Elite French Alpine Ski Championships 2023

The world's best athletes in Les Orres from March 23 to 30, 2023

CONTENTS

©Les Orres - Willy Camus

Willy-Camus

Les Orres - W. Camus

March 23 to 30, 2023

In March, the resort of Les Orres and SCOCE host the French Elite Alpine Ski Championships.

From March 23 to 30, 2023, cheer on and meet the world's best skiers on the iconic La Pousterle downhill slope!

©Les Orres

Raceresults

Women's Downhill (23.03.2023)

#1 - ERRARD Anouck (1'23'22)
#2 - MEYER Garance (+0.66)
#3 - BRAND June (+0.91)

Women's Super-G (24.03.2023)

#1: Tessa WORLEY (1'03'31)
#2: Camille CERUTTI (+0.43)
#3: Tifany ROUX (+0.73)

FIS Women's Super-G (24.03.2023)

#1: Karen SMADJA CLEMENT (1'04'11)
#2: Tifany ROUX (+0.13)
#3: Carmen HARO (+0.70)

Ladies' Giant (March 25, 2023)

#1: Tifany ROUX (2'06'14)
#2: Téa LAMBORAY (+0.04)
#3: Carmen HARO (+0.69)

Ladies' Slalom (26.03.2023)

#1: Nastasia NOENS (1'32'29)
#2: Chiara POGNEAUX (+1.02)
#3: Caitlin MCFARLANE (+1.42)

Men's slalom (26.03.2023)

#1: Clément NOËL (1'31'31)
#2: Steven AMIEZ (+0.30)
#3: Paco RASSAT (+1.33)

Men's Giant (03.27.2023) - CANCELLED

Event cancelled. Conditions not met to guarantee a fair race.

Super G Men (28.03.2023)

#1: Nils ALLEGRE (1'09'96)
#2: Blaise GIEZENDANNER (+0.81)
#3: Nils ALPHAND (+0.91)

Men's Combined Slalom (28.03.2023)

#1: Hugo DESGRIPPES (2'09'31)
#2: Antoine AZZOLIN (+0.18)
#3: Léo DUCROS (+0.51)

Men's Downhill (03.30.2023)

#1: Florian LORIOT (1'12'63)
#2: Johan CLAREY (+0'12)
#3: Léo DUCROS (+0'13)

Monaco Men's Downhill (31.03.2023)

#1: Younes Terbeche (5'5'77)

Les Orres

La Pousterle, Les Orres' iconic downhill run!

This track is worthy of Kitzbühel in Austria! It's very physically demanding. The gradient is so steep that you're even looking for areas to slow the descent. There's no rest, no downtime. It's all downhill all the time. The best skier will be the one who manages to stay ahead on the slope, to remain in control of his glide and never be subjected to it. La Pousterle requires courage, it's a real wild animal, a show slope reserved for the elite!

Bruno CHARDON, former SCOCE trainer - Ski instructor

Altitude, vertical drop, snow and character:

la Pousterle's key assets

It's on the La Pousterle ski run, the emblematic downhill run in Les Orres, that the athletes will set off for these French Alpine Skiing Championships. Renowned for having one of the highest vertical drops in France and for being a very difficult run, this black run starts at the top of the eponymous chairlift and descends almost the entire ski area, finishing above Les Orres 1800. Its northerly orientation ensures quality snow and surface.

Did you know?

In the 90s, the La Pousterle slope hosted its 1st European Cup and, thanks to the quality of its slope and the commitment of the teams on site, has earned its credentials as a venue for future competitions. In 2022, it was selected as the Olympic track for Nice's bid to host the 2022 Olympic Games. It has already hosted the European Speed Cups in January 2019 and is aiming to host a stage of the FIS Junior World Cup and a FIS event.

Les Orres

Pousterle in figures

690m vertical drop
2012m track length
1"50min average running time
100km/h: average running speed
143km/h: peak running speed
36%: Average gradient
- In comparison with : Streif 27% (Kitzbühel); L'Eclipse 30% (Courchevel); La Face 32% (Val d'Isère); Roc de Fer 32% (Meribel)

Its key passages between jumps, walls and bends

Start: Straight down the slope.
Triple gate: before entering Montlhéry.
Virage du Mont Lhéry: an upward bend in the middle of a descent, this is a speed-seeking zone that has already enabled us to reach 143km/h.
1st Clos Sereis reserve jump (at the former P11): A very demanding 40 to 50-meter jump for the second jump.
2nd jump at Homme de Pierre: A 50-metre jump down the slope with a steep landing.
Entry into the forest and compression (from steep to flat) at the bottom of the La Pousterle wall: last wall before having to unroll to the finish.
3rd Galopins jump: After giving it all, it's the last obstacle and final 30-40-meter jump before the finish.
Racket finish: atmosphere on the Préclaux carpet.

The Stade's red runway will also host the Championship slaloms on March 24, 26 and 28. The 600-metre track will accommodate between 55 and 75 gates for men and between 40 and 60 for women.

The world's greatest skiers

The Pousterle piste has been trodden by some of the biggest names in French skiing. Among them :

Peter Muller, from Switzerland, winner of the 1987 Alpine World Ski Championships and 3-time winner of the Alpine World Cup (1979, 1980, 1982)
Luc Alphand, from Briançon, 34 World Cup victories, 3 times World Cup winner, 10 times French Championship winner between 1985 and 1997. He won the Gros Globe in 1997.
Markus Wasmeier, from Germany, winner of the World Giant Slalom Championships in 1985 and the World Cup Super-G and Combined in 1986. About Pousterle: "It's a magnificent and impressive slope".
Benjamin Melquiond, from Briançon, winner of the Junior World Super-G Championships in 1994 and twice winner of the French Super-G Championships (1997, 2000).
Beat Feuz, from Switzerland, downhill winner at the 2022 Olympic Games, winner of the Alpine World Ski Championships in 2017 and 4-time World Cup winner between 2017 and 2021.
Max Franz: originally from Austria, he is a 3-time World Cup winner (2017, 2019) and won the European Cup in 2009.
Johan Clarey: from Annecy, this young alpine skier is the 2019 Super G world vice-champion and 2022 Olympic downhill vice-champion.

THE SECRETS OF POUSTERLE PREPARATION

ON THE PROGRAM of the French Elite Alpine Skiing Championships

Downhill, slalom, men's and women's super G, FIS super G, as well as convivial moments with the public (ceremony, prize-giving, barbecue...).

* Schedules subject to change, subject to approval by the race committee on the day.

Wednesday March 22nd

9H30-11H30: WOMEN'S DESCENT TRAINING 📍 Piste La Pousterle

Thursday, March 23rd

9H30-12H: WOMEN'S DESCENT 📍Piste La Pousterle

Refreshment bar at finish

Top skiers: Camille Cerutti, Laura Gauché
12H: WOMEN'S AWARDS 📍Kiosk Les Orres 1800

Friday March 24th

10:30am: SUPER G FEMMES📍Piste La Pousterle

Refreshment bar at finish

Top skiers: Tessa Worley, Camille Cerutti, Laura Gauché
AWARDS - 1H after the end of the races 📍Kiosque Les Orres 1800

Signing sessions with top skiers
6:00 PM: PUBLIC RANDOM DRAW 📍Kiosque Les Orres 1800

Signing sessions with top skiers, Custom Bar, Public Quiz

Saturday March 25th

8H-11H: GÉANT DAMES 📍Piste La Pousterle

Refreshment bar at finish

Top skiers: Tessa Worley, Camille Cerutti, Chiara Pogneaux
11:45: AWARDS 📍Kiosk Les Orres 1800

Signing sessions with top skiers
6:00 PM: MEN'S AND WOMEN'S PUBLIC RANDOM DRAW 📍Kiosque Les Orres 1800

Signing session with top skiers, Public quiz

Sunday March 26th

8H- (approx. 12H): SLALOM DAMES & HOMMES 📍Piste Pousterle

Raquette finish accessible by ski via Clos Sereis piste (access via TSD Prelongis / Pousterle)

Top skiers: Clément Noël, Nastasia Noens, Chiara Pogneaux
AWARDS 45min after the end of the race📍EspaceRencontre et Culture
6:00 PM: MEN'S GIANT PUBLIC RANDOM DRAW 📍EspaceRencontre et Culture

Signing sessions with top skiers, Custom Bar, Public Quiz (prizes to be won)

Monday March 27th

GIANT MEN RACE CANCELLED

Conditions not met to guarantee a fair race

Top skiers: Alexis Pinturault, Clément Noël, Mathieu Faivre

Tuesday March 28th

10H-11H30: SUPER G MEN 📍Piste La Pousterle

Top skiers: Johan Clarey, Mathieu Faivre, Sam and Nils Alphand, Nils Allègre
1:15pm-2:30pm: COMBINED SLALOM📍PisteStade

Top skiers: Mathieu Faivre
AWARDS 45min after the end of the race 📍Kiosk Les Orres 1800

Wednesday March 29th

9H30-12H30 : TRAINING MEN'S DESCENT 📍Piste La Pousterle

Top skiers: Johan Clarey, Sam and Nils Alphand, Nils Allègre

Thursday March 30th

9H30-12H30: MEN'S DESCENT 📍Piste La Pousterle

Top skiers: Johan Clarey, Sam and Nils Alphand, Nils Allègre
12.45pm: AWARDS 📍Kiosk Les Orres 1800

Friday March 31st

(Monaco Championships / Outside French Championships)

9H30-11H30: DESCENTE MONACO HOMMES 📍Piste La Pousterle

Top skiers: Johan Clarey, Sam and Nils Alphand, Nils Allègre
11:30 - AWARDS 📍Kiosk Les Orres 1800

* Schedules subject to change as validated by the race committee on the day.

Practical information

ACCESS TO THE RACE AND SLOPES

The ski area will be open during the event. The chairlifts will be accessible to skiers to get to the start of the races. Access to the La Pousterle, Rolande and Stade slopes will be limited.

La Pousterle and Rolande slopes: Closed from March 06, 2023 (slope preparation).

Piste Stade: Closed from March 25 to 28.

Pedestrians: You will be able to access the slopes at the following locations:

Arrivée piste Stade: Pedestrian path from the Front de neige 1650 (10-15min walk)
La Rolande (end of run on La Pousterle): Via the Prélongis chairlift, pedestrian path to the finish of the Galopin ski lift.
Arrival at La Pousterle: On foot along the Tapis Preclaux, or via the tapis Preclaux (price €3 at checkouts 1650 or 1800), accessible from the 1800 snow front.

Consult the piste map

SKI PASS PRICES

Ski pass prices remain unchanged during the event. See all rates and book online to benefit from the WEB EXCLUSIVE rate!

To find out more

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The world's best skiers in Les Orres!

The French Elite Alpine Ski Championships will welcome the world's best skiers, including :

FOR THE MEN

Alexis PINTURAULT: Holder of 6 crystal globes, triple World Champion, multi-Olympic medallist, winner of the Gros Globe (overall ranking)
Clément NOEL: Olympic Slalom Champion, Junior World Slalom Champion, 10 World Cup wins
Johan CLAREY: Olympic downhill silver medallist, SG world vice-champion
Mathieu FAIVRE: Olympic bronze medallist in Giant Slalom, triple World Champion, 2 Giant Slalom World Cup wins
Nils ALLEGRE : several top 10 World Cup finishes

WOMEN

Tessa WORLEY: Four-time World Champion, 16 World Cup wins, 2-time Giant Slalom Globe winner. Retirement at the end of the 2023 season.
Nastasia NOENS : World champion in mixed team parallel event. Retirement at the end of the 2023 season.
Coralie FRASSE SOMBET: several World Cup top 10 finishes
Laura GAUCHÉ: 1 World Cup podium finish
Chiara POGNEAUX: 7 World Cup starts

En images

Alexis PINTURAULT (© B. Papon/L'Équipe)

Tessa WORLEY

Clément NOEL

Romane MIRADOLI

Victor MUFFAT JEANDET

Laura GAUCHE

Mathieu FAIVRE

Nastasia NOENS

Thibaud FAVROT

Brice ROGER

Our local champions They're skiing the slopes of Les Orres!

Téa Lamboray

Les Orres supports ski champion Téa Lamboray!

4 questions to Téa :

Can you tell us about your background?

I began skiing at the age of 2, starting at the kindergarten in Les Orres. Then, when I was 4, I joined the season collective, where I was able to really start discovering skiing. At 6, I joined the pre-club with Olivier Broquedis. I played there for 3 years.

In December 2010, I joined SCOCE. Over the next 7 years, I built up my skills within the club and began to achieve my first results, with numerous top 5 finishes at the U16 French championships. It was then that I discovered the international circuit for the first time. I was lucky enough to take part in the 7 Nations 2 years in a row (a race that brought together the USA, Italy, Austria, Germany, Liechtenstein and the Netherlands).

At the end of 2017, I was selected for the Comité Alpes-Provence. For 3 years, I will continue to progress and evolve thanks to this group. In 2019, I finished 3rd in the French U18 slalom championships and in 2020 I finished 4th in the European Cup parallel, which remains my best career result.

At the end of the 2020 season, I'm selected for the French national team, in the youth group. That winter, I finished 16th in the European Giant Cup. In 2021, I switched to the European Cup group. Unfortunately, the season didn't go as well as I'd hoped, with 2 injuries.

This year, I'm training with the private structure Orsatus. I feel ready to tackle the season and Ican't wait to compete in the French championships at home.

What does Les Orres mean to you?

I'm someone who's very attached to her values and her origins. For me, Les Orres is my haven of peace, and I'm always very happy to come home in the winter. I love spending time in the resort center, and as soon as possible I put my skis on to come and ski in this beautiful resort. It's a very friendly resort, which you can feel in the attitude of the staff, but also in the shopkeepers. I'm very happy and grateful to be able to represent Les Orres on my various trips.

How do you feel about the French Alpine Ski Championships?

The 2022-2023 season is about to start and I feel ready for it. The French championships take place at the end of March, which still leaves me plenty of time. But overall I'm very excited and looking forward to this great end-of-season event. I also admit that it's a bit stressful to race at home. I know the tracks on which the races will take place very well, which is an advantage, but there's also a risk that I'll be labelled the favourite, and that's not always easy to manage. What's more, I'll know all the people in charge of the organization, and it's rare to see so many familiar faces at a race of this importance.

In 2017, at the French U16 championships, I did pretty well (5th in GS and 3rd in SG), so I'm hoping to repeat that performance!

What can you tell us about the POUSTERLE track?

It's a very impressive slope, and I remember being there for the European speed cups when I was little and looking at it with stars in my eyes. Now I realize how lucky I am to ski it. It's very technical and requires a lot of commitment, but those are my strengths, so I can't wait.

Mana Aubert

Mana Aubert: not yet 20 but already a champion's seed!

4 questions to Mana :

Can you tell us about your background?

My name is Mana Aubert, I was born in 2005 and I've been skiing since the age of 3. I started at the Ski Club des Orres (SCOCE) for 7 years.

At the age of 11, I won the La 1000 Pattes race in Montgenèvre, then came 3rd in the Coq d'Or in U14 and 5th in the Giant at the U16 French Championships. I'm now entering my second year in the FIS (Fédération Internationale de Ski).

What does Les Orres mean to you?

I've known the resort all my life! It's where I did my first skiing, it's my heart resort and it means a lot to me.

How do you feel about the French Alpine Ski Championships?

As far as this year's championships are concerned, I'm feeling pretty good about them. I'm going to do everything I can to give it my best shot.

What can you tell us about the POUSTERLE track?

I have to admit that she's very committed to speed, so it's not very reassuring, but with the right training I think she'll be fine!

Enola Heilmann

Enola Heilmann, from the Côte d'Azur to the snow-capped mountains!

4 questions to Enola :

Can you tell us about your background?

I'm originally from the Côte d'Azur, where I started skiing. My participation in the Ecureuils d'Or, during which I achieved 4 top 10 finishes, including 3 in the Giant Slalom, confirmed my decision to continue my studies at the Lycée d'Altitude in Briançon, which offers an education adapted to top-level athletes. That's how I joined SCOCE and the Comité Alpes Provence in 2020. The resort of Les Orres was kind enough to support me in this project. For the past 3 years, I've been competing on the FIS circuit, and this season I've started by taking part in European Downhill Cups in France and Austria.

What does Les Orres mean to you?

Les Orres is my adopted resort and I've been proud to wear its colors for 3 years now!

How do you feel about the French Alpine Ski Championships?

I'm really looking forward to the French Championships. I'm going to give it my all to produce my best skiing and perform!

What can you tell us about the POUSTERLE track?

The Pousterle piste is a very demanding one on which I haven't yet had the opportunity to train. But having skied it once or twice in free skiing, it promises to be a great show at the French Championships!

Candice Hamon

On skis from an early age!

4 questions to Candice :

Can you tell us about your background?

I'm 19 and was born in Toulouse. I arrived in Embrun at the age of 4. I started skiing with the school group in Les Orres and soon wanted to join my friends at the SCOCE pre-club. i spent 3 years at the Pré-Club, trained by Jeff and Marion, where we alternated training on the piste and in the forest. It was a great period when we took part in district races. Then I spent the next 6 years with the club up to U16, my 2 best years in sport. I placed twice in the top 10 in Giant at the Écureuils d'Or and thanks to these results I qualified for the POKAL international race in Slovenia, where I placed 9th in Giant. An injury put an end to my season in 2019, but I joined the Comité Ski Alpes Provence Regional Team in the U18 category, where I competed on the FIS circuit. For the past 2 seasons, I've been training with the Orsatus structure in Brides-les-Bains, while continuing my studies at EDHEC as a top-level sportswoman.

What does Les Orres mean to you?

It's my favorite resort, an unspoilt family resort with great panoramic views, especially from the Portette summit.

How do you feel about the French Alpine Ski Championships?

I hope to take part and give it my best shot! Running at home will be cool!

What can you tell us about the La Pousterle trail?

It's one of the most beautiful runs in the resort, with one hell of a slope, so you're going to have to have legs and be committed. It's going to be a great spectacle for speed specialists!

Louane Duvivier

Louane Duvivier, on the slopes of the resort where she grew up!

4 questions to Louane :

Can you tell us about your background?

We go back 14 years! I started at the age of 3, then went to the pre-club where Marion and Jeff (the cousins) taught me the basics of skiing. I continued at the club where Olivier, Mike and Raph taught me almost everything. Those were great years, including a victory in the giant at the Écureuils d'Or and 3rd place in the slalom at the same championship (French U16 Championship). I'm now in my 2nd year of FIS with the Alpes Provence committee.

What does Les Orres mean to you?

Les Orres is my home! I'm always delighted to come back and ski the slopes of my resort, whether on or off the slopes, with my family, or with my club SCOCE, to see and share my passion with the SCOCE competitors and coaches. It's where I recharge my batteries!

How do you feel about the French Alpine Ski Championships?

I just want to enjoy myself, play and give it my all. It's really going to be a fun and exceptional event for us Orrians. So let's give it our all!

What can you tell us about the La Pousterle track?

It's a really beautiful run, technical and committed. You really feel like you're flying when you're at the top. You have to go with your heart. It really is the mythical piste of Les Orres. It was a European Cup run when I wasn't even born.

Championnats de France Ski ALpin Les Orres

The French Elite Alpine Ski Championships 4 disciplines

This competition has been organized by the French Ski Federation (FFS) since 1942. It features 5 disciplines: Downhill, Super Giant, FIS Super Giant, Giant Slalom and Slalom. At the end of these events, the title of French Champion is awarded in each of the disciplines concerned, and gold, silver and bronze medals are awarded to the top three finishers in each event.

Les Orres - Championnats de france ski alpin elite - Clément Noël

©Zoom

Disciplines: Downhill, Super-G, Giant Slalom & Slalom

While downhill and super-G combine speed and technical mastery, slalom demands speed and precision. In all cases, athletes will be confronted with numerous jumps, turns and imposing slopes! Recorded speeds easily exceed 100km/h. Skiers will have to put in the fastest performances to reach the top of the podium!

Downhill: the queen of alpine skiing! This is where the highest speeds are recorded, with speeds of up to 160 km/h!
SUPER-G: More technical, the Super-G is a speed event contested in a single run over a shorter distance, with gates closer together than in the downhill.
GIANT SLALOM: Run in 2 heats, the giant slalom takes place on an even more sinuous course, with 30 to 65 closely-spaced gates to overcome. Times from the 2 runs are added together to determine the final ranking.
SLALOM: This is an impressive event requiring the utmost technique. The poles are close together, and skiers generally hit them with every turn, which follow one another in quick succession.

Did you know?

In the history of the French Championships, skiers Florence Masnada and Fabienne Serrat have won the most titles, with 14 victories each. They are also the only champions to have won in all 5 disciplines at the same time. On the men's side, Luc Alphand is the most successful skier, with 8 victories in the downhill category between 1985 and 1997.

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