Strong line-up in MaXi-Race Ultra 110 km

Annecy

The MaXi-Race has become an unmissable event in the trail running calendar, this year bringing together over 7000 runners in 10 races of all levels. New for 2017 is the ULTRA-RACE – 110km in 30 hours with 7000 metres of elevation gain. The ultra-trail race starts at 01:30 am on May 28.
500 volunters also play a crucial role in this giant mountain running event that marks the start of the Alpine trail racing calendar.

Partly thanks to new official sponsors Salomon and Gore-Tex the line-up for the 2017 edition of the 110 km ultra-race includes big names like Francois d’Haene, Dakota Jones, Max King, Andrea Huser, Caroline Chaverot and Francesca Canepa.

After six successful years of collaboration with Tecnica, the next three years will continue with Salomon, the market leader in trail running. In association with Gore-Tex®. MaXi-Race in Annecy is the original event, an event that has spread all around the world: China, Ecuador and South Africa.

”Our concept is mountains and water, and circumnavigating the beautiful Annecy lake is congenial”, says world class ultra-trail runner Cyril Cointre of the Maxi-Race Team. ”After the race you will see many runners cooling-off in the lake, but make no mistake, he adds: the race course is Very tough with several long, steep and technical descents.”

The Maxi-Race long courses circumnavigates the stunning Annecy lake. Photo credits Maxi-Race

For the runners the current heatwave with temperatures reaching 30°C during the day will for sure pose a tough challenge. It will be very important to hydrate properly, and the race organisation has changed the required minimum of carried fluids from 1 litre to 1,5 litre.

Thanks partly to Salomon having invited many world class runners, this year is set to be an exceptional event. In the 110 K Ultra-Trail,the big favourite is François D’Haene, multiple winner of the l’UTMB®, the Grand Raid de la Réunion and winning Madeira ultra-trail earlier this spring with a big margin to 2nd place Xavier Thevenard. Alongside them will be a selection of the best runners in the world, namely in the men’s, Dakota Jones, winner of the NF San Francisco and Transvulcania, Courtney Dauwalter, winner of the 2016 Javelina Hundred and Run Rabbit and Max King. Jules Henri Gabioud of Switzerland and Julien Navarro of France will also be contenders for the podium.

The competition amongst the ladies will be just as fierce, with Andrea Huser (Switzerland) 2nd in the UTMB® and the UTWT in 2016 and the 2017 Transgrancanaria in stiff competition with Caroline Chaverot. Francesca Canepa of Italy, winner of the Tor des Géants will be a strong outsider! Follow the race live on http://www.maxi-race.net/fr/page-live-salomon-gore-tex-maxi-race/

Swedish participants: This ultra-trail race will also be my own comeback to ultra-trail racing after 8 years. My bib number is 175. Swedish participant Anders Widegren, a former world class adventure racer, has bib number 85. Magnus Andersson has bib No 41. Triathlete Sussi Lorinder has bib No 40. But unfortunately Swedish top runner Mimmi Kotka will not start due to injury. Petter Restorp runs the 83 km course with bib No 10045. Jonas Paurell runs the 42 km course with bib No 4088.

4km to 111km, the Salomon Gore-Tex® MaXi-Race comprises ten different races over three days, from 26 to 28 May. “Developed by runners, for runners”, all the race formats on offer are open to amateur and elite athletes alike and give each participant the freedom to choose the appropriate distance. This 7th edition is already a major event in the trail running calendar. There will be an impressive international line-up for the event around lake Annecy, in the all new 110km route, the 83km and the 42k