What's New in Chamonix?

With the clear, dry and cool start early this morning it seemed clear from the outset that the Mont-Blanc Marathon (42km) & Cross (21km) off-road trail races were going to be fast run.

Setting off at brisk pace at 7am for the Marathon and a more leisurely 9.30am for the Cross, from the centre of Chamonix competitors made their way up the valley to Argentiere, and beyond for the Marathoners. They then headed uphill from there to the finish-line at Planpraz (2070m), high above Chamonix town.

In rapidly rising temperatures and blazing sunshine, the first racer to cross the line for the Marathon was British runner Nick Sharp (pictured), last year’s winner, who smashed his own course record, in 03hrs27:26. He was closely followed in second by his team-mate and fellow Brit Robert Jebb with a time of 03hrs31:36, also beating last year’s record. Third-place went to a Frenchman, Thomas Lorblanchet, in 03hrs36:24.

In the Womens’ category first place went to French athlete Carole Toigo, in 04hrs31:06, who finished 38th overall. Yet another British racer took a podium slot when Andrea Priestley crossed the line for the women winning her second place, 68th overall, in 04hrs44:17.

The Cross event was won by Brit Martin Cox in 01hr48:51 (new record), followed closely by Swiss Jean-Yves Rey in 01hr50:35, and Frenchman Alain Bochard in 01hr53:05. First across for the Women, and 23rd overall, was Brit Angela Mudge in 02hrs01:47 (new record), with second and third going to French runners Evelyn Raffin and Simone Kuster.

Even the 10km Découverte Mens' race from the day before, which forms part of the weekends activities, had a new record set by Stéphane Vernay!

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