In Calenzana (Haute-Corse), red granite gives a special impression to nature. Xavier Thévenard, 32, is not indifferent to this wild nature. A world-renowned ultra-trail specialist, he set out this Monday morning to conquer the speed record of one of the most popular routes for hikers. It is here, not far from Calvi and at the foot of the Monte Grosso massif (1937 m), that the famous GR20 begins (or ends, it depends), which crosses 180 km (14,000 m of elevation gain) ) Corsica from north to south to Conca.
A homecoming for the triple winner of the Mont-Blanc race (2013, 2015, 2018), defender of the ecology, as he recently showed by announcing that he no longer wanted to travel on long haul.
The one we nicknamed “Pépino” should have resumed competition on April 25 on the island of Madeira: “The pandemic was right for all the races planned in my program. I already recognized the GR20 last summer with my friend Benoît Girondel (Editor’s note: double winner of the Diagonale des Fous à la Réunion) and Corsican guides. So, I thought it was time to try the record (Editor’s note: 31 hours and 6 minutes) by François D’Haene. “
Leaving at 4 am on Monday, he plans to take advantage of the full moon: “Brightness is essential on this very demanding and extremely technical course. There are a lot of stones, and no clear path. For a mountain and long distance enthusiast like me, this is a real challenge. A very big first outing remains a unique moment in a season. I trained a lot, but I don’t have a reference. What prevails is envy. I don’t do it by chance. “
The son of a restaurateur and a nurse (living in Corsica since 2012), Xavier Thévenard grew up with his brothers and sisters in Plans d’Hotonnes, a small ski resort in Ain: “Summer, I used to miles to go see the friends. From fall to spring, it was cross-country skiing. “
“I wanted more escape”
In sport-studies biathlon in Pontarlier (Doubs), he shared several podiums with a certain Martin Fourcade, before having the impression of going around in circles: “The efforts suited me less. I wanted more escape. »He then started trail running in 2009 and quickly met with success. Today, he shares this activity with the ski instructor at ESI (International Ski School).
Beyond his sporting activity which allows him to live well, “Xava” claims respect for nature. To get to the Island of Beauty, he took the boat. And it is no coincidence: “I will no longer use a long-haul plane to go on a 150 km trail at the other end of the world, when I can run in Europe. It is a personal act. I do not point the finger at myself, I do not consider myself flawless. We all have our own needs, the important thing is to be in line with our convictions. During the confinement, people acquired good habits, such as cycling and telecommuting. There is a real awareness of nature. We can clearly see what happened at the municipal … ”
