Alessia Zarbo and Emmanuel Roudolff-Lévisse Claim French Half-Marathon Titles

French athletics has been buzzing in recent days. One of the weekend’s major events was the Auray-Vannes Half-Marathon, which hosted the French Half-Marathon Championships. The race delivered a dramatic and symbolic edition. In wet and windy conditions on a hilly course, Alessia Zarbo and Emmanuel Roudolff-Lévisse claimed the national titles in 1:09:53 and 1:03:32 respectively, after a demanding race. Both athletes confirmed their outstanding form.

Alessia Zarbo makes a winning half-marathon debut

Making her first appearance at the distance, the Racing Multi Athlon athlete confirmed that she is in the form of her life. Just one week after breaking the French 10K record in Prague in 31:00, the Antibes native arrived at the start line short on certainty but determined to perform, and above all, with full confidence in her abilities.

The competition was strong, led in particular by Tarn runner Mélody Julien. Julien set the pace early with a fast start. But Alessia Zarbo stayed with her and refused to be intimidated. She passed 10K in 33:05, then picked up the pace to open a gap and pull clear for the win. Running alone over the closing stretch, she crossed the line in 1:09:53, a new course record and the fastest time by a French woman this year. Not bad at all. It was a resounding confirmation for Zarbo, who is enjoying an exceptional 2025 season.

Behind her, Margaux Sieracki (1:10:14) took second place by edging past Mélody Julien (1:10:26) on the line.

Emmanuel Roudolff-Lévisse follows in his father’s footsteps

The men’s race produced a much less predictable outcome. Emmanuel Roudolff-Lévisse, preparing for the New York City Marathon on November 2, bided his time before delivering a decisive surge. Over the final kilometres, he relied on his experience and finishing speed to win in 1:03:32, after spending much of the race stride for stride with Montreuil runner Nicolas Vitré.

The victory carried special significance: 24 years after his father, Pierre Lévisse, who also won at Auray-Vannes in 1991. A fitting chapter in the family story. With this title, the Athlé 92 athlete adds another line to his record. “I knew I wouldn’t be able to make the difference on the climbs, so I backed myself to finish strongly,” he said at the finish, delighted to be a national champion again.

Nicolas Vitré, representing UAM Athlétisme, finished second in 1:03:37, improving his personal best, while Nicolas Navarro, an Olympic marathoner from SCO Sainte Marguerite, completed the podium in 1:03:45. Another standout performance came from the young Quentin Bronchart of Saint-Brieuc Athlé, who claimed the U23 French title in 1:03:52.

With more than 6,500 participants and a festive atmosphere despite the rain, the Auray-Vannes Half-Marathon once again showed why it is both a major mass-participation event and a seriously demanding race. Between the unforgiving climbs and the wind off the Gulf of Morbihan, Alessia Zarbo and Emmanuel Roudolff-Lévisse made the most of their opportunities and produced their best when it mattered. They are the 2025 French half-marathon champions.

✔ Find all the results from the 2025 Auray-Vannes Half-Marathon