In the early evening, American Hayden Hawks won the 101km and 6000m D+ of the CCC, while South African Toni McCann did the same for the women.
The two 2024 winners of the CCC are regulars on the podiums of the UTMB Mont Blanc event. American Hayden Hawks had already won this race in 2017, in 10H24. Seven years later, and after last season marked by a long injury, the HOKA team runner managed to renew this performance, improving his time by 4 minutes. A victory that unfolded between Arnouvaz and the Grand Col Ferret, where the American felt invigorated and took the lead in the race, hardly relinquishing it until the finish, except during the descent to Fouly, where he played yo-yo with his friend and fellow compatriot Adam Peterman (USA – Hoka).
A success built on the strength of his thighs, Hawks having run without poles the whole way. “In 2017, when I won, I didn’t have them. In 2022, I tried them, but it didn’t work well for me, so I decided to skip them again this year,” explained the runner. A bold but rewarding technical choice, Hawks proving particularly strong uphill.
7th in the event in 2023, young Slovakian Peter Frano, 28, 3rd in the 2023 World Long Trail Championships, finished his 100 KM like a cannonball, falling just 7 minutes short of victory, ahead of another American, Adam Peterson. Peterson’s victory at Western States in 2022 had revealed him to the public, and expectations had been high for the American since then. A long injury in 2023 delayed his emergence, but this 3rd place at the CCC confirms his skills and resurgence (begun earlier this season with a win at Speedgoat in the United States) in his first outing at a UTMB event.
With two athletes on the men’s podium, the United States continues its strong harvest, unlike the French, who still find it a bit tough, with the 10th place finish of former French champion Arnaud Bonin (Scott) in a sprint for his first 100km.
In the women’s category, Toni McCann (AFS- Adidas Terrex) also secures a new victory in Chamonix. The partner of Frenchman Bastien Perez had won the OCC last year, and she successfully tackled her first 100km race in her career. “I had a little dip at Champex, but I think it’s due to my inexperience with the distance. I know what 50 or 60km feels like, but beyond that, I was discovering. So I let that tough moment pass, and with the support of my family and fans, I managed to find a second wind for the second part of the race,” explains Toni, who ultimately finishes ahead of Polish runner Martyna MLYNARCZYK (Hoka) and German Rosanna BUCHAUER (Dynafit).
Anne-Cécile Thévenot (team macsport), the first Frenchwoman, finishes in 7th place, after a strong final ascent in the Flègère and during the descent towards Chamonix.