MaXi Race Annecy: a large array of elite runners and numerous international athletes
Eight years after the Trail Running World Championships, the Annecy MaXi-Race is back for its 13th edition (from 26 to 28 May 2023) with some of the best international athletes.
THE ANNECY LAKE LOOP: A UTMB WINNER AND A WORLD CHAMPION AT THE START OF THE RACE
In 2023, and for the first time in France, one of the races is part of the Spartan Trail World Championship. The MaXi-Race’s Lake Loop Race (87 km) is to be the 3rd leg of the World Tour. Because of this, we’re expecting a large array of international athletes for which the numbers haven’t been met since the World Championships in 2015: 21 of the athletes have a performance index above 800, two of which are even above 900.
The Russian athlete, Dmitry Mityaev (908) – champion of the Ultra-Trail Cape Town in 2022 – will be taking the start of the MaXi-Race for the 1st time, as well as the Spanish runner, Andreu Simon Aymerich (902), winner of the Sainté Lyon last December and one of the top runners on the last Transgrancanaria. The Spanish athlete, Pau Capell, 2019’s UTMB champion, will also be taking part in the race. Aurélien Dunand Pallaz, one of the local runners and 2nd on the MaXi-Race’s 87 km race in 2022 as well as the UTMB in 2021, is also amongst the favourites. And amongst the serious outsiders, we’ll be keeping a close eye on the American athlete, Jared Hazen, 2nd at the 2019 Western States; the Portuguese athlete, Miguel Arsensio (882), 2nd at the 2023 Transgrancanaria; and the two French athletes, Simon Gosselin (874), 4th at the 2022 Templiers race, and Martin Kern (857), 4th at the 2022 TDS. Sylvain Court (FR), World Champion in 2015 and the current record holder on the race (8:15 hours), will also be taking the start of the Maxi-Race on May 27th.
The women’s race is expecting a similarly impressive array of international athletes. The Spanish athlete, Claudia Tremps (757), 2nd at the 2022 TDS, is this year’s favourite. She’ll be running along side the Russian athlete, Varvara Shikanova (737), 3rd at the Salomon Ultra Pirineu. The current champion, Julia Rezzi (686) from Haute-Savoie, will also be back to defend her title. French athletes, Fiona Porte (728), recent winner of the Nivolet Revard Trail, and Sylvaine Cussot (669) will also participate.
THE SECRET RACE, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE MARATHON RACE
The Marathon Race for which the itinerary will only be unveiled on the morning of the race, is the 2nd leg of the Golden Trail Series National France. We are expecting some France’s best marathon distance runners on this race. Amongst other women athletes, the GR20 record-woman, Anne-Lise Rousset (170 km and 13,000 m elevation gain in 35:50 hours) will be on the starting line, as well as the 2012 champion, Candice Fertin.
The men’s start-list is also quite impressive. The Spanish athlete, Antonio Martinez Perez, 2nd on the 2022 OCC, is the only runner with a performance index over 900 (in his case, 902). But a total of 10 other athletes, most of which are French, have a performance index between 850 – 900 : Arnaud Bonin, Kevin Vermeulen, Anthony Felber, Johann Baujard, Gautier Airiau, Romain Maillard… Jordi Gamito, the Spanish athlete that came in 2nd on the MaXi-Race in 2018 and 3rd on the UTMB in 2018, will also be present for this marathon distance race.
FOCUS ON I-RUN EXHIBITOR MAXI-VILLAGE
The i-Run exhibitor MaXi-Village is a 1000 m² area where professionals, international race organizers and trail running enthusiasts all come together to interact. It also offers well-known brands as well as exclusive offers on those brand’s products. The site’s location also boasts extraordinary views of both the Annecy lake and mountains. As part of the event’s environmental approach, the organization urges the exhibitors to not give away any plastic bottles or bags. It is also highly recommended that few paper leaflets be handed out and in which case, that the paper used be recycled paper.
The exhibitor MaXi-Village will be open on Friday from 10 am to 7 pm, on Saturday from 9:30 am to 7 pm, and on Sunday from 9:30 am to 6 pm. Outside of these given hours, you will be able to access the rest of the village (including the bib pick-up, the race finish line, the podium, and the refreshments stand) through a narrow passageway all weekend long.
PROGRAMME OF EVENTS
Friday, May 26th
10 am – 7 pm: Opening hours of the i-Run Exhibitor MaXi-Village
10 am – 7 pm: Opening hours of the Cryo Advance recovery area*
11 am – 12 pm: Julbo’s game contest
3 pm – 4 pm: Incylence’s cotton candy
4 pm – 5 pm: GreenWeez’s wheel of fortune
Late afternoon: Book signing with François d’Haene for « La vie courante »
5 pm – 6 pm : WMRA U18 World Cup opening ceremony
6 pm – 7 pm : Run & apéritif with i-Run and Salomon
7 pm – 8 pm: Mini-Race
Saturday, May 27th
9:30 am – 10 pm: Opening hours of the Cryo Advance recovery area*
9:30 am – 7 pm: Opening hours of the i-Run Exhibitor MaXi-Village
10 am – 11 am: “How to Trail” workshop on the i-Run x Salomon stand
11 am – 12 pm: Yoga session with the i-Run x Salomon, i-Run/Incylence game contest, GreenWeez wheel of fortune
1 pm – 2 pm: GreenWeez wheel of fortune
4 pm: SPARTAN MaXi-Race podium
5 pm – 6:30 pm: U18 World Cup podiums
6:30 pm – 7 pm: Autographs signings with Salomon i-Run/ Salomon athletes
7 pm: i-Run Exhibitor MaXi-Village closing
7 pm – 8 pm: i-Run x Salomon Party
11:59 pm – 12 :45 am : Arrival of the last finishers for the MaXi-Race lake loop race
Sunday, May 28th
8 :15 am – 6 pm: Opening hours of the Cryo Advance recovery area*
9:30 am – 6 pm : Opening hours of the i-Run Exhibitor MaXi-Village
10 am – 11 am: “How to Trail” workshop on the i-Run x Salomon stand
11 am – 12 pm: GreenWeez wheel of fortune
12 :30 pm: Marathon-Race podium
11 am – 4 pm: « Dans la Tête d’un Coureur » podcasts
6 pm: i-Run Exhibitor MaXi-Village closing
7 pm – 7:30 pm: Arrival of the last finishers for the 1/2 lake tour loop Marathon-eXperience
7:30 pm: village closing
RACE FORMATS OPEN TO EVERYONE
An incredible adventure around the lake with race formats suitable for whatever your goal might be.
• The Annecy lake loop
– In one day: The MaXi-Race 87 km and 4900 m elevation gain
– In two days: The XL-Race 93 km and 4900 m elevation gain
– The team race: The R-Race SEPas impossible 87 km and 4900 m elevation gain
• The half-loop: The Marathon-Expérience 45 km and 2400 m elevation gain
• The secret race: The Marathon-Race 40 km and 3300 m elevation gain
• The quarter of a loop: 16 km and 1000 m elevation gain
– 100% women: The Fémina-Race
– For all: The Short-Race
• The orienteering race organised by ASO: MaXi et Semi Orientation
• The kids’ races: Between 50 and 800m: The Mini-Race
• The U18 WMRA World Cup (only if selected nationally prior) and the Open Race: 4,6 km et 230 de D+
THE RACE PROGRAMME
Friday, May 26th
5:00 – 6:00 pm: U18 World Cup opening ceremony on the shores of Annecy lake
7 pm – 8 pm: Start of the Mini-Race (3-10 years of age)
Saturday, May 27th
2:50 to 3:30 am: race starts in waves for the MaXi-Race, the XL-Race (1st day), and the R-Race
9:00 am: race start for the Femina-Race (Menthon-Saint-Bernard) MaXi and Semi orienteering (Les Puisots)
9:30 am: U18 Open Race on the World Cup itinerary (Semnoz)
11:00 am: Women’s U18 World Cup (Semnoz)
11:45 am: Men’s U18 World Cup (Semnoz)
11:55 am: First MaXi Race athletes start arriving
Sunday, May 28th
6:30 am: Start of the Marathon Race (location kept secret, with access by bus from Annecy)
7:15 am: Start of the Short-Race (Menthon-Saint-Bernard)
8:30 to 9:15 am: Race starts for the Marathon-Experience and the XL-Race (2nd day) (Doussard)
8:30 am: First Short Race athletes start arriving
10h45 am: First Marathon Race athletes start arriving
12:15 pm: First Marathon Experiences athletes start arriving
