The Coastal Challenge, Costa Rica, is excited to announce that Mathieu Blanchard will join the line-up for the 2023 edition.
Mathieu shot to fame after the 2022 UTMB when he traded blows with Kilian Jornet, finally placing 2nd. However, Mathieu is not the new kid on the block… His results go back to 2016 with podium placings in his home of Canada at Quebec Mega Trail and Ultra Trail Harricana de Charlevoix.
The rise in the sport has been steady and planned, in 2018 for example, Mathieu placed 13th at UTMB, in 2019 10th at CCC, and in 2021 he showed the promise of victory with 3rd at UTMB.
While he may be considered a single-day specialist, Mathieu dipped his toes in stage racing with participation in the 2021 Marathon des Sables – an edition that has now become infamous due to the heat and sickness bug that swept through the race. Mathieu was primed to stir the race up on the long day, sadly, the sickness hit him and he went in to survival mode. He still managed 5th overall.
Now The Coastal Challenge awaits; heat, humidity and the prospect of running along the coast and in and out of the mountains for a week.
TCC is the ultimate Costa Rican multi-day adventure. Hugging the coastline of the tropical Pacific, the route weaves in and out of the Talamancas; a coastal mountain range in the Southwest corner of this Central American country. Ever-changing terrain challenges each participant, from wide, dusty and runnable fire trails to dense and muddy mountain trails. River crossings, boulders, swimming through rivers, passing under waterfalls, surviving long and relentless beaches. Finally, the finish in the incredible Corcovado National Park, a Unesco World Heritage site, with a stunning final loop around Drake Bay before departing for their journeys home via speedboat.
THE RACE
- Stage 1 34.6km 1018m of vert and 886m of descent
- Stage 2 39.1km 1898m of vert and 1984m of descent
- Stage 3 47.4km 1781m of vert and 1736m of descent
- Stage 4 37.1km 2466m of vert and 2424m of descent
- Stage 5 49.8km 1767m of vert and 1770m of descent
- Stage 6 22.5km 613m of vert and 613m of descent
Total 230.5km
Vertical 9543m
Descent 9413m
#tcc2023
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