Records get broken at the Mont-Blanc Marathon!

Race report: Mont-Blanc Marathon - Friday June 29th, Saturday June 30th & Sunday July 1, 2012

• 34th Mont-Blanc Cross
• 10th Mont-Blanc Marathon
• Stage on the 2012 National Trail Running Cup
• 9th Mont-Blanc 10km
• 2nd Vertical Kilometer

After the Vertical KM that started the big race weekend on Friday in the valley of Chamonix Mont-Blanc, it was the Cross and 10km races that united thousands of passionate runners on Saturday, and the "Queen" Mont-Blanc Marathon event on Sunday celebrated its 10th edition.

Photos © Haugeard Gaetan

Vertical KM - June 29, 2012 - 3,8km/1000m (230 Participants 19 of which were women)

New record time and first victory for Kilian Jornet

After a start in sweltering heat, Kilian Jornet crossed the finish line with a final sprint and clocked a new record time for the men in this second edition of the Vertical KM in 36:07. Emmanuel Vaudan, winner in 2011, finished two minutes later. "This course is very steep with aerial passages on the last part but it is so beautiful to start from the center of Chamonix and finish here 1000m higher and cooler on the plateau of Planpraz Brevent," confides the Spanish champion.

The women's competition saw a victory for Italian Antonella Confortola in 45:26. "When I heard that Laetitia Roux (1st in 2011) was not coming I told myself I had a chance. I felt very good, I ran the first 600 vertical meters and then I controlled my race by walking. It was very hot at first but little by little as we got higher it got better and better.

Men's results

Women's results

Click here for full results

Mont-Blanc Cross - June 30, 2012 - 23km/1454m (1448 participants 469 of which were women)

Record heat of 34°C

Saturday morning the participants appreciated the sun and the magical views of the Mont-Blanc range. Francis Tijod (66 years old) is one of the rare runners to have participated in 34 editions of this event. He reminisces: "Back in the day 23km was a lot and we were not many! Today I estimate around 4 hours of race time, it is getting harder and harder for me. But the goal is to finish at the top!" He finished in 4 hours and 20 minutes!!

Everyone was equipped to face the heat, and the front group quickly established a lead. New Zealander Jonathan Wyatt, 7-time World Champion in mountain running ran a very controlled race! He expected to run in 1:55 and finished in 1:54:42. After a year without running due to injury this was his first big comeback race. Behind him Laurent Vicente (1:57:59) and last year's winner Guillaume Fontaine (1:59:39). Renaud Jaillardon finished fourth ahead of Cyril Henriot.

Photos © Haugeard Gaetan

In the women's competition Stephanie Duc, who ran her race out in front without any apparent difficulties in 2:21:16 won the race, ahead of the Junior World Champion in Ski Alpinism, Axelle Mollaret, who is just 20 years old and had a great race to finish in 2:29:02. Nordic skier Anouk Faivre-Picon won her place on the podium on the last climb, beating Julia Combe.

Behind them in the main pack was a human tide of smiles, efforts and a bit of suffering. The numbers of families and spectators supporting the runners were particularly highthis year. Scattered all along the trails the atmosphere resembled that of the Tour de France!

Men's results

Women's results

Click here for full results

Mont-Blanc Marathon - July 1, 2012 - 42,195km/2511m (1927 participants 246 which were women)

Record times for men and women and a second victory for Kilian Jornet

At the time of departure (7:00am) showers were forecasted, but as in all the previous editions, the 10th Mont-Blanc Marathon started under a sky clear enough for great views. With dropping temperatures the conditions were ideal to break all records...

The race set off at a fast pace from the beginning. At the 5km mark a group of six was leading: Yoan Meudec, Thomas Owens, Raymond Fontaine, Gregory Vollet, Tofol Castaner and Kilian Jornet. They were closely followed by two other small groups. The same runners remained in the lead pack until the 13km mark without any apparent signs of fatigue on their faces. It was not until the first big climb toward the Col des Posettes (+940m) that the pack was split, with Kilian Jornet and Tofol Castaner taking a slight lead. The race was convincingly won by Kilian in the end who crossed the line in 3:38:24, seven minutes and 31 seconds ahead of Tofol and 14 minutes faster than last year's time. Phenomenal!

Kilian confides, "Tofol and I ran the race together, I just put a bit more punch into the climb at Flegere. I did a good time because the head pack pace was very good and the conditions excellent." Gregory Vollet (FR) finished third, running an incredible race. Six runners finished faster than the 2011 record time of 3hours 56 minutes, held by Pierre-Yves Rey (CH). It is worth noting that the podium consists 100% of Team Salomon runners.

The trio in the lead for the women were Sylvia Serafini (IT), Maude Mathys (CH) and Maud Girod Gaubert (FR). Maude Mathys secured her first place finish between Trelechamp and Vallorcine, leaving Sylvie and Maud behind. "Until the end I was scared that Sylvia would come back. The course was rolling enough for me and I liked it. I am even more satisfied because I decided to register late," declared Maude Mathys. Running the event for the first time she won in a time of 4:28:17, beating the record of 4:39:36, held by Stephanie Jimenez (2011). For Maud, who is more familiar with podiums on Vertical KM, this was a first first trail victory. She won the Vertical KM in Fully in 2011 in 38:24.

Around noon the rain came to play spoilsport for the rest of the pack, but without overshadowing the success of the weekend. Rendez-vous for next year with a few new features: the valley of Chamonix Mont-Blanc announces its candidature for the Skyrunner World Series in 2013 for the Marathon and Vertical KM events, and also for the Skyrunning World Championships in 2014. Verdict on July 6th!

Photos © Haugeard Gaetan

Men's results

Women's results

Click here for full results

Mont-Blanc 10KM race - June 30, 2012 (591 participants 391 of which were women)

Men's results

Women's results

Click here for full results

Photo: Jonathan Wyatt wins the Mont-Blanc Cross © Haugeard Gaetan

Click here to check out the event website for further information on past and future events