The KV- KL | Vars: Hautes-Alpes ski resort

Spectacular

duel at the summit

Under sunny skies, some fifty runners set off to tackle the KV-KL. In view of the risk of rock falls, an alternative course was put in place. Despite this change, the challenge remains immense on this famous climb towards the top of the KL piste, scene of all world records in speed skiing.

As for the results, it was by a narrow margin that the first two men finished at the top: former French mountain bike athlete, Stéphane Tempier, won with a time of 38 minutes and 11 seconds ahead of Benjamin Allouche (38’34) and Julien Michelon (40’12). On the women’s side, Burte Emilie took 1st place with a time of 55 minutes and 25 seconds ahead of Lisa Contier (56’02) and Héloïse Blanchard (56’16).

See results

A passion

for vertical

A successful transition from the world of professional mountain biking

A native of Gap, this was his first participation. Stéphane describes the intensity of the event: “the KV-KL is always so hard, at the end you always arrive in the same state, your legs are burning and pulling, your heart is pumping.” Despite a slight regret at not having used the poles to tackle the fearsome Chabrières wall, the French athlete is not disappointed.

Previously a professional mountain biker, he made the choice to turn to trail running and more specifically to the demanding format ofu KV-KL: “What I prefer is the steep, the intensity of physical effort in this form of racing is very reminiscent of cycling”.

His sporting achievements speak for themselves, with notable performances such as his11th place at the 2012 London Olympics, his 3rd place at the 2019 World Championships in Canada, and his 2nd place overall in the World Cupin 2017. His next goal is the French vertical racing championship, where he hopes to shine again.

Despite cutting his training hours in half, he continues to invest in achieving his goals. Between mountain biking and road biking, he competes on trail courses. However, unlike mountain biking, he admits he doesn’t enjoy going downhill as much, which explains his penchant for vertical kilometers:“Cycling remains a real asset, my sporting successes are largely due to this discipline.”His passion for mountain sports remains intact.

The victory of a fulfilled mountain woman

For Emilie Burte, this environment is much more than a playground; she feels right at home. This is the very first time she has taken part in the KV-KL race.

“At the start the course was difficult with quite a steep gradient, in the second half of the race I alternated between walking and running. The flat spot just before the ridges allowed me to get going again and catch my breath. At the end, my poles pushed me towards the finish”.

A mountain sports enthusiast, it’s as a mountain guide in Vars that Emilie lives out her passion: “I knew the route because during the winter I’m used to climbing to the summit on ski touring, but this is the very first time I’ve done it running”.

The athlete hails from Aix-en-Provence. She chose Vars as a transitional destination to become a mountain guide and live in this “coup de coeur” environment. In addition to her sporting commitment, she is also a yoga teacher.

A well-deserved victory experienced with her family that Emilie is not about to forget.

Course

Description

Start from the event village on the Vars-Les-Claux snow front (Télémix de Chabrières). For safety reasons, a fallback course has been set up. This course offers a unique experience to runners with beautiful panoramas and a demanding climb.

The first part of the climb will take you to the summit of the Télémix. In the second half, after crossing Lac de Chabrières, the route gets tougher. You’ll begin the ascent to the Col de Crévoux and then race over the Chabrières ridges to the top of the famous KL piste, the scene of all world ski speed records. The reward: a panoramic view of the Alpine arc (Ecrins, Queyras, Parpaillon).

Much more than a challenge, this route is a unique adventure to be experienced!