Clem Qui Court's 25-hour Backyard raises nearly €1.5 million for charity

Théo Detienne wins the final loop

The format was simple: a 5.7 km loop with 150 m of elevation gain, to be completed in under an hour, with a new start every 60 minutes. No extra rest. Anyone who doesn't make it back to the line in time, or chooses to stop, is out.

Of the 116 starters, 26 made it to the start of the final loop after 25 hours of racing. Théo Detienne, a professional trail runner for Brooks, won this first edition with the fastest time on the last 5.7 km: 24:22. He finished ahead of Mathieu Delpeuch (24:56) and Victor Guerdin (25:42). Among those who completed all 25 loops were Benoît Girondel, Jean-Will Smith, Hugo Deck, Blandine L’Hirondel and Stéphanie Gicquel, the first woman.

Champions and content creators on the same start line

It was one of Clément Deffrenne's goals: bring trail figures and internet personalities together in the same adventure. The bet paid off. Blandine L’Hirondel ran all 25 loops, with an extra touch of fantasy: a different costume every lap. Hugo Deck, winner of the Diagonale des Fous three weeks earlier, also finished the challenge, adding almost 150 km to his legs. Ludovic Pommeret lasted 18 loops, more than 100 km, before enjoying the event in his own way, including a lap on his ski touring skis.

Mathieu Blanchard, back after seven months out and heel surgery, stopped at four loops, dressed as Spider-Pig. What mattered was elsewhere: pinning on a bib again and soaking up the atmosphere with the other participants. Aurélien Sanchez, the first Frenchman to finish the Barkley Marathons, called it a day after 15 laps, pointing to the mental difficulty of a format where you have to find the motivation to go again, over and over. Another great story was Jean-Will Smith's. He came from Rodrigues, in Mauritius, and met up with Clem Qui Court several years after they first crossed paths at a Backyard held on the island. This time, he completed all 25 loops.

Among the content creators, Eric Flag, Gaspacho, Bader, Eliette and Julie of the AfterUsTwinz also finished all 25 laps. Others pushed on to 15 loops for Théo Sabadel (Marrant Club), 14 for Mathis Dumas and Courspetitetomate, and 12 for Hugo Tout Seul. Even the biggest names on YouTube discovered how demanding this format is. Tibo InShape had the support of his partner Juju Fitcats, who got a crash course in long-haul crewing. As for Laink and Nogodi, they lasted until the eleventh loop.

The community shows up

Beyond the invited personalities, members of Clem Qui Court's community also showed up, and some blew past their goals. Marc Malembits, a golden ticket holder, was among the last 26 runners still in the race for the final loop. Pierre Delahousse, who was initially aiming for five laps, ended up running nine. What he remembers most are the people he met on the course: “I met 45 amazing people!”

Nicolas Petitfrère pushed on to 17 loops, past the 100 km mark, before giving in to pain. Thomas Siot, a member of the Clem Qui Corp, reached 21 laps, more than 120 km. Coming off five months of injury, he chose to protect his knees rather than risk another stretch of rehab.

Not everyone came for a performance. For some, finishing a few loops was already a personal challenge. Pablo Brimeux, of the KillCam team, covered 71 km in 12 laps despite nausea and a stop at the medical tent. His participation also raised €2,160 for the Rêves association.

One more performance deserves a mention: Julien Petitfrère, of the P'tit Duo, ran the fastest loop of the event in 21:01, at 3:41/km. An impressive burst of speed in a challenge where endurance and consistency usually rule.

Louane, the highlight of these 25 hours

Amid the performances and the entertainment, one of the most striking moments of the event centered on Louane, 16. Thanks to the Rêves association, the operation's partner, the young Breton got her wish: meeting Clément Deffrenne and sharing a loop with him. Diagnosed with metastatic cancer at the age of 8, she still lives with after-effects that limit her mobility. She keeps playing sports all the same, notably swimming and wheelchair athletics.

On the livestream, she explained how much Clem's videos had helped her through hard times: “You helped me a lot with your videos. I watched them on repeat and they helped me stay motivated and pick myself back up.” A few hours later, she covered the 5.7 km of a loop alongside the YouTuber. Inoxtag even joined them live. No clock and no performance to chase this time. Just a moment of sharing that sums up the spirit of these 25 hours.

An immersive experience, right through the screen

The event went beyond the race itself. The website les25hquicourent.fr was designed as an interactive computer desktop, with a live leaderboard, fundraising tracker, access to the livestream, a shop, exclusive content and mini-games. Collectible cards featuring the participants rounded out the setup and strengthened the bond with the community.

Fans were also asked to follow from home so the race could run smoothly on site. On Twitch, Clem Qui Court's stream peaked at 159,817 concurrent viewers, according to an independent tracking tool. Our own livestream on Stadion passed 200,000 connections.

Nearly €1.5 million for Rêves

The other big goal of these 25 hours was to raise as much as possible for the Rêves association, which grants wishes to seriously ill children. The initial target of one million euros in donations was reached, which triggered a bonus loop. On top of that came online shop revenue, estimated at around €430,000. In total, the fundraising came close to €1.5 million. An exceptional result for a first edition, and one that gives the event another dimension.

With 116 starters, 26 runners still standing after 25 loops and a massive turnout behind the screens, Clem Qui Court pulled it off: trail, content creators and a whole community brought together behind one cause.

The organizer has mentioned a second edition, with no official announcement yet. One thing is certain, though: these 25 hours showed that trail can reach well beyond its own world.