Théo Detienne headlines the 2026 Grand Trail du Lac

The Grand Trail du Lac will bring the trail season in Savoie to a close, circling the region's famous Lac du Bourget. The 13th edition is sold out, with 175 entrants for the KV, 55 relay teams, 600 runners on the 75 km and another 600 on the 34 km.

On Saturday, October 17, the KV du Chat will get things underway with a format that is as short as it is demanding: 2.4 km with 1,000 m of elevation gain. Among the men, Briton Tom Spenser, Austrian Julius Ott, and Frenchmen Rémi Cantan, Côme Maurel, Romain Croz, Eddy Maschio and Martin Chapsal will be among those to watch. In the women's race, Coline Philibert, Clara Sabourin, Léa Carlesso, Maëlle Youenou, Léonie Harivel, Pauline Arel and England's Helen Ockenden should leave their rivals little breathing room.

On the full lap of the lake, covering 75 km and 3,600 m of elevation gain, Théo Detienne (Brooks), winner of the 90 km race at the Marathon du Mont-Blanc in 2025, will be one of the most eagerly awaited runners. Although he finished well down the field at the UTMB (63rd) and was runner-up at the MaXiRace in May 2026, the soon-to-be father recently paced Aurélien Dunand-Pallaz's GR20 record. He will be looking to return to the sharp end of the race around Lac du Bourget. Théo Detienne is also expected at Clem Qui Court's backyard ultra on November 6, a 25-hour event.

© Brooks

Challenging him will be Julius Ott of Austria, adding an international edge to the field, while Frenchmen Benjamin Berthoud, Luc Meyer, Clément Cantan, winner of the 2026 Traversée Nord de L’Échappée Belle, Nicolas Ménard, winner of L’Échappée Belle's Parcours des Crêtes in 2025, Benoit Chauvet, Jérémie Marin, runner-up at the Grand Trail du Lac in 2023, Jean Hudry and Florian Petit will all be looking to make their mark.

The women's race should be just as compelling. Frenchwoman Axelle Piot, runner-up in the 75 km in 2025, returns with a strong record on the course. She will have to keep an eye on Marianne Crouvezier, Charlotte Mouchon, Anne-Sophie Crevoisier, Murielle Morin, Héloïse Paillet and Belgian Sara Rivka Nizet, all determined to stop her from completing the double.

Several runners could shape the race over the 34 km course from Chanaz, which features 2,050 m of elevation gain. Tom Rochat, Thibaud Jahan, Bastien Campos, Romain Lavernhe, Tanguy Perrier and Bastien Prud'homme are expected to battle for the lead in the men's race.

Among the women, Christine Selman and Clarisse Laurens-Berge, both among the favorites in previous editions, will face a strong field led by Belgian Elisabeth Dauby, as well as Nolwenn Lucas and Laura Frigout.

© Bruno Lavit