Calenzana (France) (AFP)
The ultra-trail champion Xavier Thévenard left Monday at 04:00 in the morning from Calenzana (Haute-Corse) to try to beat the legendary GR 20 trail record, a 180 km race to be completed in less than 31 h 06.
The triple winner of the Ultra-Trail-du-Mont-Blanc (UTMB) started serenely, surrounded by five "pacers" (guides) but also by a dozen anonymous runners who came to support him. Thirty people were present at the time of departure.
Thévenard has in its sights the 180 km and 14,000 m of difference in height signed in 31:06 in June 2016 by another great champion of ultra-trail, François D'haene.
He will have to reach Conca, in the south of the island, via a dozen compulsory crossing points so that his time will be approved by the French Mountain and Climbing Federation (FFME), which dispatched several controllers to the course.
The GR 20 is one of the most famous long-distance trails (GR) in Europe (out of 343 GR listed in France). Some 20,000 hikers venture there each year for a 16-day long crossing for the average walker.
© 2020 AFP