09-10/02:5th edition TSF-Millet (FR)

TSF 2008 Day 1Results
The 5th edition of the TSF (Tournette Sources du Fier) Millet took place this weekend in stunning weather conditions in Les Aravis. 163 teams lined up in what is fast becoming one of the premier events of the racing calendar, with international runners form Switzerland, Italy, Great Britain, New Zealand and USA making the most of French hospitality and racing expertise.

The first day saw racers on the Tournette course, ascending 2080m, most of which was gained in the first skin and had racers top out at 2430m on the Pointe de la Bajule. A variety of snow conditions greeted racers, cold winter snow at higher elevations, spring snow down low and "breakable crust" in between.

After this first day Tony Sbalbi, of the French national team, and Mathéo
Edalyne, a member of the Italain team, had a 6min lead on Vincent Meilleur and Sébastien Baud, with fellow CAF Excellence team of Yann Gachet and Nicolas
Matter another 2mins back. Tony Sbalbi

TSF 2008In the woman's race Nina Silitch and Lindsay Meyer, both members of the United States ski mountaineering team crossed the finish line 4 mins ahead of New Zealand/France team of Jane Harper and Fabain Sestier-Carlin (CAF DSA). Gaëlle Martin and Amandine Borot Novero were 6mins behind the American team.

Sunday started as Saturday ended, with excellent weather for racing and with Sbalbia and Edalyne building on there previous days lead, eventually winning comfortably by 11mins. This left the 2 CAF Excellence teams battling it out for 2nd and 3rd, with Meilleur and Baud finishing less than a minute ahead.Mt Charvin

Things were a little closer in the woman's race, with Harper and Sestier-Carlin passing by Aulp de fier d'en Haut on the final climb no more than 5 minutes ahead of the American girls Silitch/Meyer. In the end the French/Kiwi combo crossed 6mins ahead taking 1st place overall. While Martin/Borot Novero managed to pass Silitch/Meyer on the final climb, this was not enough for 2nd overall. Just over 3mins separated the top 3 female teams after 2 days of racing.
Woman's Podium
A special mention for CAF Aravis and Farerges who organised an extremely well run event and to all the volunteers who made it happen (40 people on Friday and Saturday setting the course for starters). In recent years organisers from CAF Aravis and Farerges have felt competitions have been moving away from the mountains and into ski resorts. With the TSF they have strived to have a real "mountain" event and this is something they clearly achieved this weekend.

RESULTS
Senior Male Tournetter 09/02 Sources du Fier10/02 TOTAL
1st- Sbalbi/Edalyne 02:02:49 02:14:27 04:17:16
2nd- Meilleur/Baud 02:08:06 02:20:09 04:28:15
3rd- Gachet/Matter 02:10:43 02:21:03 04:31:46

Senior Female
1st- Sestier-Carlin/Harper 03:17:50 03:43:19 07:01:09
2nd- Silitch/Meyer 03:13:59 03:49:06 07:03:05
3rd- Martin/Borot Novero 03:20:10 03:44:10 07:04:20

Thanks to Christophe Aubonnet and Stephane Mougin for the photos!