ASICS FUJI TRAIL TEAM REPORT #20

Our athletes have not been reasonable, despite all the injunctions of the DESK BREAK campaign.... they have instead been working overtime, and successfully, but there's nothing to worry about as far as their mental health is concerned 

 So, whether at the Gloden Trail Series in Switzerland, the Grand Raid in the Indian Ocean, or in France at the Templiers .... over all the distances and all the labels, they have shown all their talent .... but they will now be leaving the office and taking a rest.... others will be taking over in the last few months of the year !

We left Max disappointed and exhausted when he arrived from the ETC in August. A worrying lack of energy and desire that had to be resolved, in view of the approaching winter!

 Max is involved in a dual project in ski mountaineering, as well as being an Olympic athlete for Belgium and preparing for the 2026 Olympic Games in Cortina. 

After a good break, an active vacation in the Moroccan Atlas and a return to training, all the indicators are green, as shown by his victory in the always hotly contested classic on the Valais calendar.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DBCAuh9scnZ/?img_index=1

Well, it's not a good result, just 11th place, in a national race.... but if you're an ultra athlete, used to the 20-hour effort, if you've been injured for a long time and you enjoy running fast and painlessly over a short distance.... then it's worth it. Bravo Anna for this good signal, go to the Kullamanen. 

Our friends at Salomon had announced this final of the Golden Trail Word Series as a "World Championship"... a rather masterful announcement! But let's face it, the athleticism of the athletes in this final was right up there with the best on the trail planet.  

Sara approached this final with strong ambitions, full health and boundless energy... and she delivered: 5th place at the end of the two events and 10th place overall, having run only 2 legs and the final. 

Seeing her so committed fills us with happiness and pride. 

Take a few seconds to run with her.... attention : https://www.instagram.com/p/DBY5GoyM-Vw/

The Marathon season is over and Laura continue their successful adventure on the trail .On Turkey's fast courses, she was able to show off her speed and leave her rivals more than 10 minutes behind, Well done Laura!  https://www.instagram.com/p/DBVvJOTNCzJ/?img_index=1

La diagonale des fous, so aptly named, such is the scale of the challenge. I wanted emotions, I got them!😆
I wouldn't be able to describe all the emotions I felt during the 36 hours and 43 minutes of the race, because it went off in all directions, for better or worse!
🫣🤣
In any case, when I start to take out my phone on a race like the diag, it's usually not really a good sign!😂 And on Friday, after 110km, I ended up taking it out!😆
➡️Le worse? 
That interminable climb up Taibit, during which I started to have negative thoughts, feeling useless, incapable...wondering how I was going to find the resources to get to the end of the site, with this stomach ache I'd been dragging around since the start, which was clearly spoiling the fun in addition to weakening me...🥹 for the 1st time in my racing life, I started to cry from exhaustion.  Helpless, exhausted, telling myself: “You haven't even done 75km, there's still 100+ to go!
You're never going to make it...”
➡️Le better? 
After the Lataniers, the ascent to the Maido via Orangers and Brèche.
Then that long, beautiful descent I love towards Savannah, where I suddenly found a second life, having finally managed to get out the cinder block that had been weighing on my stomach since the start in Saint Pierre and preventing me from eating properly.😆 Pleasure regained 😍
Between these 2 extremes?
✅The joy of rediscovering the mafataise atmosphere (even if it's clearly less sexy in the greyness 🤭),
✅The anger of having forgotten my 2nd pair of shoes (and therefore having to keep the muddy ones from Cilaos! 😵‍💫),
✅The joy of crossing this incredible island for the 4th time, with the collective effervescence of the inhabitants 🇷🇪😍,
✅The admiration for my support team, who were there to help us all the way 🥰,
And so many others ...
More than 180km/11,000 of emotional lift. I'm now 4 times more convinced: you really need to be mentally armed in addition to being physically armed to get to the end of this madness! 😵
I've got a year to strengthen this armour even more and come back crying with happiness over a 5th Grand Raid in 2025! 😜🙌🏽 Love U 🇷🇪❤️, thank you for everything🥰’ https://www.instagram.com/p/DBZGB6zt8Ca/?hl=fr&img_index=7

It's safe to say that just a few hours after his painful withdrawal from the UTMB, when he had the chance to shine, .... our ‘big Ben’ had made up his mind: he was going to Reunion Island.

 It took him a few weeks to reveal it to us, but to be honest, all the staff already knew about it and his trip and his support team were already mobilised! 

The challenge was immense, with competition of a rare density, an even more difficult course.... and the natural pressure that always follows a failure; Ben was brilliant, courageous and filled us all with pride !

Leader throughout the night, he had to give up a little ground during a slightly weak time, but managed to take this admirable podium! 

An admirable 2024 on Ultra: victory on the MIUT, 2nd on ANDORA by UTMB and here a podium.  Respect!  

https://www.instagram.com/p/DBYOOufN9sS/?hl=fr&img_index=1

This rider isn't human... he's an elevator  : All the uphil races in Italy should be on his palmares. 

He completes the competition with victory and the record at Forten di Barda  gold edition .... . 

To race with Xavi, click here: https://www.instagram.com/p/DBX_DPMIU3f/?hl=fr

The Trentino and the Lago di Garda are Alessia's backyard, and she had to be there and win this always difficult 10K. 

It's always difficult for a young athlete to take on long distances, you never really know how your body will react after 4 or 5 hours.

So this first 60 km was a test for Diane, which she passed with success : a good 2nd place, after 62 km, on the difficult paths of the Causses, after 6 hours 40 minutes of effort. 

Enough for her to look forward to the future  with realism and serenity. https://www.instagram.com/p/DBb4UXNIeZz/?hl=fr&img_index=3

Antonio knows how to do everything in this marathon format, whether it's ultra-technical Skyrunning or the fast trails of the OCC, he's always at ease. 

The level of competition in this Marathon de Causses had been exciting him for many months, and he gave his rivals no chance.

 He was dominated for 30 km by Hassan Chahdi, one of the best French marathon runners, with a PB of 2:07 in London Marathon and who also took part in the Paris Olympics.

 He controlled his rival by less than 2 minutes, before turning the race on its head in the very technical final section, made up of relaunches and technical downhill ..... without having recognised the course, and winning by more than 5 minutes!

 https://www.instagram.com/p/DBV8L3KMgm3/?hl=fr&img_index=1

Don't be fooled by the beautiful smile at the finish line and the friendly congratulations to the first ..... Nuria was extremely annoyed with herself and disappointed with 2nd place! 

An opinion that the staff don't share, of course, we're so proud of her .... but having been in the lead throughout the race, she went into the last technical part of the 7 km with a comfortable lead and everything became more complicated: a duration of effort that she hadn't done since the spring, a course that she wasn't familiar with and the cramps appeared, victory eluded her, but the result is excellent!  

https://www.instagram.com/p/DBgQQhnNMqP/?hl=fr&img_index=1

Manon, a young athlete from the ‘seeding’ group, gave us great pleasure by finishing this Marathon very close to the best. 

Freed from the stress of her studies, she has just defended her doctoral thesis in Astrophysics (sorry about that!!!), she will probably continue to progress ! thttps://www.instagram.com/p/DBbH4MYtiXe/?hl=fr

Andreu loves the classics, the monuments... those that must be part of a great rider's list of achievements. 

This great Templiers race had been on his radar for several years and the planets aligned in the autumn of 2024. He took the time to come and reconnoitre the course and devised a race plan to play up front and wait for the final climb to play for the podium... or better? 

The plan worked, and we were satisfied with 3rd place... but it didn't quite suit Andreu, who is still aiming for victory.
https://www.instagram.com/p/DBWc7W9M_HB/?hl=fr

Tintii's 2024 season has been incredibly consistent, with a string of good results in major races all over Europe. 

She came to discover this beautiful race with her usual smile.... everything is good to smile and laugh for her! 

She had great control and a solid finish, but missed out on 5th place by just a few seconds ... and the season isn't over yet, we'll be seeing her in France soon. To see her finish, click here: https://www.instagram.com/stories/highlights/17930427986833554/?hl=fr

Marie announced at the start of the season that this Grande Course des Templiers would be her goal for the year, as the Causses is her adopted home.
Unperturbed by her final lawyer's exam in the same week, she ran a great race, managing her speed well and enjoying the final run with her team-mate Anna Stiina. 

You can watch a run with our girls here: https://www.instagram.com/stories/highlights/17858223420192634/?h

Provisional results 2024

##86 VICTORIES 

Coming soon: Kulamannen by utmb , Puerto Valarda Mexico by utmb, Javelina Jundred by utmb ...