Il 28 settembre 2014, si è svolto il Trail des Aiguilles Rouges, sulla distanza di 50 km, con 4000 metri di D+, al quale era abbinato il "P'tit" Trail del Aguilles Rouges, sulla "piccola" distanza di 15,6 km e 240 metri D+, in quei di Chamonix. Ai nastri di partenza 623 runner per l gara lunga e 233 per quella corta. La vittoria, nella gara lunga a Matthieu Brignon e a Marlène
At 04:30 this morning, under a starry sky, there were finally 623 runners, of whom 87 were women, who tookthe start of this, the 8th, Trail des Aiguilles Rouges, the wildest and most technical trail race in the Chamonixvalley and which, each last weekend in September, closes the season of races in the valley.
The favourites were at the rendezvous and without surprise at Lac Blanc (2352m) they were a group of sevenwho were running at short 2 minute intervals. Matthieu Brignon passed in the lead, followed closely by FrançoisLachaux, Thomas Lorblanchet, Cyril Cointre, Denis Llorens, Arnaud Barbe and Lambert Santelli. On thedescent towards the col des Montets (1 465m), Matthieu Brignon set the pace and had a comfortable lead atBuet (1 340m) after 15.8 km of the race. Behind him, there were no more than five runners at 4 and 7 minutes distance, Thomas Lorblanchet having left the group. Step by step, Matthieu took control of the race and passedthe col de Salenton (Km 22.9) with 10 minutes advance over.
Cyril Cointre who was following him, who said: «I had given everything on this climb and thought that I had gained time. When I learnt that I had lost 3 minutes Iunderstood that, today, Matthieu was the strongest».
Then came, 15 minutes later, François Lachaux who ran his race with Lambert Santelli and Denis Llorens.
Matthieu Brignon, 24 yrs, is already a man of the mountains.
He has been trail-running for pleasure for 6 years. As a ski-patroller, first-aider and soon to be High Mountain Guide, he loves running long distance trails with serious ascent/descent.
Already with second places under hisbelt (2nd Trail Des Roches 73km 2014, 2nd in the 2012 TAR ...) he had his first victory this year in the Trail de Combe Bénite in the Beaufort Country on September 14th 23 km; 2 100m ascent.
He continued to increase the lead at Brévent and managed his race, alone, until the his victory 25 minutesahead of Cyril. «It is the 2nd time I have won in my life, I had to take revenge. I never look to see who isparticipating in a race, I don't look behind me but this morning when I saw the line-up it seemed to me that itwasn't going to be easy. Today I had the legs and I ran practically the whole way».
Lambert Santelli, the Corsican in the event realised a very good 3rd place.
On the women's side, Marlene Cugnet, a young women from the Haute Savoie, 25yrs, was top dog from thestart of the race. Her prize list is eloquent: In 2013 she was 2nd in the TAR, 1st in the Trail de Verbier St Bernard (61km) and in 2014 she won the Courchevel X-Trail (54km).
Here she runs on her terrain, on a route she knowswell.
«It was hard and intense and even if I know the area well, it is always fantastic to run here» The secondwomen Lauriane Foulet-Moreau arrived after 8h37'18'' on the race, while the 3rd, the English Girl, TaniaNoakes, crossed the line 19 minutes later.
On a very pretty loop starting from the village of Servoz, the P'tit TAR started at 09:00 this morning. The victorywas played out in a sprint between Bertrand Hamoumraoui, a young biathlete from Chamonix and the English man Thomas Smith who only lost out by 12 short seconds. For the women Laurie Renoton was the fastest onthis short, but intense circuit.
This year, the Club du Marathon du Mont-Blanc (CMBM), known for its rigorous organisation, set up asystematic control of obligatory equipment at the end of the race.
All the runners were ready for this rule, important for the running of the race, and it was accepted in good spirits and a convivial atmosphere.
Rendezvous next year, the last weekend of September, for a new race which will be between Chamonix and the village of Les Houches.
RESULTS
TAR
Figures valid at 14:07:46 28/09/2014
Number of participants : 623 of whom women : 87 (13.96% of those who started) ???
Number of finishers : 94 (15.09% of those who started) ???
Total number of those who abandoned : 75 (12.04% of those who started)
Men
1- Matthieu BRIGNON (FR) : Team Optisport : 6hr20'41''
2 - Cyril COINTRE (FR) : Team WAA : 6hr45'32''
3 - Lambert SANTELLI (FR) : 6hr57'43''
Women
1 - Marlene CUGNET (FR) : 8hr9'49''
2 - Lauriane FOULET-MOREAU (FR) : Team Trail Saint-Gervais : 8hr37'18''
3 - Tania NOAKES (UK) : 8hr56'51''???
RESULTS
P'Tit TAR
Figures valid as of 28/09/2014 14:09:31
Number of participants : 233 of whom women : 96 (41.20% of those who started )
Number of finishers : 230 (98.71% of those who started)
Total number of those who abandoned : 2 (0.86% of those who started )
Men
1- Bertrand HAMOUMRAOUI (FR) : 1hr44'23''
2 - Thomas SMITH (UK) : 1hr44'35''
3 - Nicolas GROSPELLIER (FR) : 1hr47'12''
Women
1 - Laurie RENOTON (FR) : 2hr16'41''
2 - Suzanne PERCHE (FR) : 2hr21'9''
3 - Katy HILL (UK) : 2hr28'7''