Throughout the weekend, the Nice metropolis hosted the Ultra Trail. In total, four races were on the schedule, beginning on Friday at 1:00 PM with the grand start from Auron. Here’s a summary of the various results.
Since Friday, the UTMB has taken place on the French Riviera, featuring a total of four races over three days. It kicked off in Auron on Friday at 1:00 PM with the grand start of the Ultra-Trail Métropole Nice Côte d’Azur, the flagship race of the event. Participants were tasked with covering 100 miles, equivalent to 161 kilometers, to reach the Promenade des Anglais.
A Frenchman and a Slovak win the Ultra-Trail Métropole Nice Côte d’Azur
French runner Paul Cornut Chauvinc won this race in 18 hours, 52 minutes, and 37 seconds. He shattered last year’s record held by Cristofer Clemente Mora, who completed the race in 21 hours, 22 minutes, and 14 seconds. Upon finishing, the Ardéchois shared that he had a chaotic start. “At the start, I even doubted my ability to finish. Then, after 5 hours, everything aligned: the pain in my legs vanished.”
The podium was completed by two other French-speaking runners. Frenchman Théo Le Boudet and Belgian Nicolas Thomas finished in a sprint to take second place. It was the Frenchman who secured the silver medal by just six seconds. Both finished an hour behind the winner.
In the women’s category, it was Slovak Michaela Lishakova who claimed the top spot in 25 hours, 16 minutes, and 7 seconds. Canadian Stéphanie Case and Briton Ellen Cheetham completed the podium. The last participants had until 1:45 PM on Sunday to complete the race.
Miguel Benitez and Kim Schreiber win the Nice 50k
The second race of the weekend began on Saturday at 7:30 AM, covering 55 kilometers. It was the Nice 50K, starting from Eze. In the women’s category, Germany stood out with a one-two finish. Kim Schreiber claimed victory in 5 hours, 16 minutes, and 27 seconds, ahead of her compatriot Vanessa Schätzle. The third spot on the podium went to Frenchwoman Charlotte Mouchet.
In the men’s category, there was a Mediterranean podium. Spaniard Miguel Benitez, thanks to an excellent pace on the rolling sections, secured victory in 4 hours, 28 minutes, and 44 seconds. He finished ahead of Frenchman Loïc Robert and Italian Andrea Parandi, who finished ten and twenty minutes behind the leader, respectively.
A French double in the 100K Roubion-Nice
The third race began in Roubion on Saturday at 10:00 AM. Participants had to complete 111 kilometers before 5:00 PM on Sunday. Both categories were won by French athletes. In the men’s category, Virgile Moriset dominated the race, finishing in 11 hours, 54 minutes, and 45 seconds. Sébastien Poesy took second place. The podium was completed by Italian Daniel Jung.
In the women’s category, Chloé Souvigne claimed victory, finishing eight minutes ahead of Norwegian Ingrid Due-Gundersen. The race concluded after more than 15 hours of effort. With a time of 15 hours, 51 minutes, and 19 seconds, Frenchwoman Sarah Meharfi completed this night-time podium, with a finish at 1:51 AM.
A 20-kilometer race to end the weekend
To conclude this trail weekend, the fourth race began on Sunday morning from Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat. A 20-kilometer stage to reach the finish line. In the men’s category, Frenchman Alexandre Meyleu won in one hour, 41 minutes, and 33 seconds. “I pushed my limits to the end. The stairs were challenging for me,” he admitted upon arrival.
He finished two minutes ahead of another French runner, Baptiste Massot. “We trained together all year (with Baptiste Massot) […] I had a sore throat earlier in the week, so the preparation wasn’t optimal,” the runner revealed. The podium was completed by Morgan Le Tennier, arriving a minute later. “I knew the course, I ran it last year, and I finished third then, too,” stated the third-place finisher of this explosive race.
In the women’s category, it was German Caroline Balduhn who crossed the finish line first, with a time of 2 hours, 6 minutes, and 53 seconds. “This was my first trail race. It was amazing,” said the native of Hamburg. Swiss runner Claudia Bernasconi came in second, completing the race in 2 hours, 12 minutes, and 40 seconds. “A very demanding race with the stairs. But my favorite moment was when they descended to the sea,” she shared upon finishing.
Élodie Beuzit concluded the race less than two minutes later, securing the last spot on the podium. Unlike the Swiss competitor, the runner from Finistère didn’t really appreciate the southern French stairs. “The stairs were horrible!,” she exclaimed.
6,500 runners participated this year in the Nice Métropole Côte d’Azur by UTMB, 500 more than in the previous edition. In total, the event has gathered over 22,000 people since 2022.
