The 2023 race left Orsières, Switzerland, at 8:15 a.m. on Thursday, August 31, and despatched 1,729 runners by means of Champex-Lac, Switzerland, and on to the end in Chamonix, France. The purpose-to-point route by means of Orsières, Champex-Lac, and Chamonix, with the abbreviated race title coming from the city names, is commonly known as the Little Swiss Sister of UTMB.
Whereas the course is a comparatively brief 55 kilometers (34.2 miles), it’s full of a powerful 3,500 meters (11,480 ft) of elevation achieve by means of the excessive mountains. With a rockslide closing one of many trails between Trient and Col de Balme, runners took a barely extra direct route than in years previous, which along with cool and dry situations, plus the ever-increasing depth of competitors at this occasion, meant quick occasions.
Final yr’s winners, Manuel Merillas (Spain) and Sheila Aviles (Spain) didn’t return to defend their titles, however there have been many quick men and women to problem for the win.
It’s also possible to take a look at extra outcomes from the week’s UTMB Mont Blanc pageant:
2023 OCC Ladies’s Race
The depth of the ladies’s discipline for the 2023 OCC was spectacular, however after 55k, it was Toni McCann (South Africa) who bumped into Chamonix solo for the win with a time of 5:18:21. Final yr’s OCC fifth-place finisher put collectively a stable race begin to end and appeared completely ecstatic, if just a little bit shocked, when crossing the end line with loads of time to rejoice her win. The South African runner is coming off a string of victories this season already, together with the Davos X-Trails and Transvulcania by UTMB 50k.
The 2023 OCC girls’s champion Toni McCann seems completely surprised at her victory. All images: UTMB
All eyes had been on the 2022 UTMB champion and 2023 Western States 100 second-place finisher, (U.S.), and he or she didn’t disappoint at this a lot shorter distance. An American residing in France, Schide has an extended historical past with the UTMB race pageant occasions, together with a further two top-10 UTMB finishes in 2019 and 2021 and a second place at CCC in 2018.
Within the closing kilometers of the race, it was clear that Schide would earn a podium spot, nevertheless it was unknown whether or not she’d be capable of maintain off a charging (China). With the hole hovering at 15 to twenty seconds by means of the ultimate minutes of the race, it appeared potential that Yao, a 2:37 marathoner, would have the leg pace to shut the hole on the longer-distance specialist.
However ultimately, by working the steps and squeezing each final second out of the course, Schide was in a position to maintain on to second with a time of 5:26:25. Yao completed in 5:27:07.
2023 OCC Ladies’s Outcomes
- Toni McCann (South Africa) – 5:18:21
- Katie Schide (U.S., lives in France) – 5:26:25
- Miao Yao (China) – 5:27:07
- Caitlin Fielder (New Zealand) – 5:36:25
- Daniela Oemus (Denmark) – 5:38:22
- Rachel Drake (U.S.) – 5:40:27
- Candice Fertin (France) – 5:41:39
- Louise Serban-Penhoat (France) – 5:44:41
- Núria Gil (Spain) – 5:44:58
- Anna-Stiina Erkkilä (Finland) – 5:45:16
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The 2023 OCC girls’s podium (l-to-r): 2. Katie Schide, 1. Toni McCann, and three. Miao Yao.
2023 OCC Males’s Race
Stian Angermund (Norway) took over the lead simply over midway and by no means appeared again.
The battle for the ultimate podium spots remained shut between (Italy), Antonio Martínez (Spain), and You-Sheng Guan (China). Puppi ran a sensible race all through, staying close to the entrance, however was way back to ninth place at 23k into the race, and was in a position to placed on the fuel to slowly however absolutely transfer himself into second by the tip. With a closing time of 4:44:58, he was in a position to simply keep forward of Martínez, who completed on the ultimate podium spot in 4:45:19. Puppi has already had a profitable season with these shorter distances, together with wins within the Lavaredo Extremely Path 50k and the Andersen Half Marathon Path.
2023 OCC Males’s Outcomes
- Stian Angermund (Norway) – 4:42:40
- Francesco Puppi (Italy) – 4:44:58
- Antonio Martínez (Spain) – 4:45:19
- You-Sheng Guan (China) – 4:45:49
- Jeshurun Small (U.S.) – 4:48:18
- Robbie Simpson (Nice Britain) – 4:55:33
- Anthony Felber (France) – 4:55:50
- Guang-Fu Meng (China) – 4:56:14
- Tao Luo (China) – 4:57:54
- Jan Margarit Solé (Spain) – 4:59:46
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The 2023 OCC males’s podium (l-to-r): 2. Francesco Puppi, 1. Stian Angermund, and three. Antonio Martínez.