© Marathon International de la Côte d'Amour/Arthur Aumond
Marathon de la Côte d’Amour: Félix Bour finds his spark again in La Baule
La Baule’s oceanfront turned into a stage for elite East African runners and top French talent during the second edition of the Marathon de la Côte d’Amour, on France’s Atlantic coast. Kenya’s Evans Kipkorir claimed the men’s title in 2:09:51, while French runner Amélie Sinquin delivered a brilliant performance in the women’s race. On the half marathon, Félix Bour bounced back just one week after withdrawing from the New York City Marathon, and Lucile Mary topped the women’s field. Across the marathon, half, 10K, and 5K events, more than 16,000 runners brought intensity and joy to this coastal celebration of speed and endurance.
On Sunday, La Baule felt like a pocket edition of the East African championships. Facing the Atlantic, nearly 7,000 runners lined up along a flat course stretching from the seaside promenade to the Guérande peninsula. Up to 80,000 spectators came to enjoy the show.
The elite field was impressive — and so were the pacers. Top French names such as Hassan Chahdi, Abderrazak Charik, and Duncan Perrillat (winner in Rennes two weeks earlier) set the tempo. Very quickly, the Kenyan contingent took control. Their long, fluid strides left much of the field strung out early on.
In the end, debutant marathoner Evans Kipkorir surged in the final kilometers to win in 2:09:51. The previous record — 2:19:20, set by Adrian Piticco in 2024 — was shattered. Watching him flow from Le Pouliguen back toward the finish near the casino almost felt like witnessing an easy morning run.
| Evans Kipkorir: the breakout star
For a moment, it looked as though Absel Rutto would celebrate on the finish line. He went solo just after leaving the promenade, attacking hard up the road to Le Pouliguen at a punishing pace. But Kipkorir timed his comeback perfectly, catching his compatriot and pulling away to secure the win. Rutto held on for second, with fellow Kenyan Davis Kiplangat (2:11:41) rounding out a fully Kenyan podium. Kenya above all — without contest.
This high level of performance sets an early benchmark for a young event already standing out as a must-run date on the French calendar. Elite runners will no longer arrive here by chance.
| Les régionaux n’ont pas couru pour rien
Amid the Kenyan domination, several French runners delivered proud efforts. Guillaume Ruel (8th, 2:20:22) and Jonathan Billaud (10th, 2:27:20) were the only Frenchmen in the top ten. The performance of the day, however, may belong to Matthias Gourgues.
Starting mid-pack, he settled into a French group with Jordan Thiré and David Bernier. After 25 km, he found himself alone — wind in his face, rhythm steady. Finishing 12th, he narrowly missed breaking 2:30, off by about 50 seconds, a strong result for his marathon debut.
For Gourgues, the race was also part of a long-term plan — a step toward the 2026 Paris Marathon. “I wanted to gather information, to see how my body would respond,” he said afterward. A few seconds slipped away late in the race, some frustration lingered, but overall he left satisfied.
| Amélie Sinquin shines in the women’s marathon
In the women’s field, Amélie Sinquin of Rennes set out with a simple plan: treat the race as a long training run ahead of the Valencia Marathon, where she hopes to break 2:40. But the day felt special. She responded to that feeling — and swept to victory. “I felt really good,” she said at the finish, a promising sign with Valencia just weeks away. She finished comfortably ahead of Audrey Provost (2:48:10), followed by Aurélie Gonzales-Bandres (2:53:50).
| Félix Bour resets on the half marathon
Only a week removed from a disappointing DNF at the New York City Marathon, French distance standout Félix Bour needed a fresh start — and La Baule offered just that. He treated the half marathon like a controlled workout: 21 km to reset the mind and stretch the legs. He won with authority in 1:04:39, the strongest time of the day over a course combining seaside avenues and ocean views.
He focused on effort rather than clock-chasing — changes of pace, recovery sections, tempo work. The race behind him never got close. Triathlete Martin Laurent finished second in 1:06:54, with Rémi Lemercier third in 1:09:01 — a fully French podium.
Bour now has one date circled: Valencia Marathon, December 7. He set his PB there two years ago — 2:06:46 — but his participation is not yet guaranteed.“It depends on how this week goes. If I can follow the plan, Valencia is realistic. If fatigue lingers, it’ll be more complicated,” he said — satisfied but cautious.
In the women’s half, Lucile Mary impressed with a winning time of 1:18:43. Corinne Herbreteau (1:21:50) and Ophélie Lecomte (1:22:55) completed a fully French podium.
| Speed show on the 10K
The men’s 10K saw Elie Combat take a clear win in 30:41, ahead of Aurélien Gaboriau (31:54) and Clément Desnoes(32:11). Three fast runs that kept the pace sharp from start to finish. In the women’s field, Agathe Maupoux took the win in 39:20, followed by Anna Gerke (39:57) and Bénédicte Garlatti(40:37). Three performances under 41 minutes — impressive depth for this short, punchy race.
| Fast and furious over 5K
The 5K brought a burst of short-format action. Thomas Peigne led the men in 15:08, chased closely by George Bazley and Renaud Vincent, both finishing in 15:36 — an intense sprint finish. Among the women, Elise Audouin dominated in 17:12, ahead of Léa Roy (17:40) and Maëlys Le Roy (18:23). Explosive, strategic, and over in a heartbeat — just what 5K fans love.
✔ Full results of the 2025 Marathon de la Côte d’Amour
Dorian VUILLET
Journalist
