Trail: Hivernatrail still at its zenith

At the microphone of Maud, the announcer, Nicolas Darbo delivers the analysis of his success in the 30 km. MIDI LIBRE – JERÔME MORIN

La Lozérienne Elodie Nicolas peut jubiler, victorieuse du 20 km. MIDI LIBRE – JERÔME MORIN

Sunday, December 8, in Saint-Côme-et-Maruéjols, the 17th edition of the Hivernatrail, the 10th and final round of the Gardois Challenge, brought together nearly a thousand runners.

While the bulk of the peloton is finishing its 20 km, faces marked for most of the runners, the consequence of a rough course, with many restarts, he is already showered and dressed. Sébastien Smargiassi is having a snack with his colleagues. This Sunday, Forza resident Seb Domessargues running did not come to Saint-Côme-et-Maruéjols for nothing.

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Sébastien Smargiassi, as a matter of course

Like most of the races in this Gard Challenge in which he took part, including the Hivernatrail (988 participants between the 12, 20 and 30 km), this Sunday, Smargiassi won. ''Today, I wanted to make it a point of honour to show that I was the boss'' , noted the 2023 amateur European duathlon champion, swallowing up the 20 km in 1 h 27'58. Winner of the day ahead of Théo Martinion (1 h 28'24) and Alexandre Cour (1 h 30'22), Smargiassi (7,455 points in the end) already had more than 1,000 points ahead of Benjamin Figueras (Runand live), in the general classification of the Challenge, before the 10th round. Figueras, his runner-up, took 5th place in the 30 km, a distance that awards 1,000 points to its winner.

Darbo happy that it's over

Those famous 1,000 points that ended up in the pocket of Nicolas Darbo (Assp Vergèze). A winner as happy as he was tested, it seems, finishing line crossed in 2 h 24’02. ''I didn’t eat too much, I thought I would hold out better than that, but I didn’t have the 30 km in my legs, completely'', Darbo pointed out, less than 2 h 32 at the Lyon marathon, two months ago.
While the hunger pangs almost caught up with the Vergézois, the competition, it, never really saw him. Julien Chabat (Nîmes marathon) came 2nd (2 h 27’47) and Arnaud Ratignier (Rtn 30), 3rd in 2 h 28’25.

Gwenaëlle Thomas climbs onto the final podium

Among the women, of the top 5 overall before the last, only Gwenaëlle Thomas (Courir en garrigue Poulx), 5th before Saint-Côme, picked up points, scoring 875 thanks to her 3rd place in the 30 km, in 3 h 18’02, in a race won by Laetitia Terraux in 3 h 05’01. With this 3rd place, Thomas climbs onto the podium (3rd) of the Challenge overall.
The 2024 edition crowned Sandra Blottière (Les foulées de l’Olivier), who had done enough, before Saint-Côme, to secure the final victory. Success was also a question for Elodie Nicolas in the 20 km. The Lozérienne won in 1 h 50’29. ''Last year, it was the 10 km that I won'', she smiled. See you at the 30 bornes, in 2025 ?