THE THIRD EDITION OF NICE CÔTE D'AZUR BY UTMB DELIVERS ON ALL ITS PROMISES
- Cristofer Clemente Mora (Male) and Courtney Dauwalter (Women) win the 100M
- Jonathan Albon (Male) and Sylvia Nordskar (Women) win the 50K
- One start on Sunday: Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat-Nice (20K)
- Continuous finishes until 1pm on Sunday
A long-distance duel between Cristofer Clemente Mora and Courtney Dauwalter in the 100M
The third edition of the Ultra Trail Métropole Nice Côte d'Azur (150 km and 8,200m elevation gain) was both beautiful and intense, delivering a thrilling race.Cristofer Clemente Mora (UTMB Index 860) won the race on Saturday, finishing in 21h22'14''. The Spanish runner took the lead in the early kilometres, but his victory was only secured in the final kilometres, with only 13 minutes separating him from Courtney Dauwalter (UTMB Index 849), who finished second overall and the first among the women.
The 100M adventure began yesterday at 12pm, from the heights of Auron, with the discovery of the Rabuons refuge (2,523m), the highest point of the race. In a mineral landscape, runners explored the geological riches of the region, alternating between forests, ridges, and typical villages of the area (Isola, Saint-Sauveur-sur-Tinée, Utelle, Levens, Drap). From the mountains came the sea. From the Col de la Madeleine, located halfway through the race, runners enjoyed a breath-taking view of the azure coast during the long descent leading them to the finish arch on the Promenade des Anglais.
Cristofer Clemente Mora said, “First of all, a huge thank you for this incredible welcome. The course was more technical than expected, especially on the descents, but I had a lot of fun and I really enjoyed myself. Despite the much lower temperatures than I am used to, I managed my race as best as I could, especially by following the advice on the equipment for the race. My goal was to stay in the fight and make things difficult for my competitors, and today was my day. I am delighted with this victory.”
It was a long-distance duel between the two top runners. In 10th place as Isola (at 36km) and 27 minutes behind the leading Spaniard, the American runner, Courtney Dauwalter steadily gained time to be right on Cristofer Clemente Mora's heels with 50 kilometres to go. Dauwalter finished the 100M in 21h35'57''.
Courtney Dauwalter said, “I feel extremely fortunate to have experienced this race in such a stunning setting. During the final climb, seeing Nice and the sea, I felt an intense thrill and was happy to be here. I knew the course would be demanding, technical and very tough, especially with the rain overnight, but I loved every moment.”
Two Frenchmen completed the men's podium. Nicolas Cerisier (UTMB Index 778) took a cautious start to the race (24th at the first checkpoint), before finishing 3rd overall and 2nd in the men's category, with a time of 22h28'25''. Vincent Fabre (UTMB Index 740) finished 4th overall and 3rd in the men's category in a time of 22h56'36''.
Enrica Dematteis (ITA, UTMB Index 695) finished second in the women's race, with a time of 26h33'34'' and Agathe Lebel (FRA, UTMB Index 642) took third place in 26h37'57''.
All six runners qualified for the 2025 finals of the UTMB World Series.
Jonathan Albon and Sylvia Norskar shine on the new 50K course
As the favourite in the 50K, which took place on a new course, Jonathan Albon (UTMB Index 933) lived up to the pre-race predictions. The British runner was well-positioned from the start within the leading group, making his move between Drap (35.3km) and Plateau Saint-Michel (44.3km). He took advantage of this smoother section, using his running skills to distance his competitors and claim victory in 4h15'31''. Behind him, Frenchman Simon Paccard (UTMB Index 860) finished second after a hard-fought race in 4h23'27''. Kenyan runner, Ezekiel Rutto (UTMB Index 884) rounded out the podium in 4h30'32''.
Jonathan Albon said, “It was a real pleasure to run in the sunshine, with the perfect weather conditions. On paper, the course didn't seem too difficult, but once on the ground, I realised how technical and challenging it was. I ran the first part of the race in a group where we all worked together. In the final climb, I pushed hard and broke away.”
In the women's race, the favourite was Sylvia Nordskar (UTMB Index 752). The Norwegian delivered a flawless race, leading from start to finish, and winning solo in 5h08'48''. Behind her, the battle for the podium was intense. Thanks to a strong finish in 5h13'18'', the Italian runner, Camillla Magliano (UTMB Index 767) finished second, followed by French woman Louise Serban-Penhoat (UTMB Index 754), third in 5h20'34''.
Sylvia Nordskar said, “I didn't think I would win this race because I had knee problems. When I started, my goal was just to finish, not to win. But finishing and winning is perfect. The course was amazing. I felt great here and had really good sensations throughout the race. When I saw the sea, I was so happy to cross the finish line.”
This year, the runners started from the iconic Col d'Eze, beginning their journey in the heart of the Grande Corniche regional park on a modified course that highlights remarkable spots such as Fort de la Revère, Cime de Cabanelle, and the narrow streets of the perched villages of Peille and Peillon.
The top men's and women's podium finishers qualified for the 2025 OCC.
The third edition of Nice Côte d'Azur by UTMB is a moment of sharing for participants and their companions and a three-day celebration for the city of Nice and the Métropole Nice Côte d'Azur. After the night relays and youth races on Friday, the Promenade des Anglais has been welcoming continuous arrivals since Saturday and will continue until 1PM on Sunday, giving everyone the opportunity to discover the trail running universe at the Ultra-Trail® Village.
