the line first. This 2024 edition once again brings together big names in trail running : Aurélien Dunand-Pallaz, Antoine Guillon, Germain Grangier, Jean-Philippe Tschumi, Mathieu Blanchard, Ben Dhiman, Cédric Chavet, Judicaël Sautron and Romain Fontaine among the men. Among the women, Manon Bohard, Sylvaine Cussot and Maryline Nakache will be there.

Find here our article on the favorites of the Diagonale des Fous 2024.

Departure in the middle of the night on Friday October 18 at 1 a.m. for the 1 636 runners The Mascarenes. They will start from Stade de Hell-Bourgin the heart of the Salazie cirque, for an 8-hour race for the fastest. The first are expected at La Redoute from 9 a.m. Friday October 18 after 70 kilometers and 4,000 meters of elevation gain. In 2023, the Mascareignes was won by Réunionnais Loïc Boyer in 8h39.

Find the route of La Mascareignes.

100 kilometers and 6 090 meters of positive altitude difference await the 1 260 runners from Bourbon Trail. They will leave night at the Cilaos stadium at 9 p.m. on Friday October 18. The first should complete the race in 15 hours, and arrive at La Redoute stadium from 12 p.m. on Saturday October 19. The winner of the previous edition of the Trail de Bourbon wasNicolas Gourdon in 16h15.

Find the route of the Trail de Bourbon.

The Métis Trail, the latest addition to the Grand Raid, will leave Saturday October 19 at 7:30 a.m. from the Grotte du Peuplement, in Saint-Paul. The 579 runners will have less than 14 hours to cover the 50 kilometers and 2 600 meters of positive altitude difference in this race which crosses the West towards the North via the Bas. The first are expected at the La Redoute stadium from 12 p.m. on Saturday October 19.

Find the route of the Métis Trail.

The weather should, like every year, put the runners to the test for this Grand Raid 2024. An attenuated rainy front should concern Reunion between Thursday evening and Friday, impacting the steepness of the Diagonale des Fous, the Relais Zembrocal and La Mascareignes . The torchbearers could leave Saint-Joseph in the rain.

On Friday, cloud cover will be significant in the interior of the island. Showers may occur in places in the afternoon. The second night should be starry, the weather rather hot and muggy on Saturday at the start of the day. The risk of showers near Saint-Denis on Saturday and Sunday will be greater.

Find our article on the weather for the Grand Raid 2024

Because the Grand Raid is also a popular event, many families, friends and supporters of the runners will come to encourage them on the trails and refreshment points. The roads will therefore logically be busier.

To enable the event to run smoothly, traffic restrictions are in place.

Find the article on traffic conditions during the Grand Raid 2024.