The Grand Raid de la Réunion, also called La diagonale des fous (The Bishops'/Madmen's Diagonal) is a mountain ultramarathon race. The race takes place annually in October on Réunion island, a French overseas department in the Indian Ocean, situated between Madagascar and Mauritius. The 166 kilometres (103 miles) route with 10,000 metres (33,000 ft) of elevation gain is reputed to be highly challenging, brutally difficult and one of the hardest footraces in the world.

Grand Raid Réunion
Diagonale des Fous
arrival at 2011 edition
GenreUltra-marathon
Date(s)October
Frequencyannually
Location(s)France Réunion
Inaugurated1989
Participants2350 competitors
Websitegrandraid-reunion.com

Category of course

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Three races are held at the same time:

  • the Grand-Raid or Diagonale des Fous — 162 kilometres (101 mi) with 9,643 metres (31,637 ft) of altitude gain
  • the Semi-Raid or Trail of Bourbon — 93 kilometres (58 mi) with 4,920 metres (16,140 ft) of gain
  • Mascareignes Raid — 61 kilometres (38 mi) with 3,036 metres (9,961 ft) of gain

Dates of races in 2017

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  • 25th edition of the Diagonale des fous: 19 to 22 October [1]
  • 18th edition of the Trail de Bourbon: October
  • 7th edition of the Mascareignes: October

Death

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This race has recorded three deaths since its inception.[2] The 2002 edition was marked by the death of Gérard Bordage in the descent of the Kerveguen hillside and that of the Dutchman Guus Smit in the rampart of the Roche Écrite; while that of 2012 sees the death of Thierry Delaprez after a fall in a ravine at the Col de Fourche.[3]

Winners

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Year Distance Winner Nationality Winner time
2023 165 km Aurélien Dunand-Pallaz   France 23h 21mn 23s
2022 165,7 km Beñat Marmissolle   France 20h 14mn 36s
2021 168 km Daniel Jung

Ludovic Pommeret

  Italy

  France

23h 02mn 21s
2019 170 km Grégoire Curmer   France 23h 33mn 45s
2018 165 km Benoît Girondel et François D'Haene   France 23h 18mn 48s
2017 165 km Benoît Girondel   France 23h 53mn 53s
2016 167 km François D'Haene   France 23h 44mn 67s
2015 167 km Antoine Guillon   France 24h 17mn 40s
2014 172 km François D'Haene   France 24h 25mn 02s
2013 163,5 km François D'Haene   France 22h 58mn 00s
2012 170 km Kílian Jornet Burgada   Spain 26h 33m 10s
2011 161,8 km Julien Chorier   France 23h 56m 35s
2010 161,8 km Kílian Jornet Burgada   Spain 23h 17m 26s
2009 148 km Julien Chorier   France 22h 09m 08s
2008 148 km Pascal Parny   France 21h 40m 48s
2007 150 km Thierry Chambry   France 23h 33m 41s
2006 148 km Christophe Jaquerod   France 20h 39m 40s
2005 140 km Charles Fontaine   France 19h 49m 36s
2004 140 km Richeville Esparon   France 20h 00m 57s
2003 130 km Richeville Esparon   France 18h 11m 27s
2002 125 km Thierry Técher   France 17h 55m 21s
2001 125 km Pascal Parny   France 16h 1m
2000 125 km Gilles Diehl
Thierry Técher
  France 16h 43m
1999 125 km Cléo Libelle   France 17h 50m
1998 125 km Cléo Libelle   France 17h 45m
1997 125 km Patrick Maffre   France 15h 37m 35s
1996 123 km J.Philippe Marie-Louise   France 16h 19m 27s
1995 121 km J.Philippe Marie-Louise   France 14h 41mn
1994 130 km J.Philippe Marie-Louise   France 18h 29m
1993 129 km Patrick Maffre   France 16h 03 m
1992 J.Philippe Marie-Louise   France 17h 20m
1991 Gilles Trousselier
Patrick Maffre
  France 18h 28m
1990 Gilles Trousselier   France 17h 11m
1989 Gilles Trousselier   France 16h 2m

Women

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Year Winner Nationality Winner time
2023 Katie Schide   United States 27h 31mn 08s
2022 Courtney Dauwalter   United States 21h 37mn 36s
2021 Emilie Maroteaux Réunion Island 29h 54mn 59s
2019 Sabrina Stanley   United States 30h 49mn 39s
2018 Jocelyne Pauly   France 28h 54mn 26s
2017 Andrea Huser   Switzerland 26h 34mn 52s
2016 Andrea Huser   Switzerland 27h 44mn 13s
2015 Núria Picas   Spain 28h 11mn 14s
2014 Nathalie Mauclair   France 31h 27mn 28s
2013 Nathalie Mauclair   France 28h 45mn 32s
2012 Émilie Lecomte   France 33h 03m 17s
2011 Karine Herry   France 31h 43m 30s
2010 Marcelle Puy   France 31h 48m 50s
2009 Emilie Lecomte   France 28h 58m 41s
2008 Marcelle Puy   France 26h 20m 40s
2007 Marcelle Puy   France 29h 5m 46s
2006 Karine Herry   France 26h 33m 46s
2005 Sandrine Beranger   France 27h 24m 57s
2004 Alexandra Rousset   France 27h 58m 41s
2003 Simone Kayser   Luxembourg 25h 59m 16s
2002 Marcelle Puy   France 20h 54m 28s
2001 Corinne Favre   France 20h 56m
2000 Corinne Favre   France 23h 25m 58s
1999 Mireille Sery   France 24h 44m
1998 Corinne Favre   France 22h 51m
1997 Corinne Favre   France 24h 35m 45s
1996 Josiane Catois   France 23h 06m 05s
1995 Marcelle Puy   France 24h 59m
1994 Mireille Sery   France 30h 47m
1993 Régine Etienne   France 27h 26m
1992 Mireille Sery
Thérèse Derolez
  France 28h 21m
1991 Marie Annick Laudes   France 33h 09m
1990 Guylène Calpetard   France 31h 58m
1989 Marie Thérèse Maussion   France 25h 40m

References

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  1. ^ www.grandraid-reunion.com
  2. ^ "ULTRA-TRAIL. Les chiffres fous de la Diagonale des Fous".
  3. ^ ""Diagonale des fous" : Un coureur meurt". 20 October 2012.
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