Éric Mabire at Barjo,
Updated June 20
La Barjo, the biggest trail in the Cotentin took place the weekend of June 17-18 in the Hague. This event served as support for the second stage of the Cotentin Trail Challenge in which Eric MABIRE took part in the 50 km (XL format). We were able to speak with him about the progress of his race.
The 50 km of the Barjo was marked this year by the joint victory of Valentin Orange, Tony Bihel and Théo Orange, but also by a density of competitors never before reached in the Haguaise event. Eric Mabire took a nice 7th place overall in 4h35'31, at the end of a cautious race, "I'm a bit disappointed with the place because I was aiming for a top 5, but the time is satisfactory, I'm in the same pace than last year,” he tells us.
Eric Mabire has already made an appointment for next year, but before then he will start on July 8 of the Course de la Mère Denis and in September of the Tue Vaques, 3rd stage of the challenge.
You will recognize him thanks to his bucket hat that he regularly wears during races, Eric Mabire is one of the figures of the Cotentinois trail landscape. Already winner of local classics like the Tue Vaques or the Trail de la Mère Denis, as well as the Challenge Cotentin Trail 2022, Eric Mabire only started trail running 6 years ago.
Born in Val de Saire, Eric Mabire began traveling the roads of Cotentin on a bike.
A good regional level cyclist at AS Tourlaville from 1997 to 2002, he started cycling as a junior and stopped as a senior, very durable but in difficulty when it came to competing in a peloton.
Eric Mabire still remains passionate about the little queen, “ I always watch the Tour de France and the great classics ", he was even able to share a few strides with his idol Laurent Jalabert in 2022 during a running race in Sainte-Suzanne-sur-Vire: " a good memory ».
He still remains a fan of cycling today to recover from running sessions.
It was in 2017 that Eric Mabire rediscovered running, in fact he had already done athletics from junior to junior by participating in cross and interclub events with AS Tourlaville.
This return to basics happened a little by chance: “ It was a friend who signed me up for an obstacle race, the D-Day Race in 2017 in Ouistreham, it had been 10 years since I had completely stopped the sport ».
He immediately took a liking to running and more precisely to trail running, even if he also did a little road running in half-marathons, marathons (records in 1h14'36 and 2h40'18) and during the traditional Strides from the Presse de la Manche in Cherbourg-en-Cotentin.
Eric's love for the Trail came from his attraction to nature and its discovery.
I immediately loved trail running because of running in nature on all surfaces, thanks to it, I discovered the diversity of the paths and landscapes of Cotentin that I was unaware of before practicing this sport.
Eric Mabire
Eric is involved in the Challenge Cotentin Trail
Already the holder of a well-rounded list of achievements with numerous victories and places of honor, Eric first hopes to have fun in 2023, but also to appear well on the Cotentin Trail Challenge XL format « A podium on this challenge remains playable despite the level which continues to rise every year ". The Bri'zeuse, the first stage of the challenge which will take place on Saturday May 27 will already give a first indicator: “ I will aim for a top 5 without being too far from the first, for me Yannick Noël and Valentin Orange are the big favorites, I also hope to stay fresh for the 50km of the Barjo which will take place 3 weeks later ».
Eric will especially hope to shine during the Trail du Kill Vaques (3rd stage of the Challenge), an event that he has already won in 2021 and 2019, which takes place on the land of his childhood.
This year he will also start the Trail de la Mère Denis and the 50 km de Quiberon.
We will therefore be able to carefully follow the adventures of Eric Mabire in 2023, a hassle-free and always smiling trail runner.


Éric Mabire at Bri'zeuse,
Updated June 14
We met Eric MABIRE a few weeks ago before his participation in the 42 km of the Bri'zeuse, first step of Cotentin Trail Challenge L format one of his objectives for the year 2023. We spoke with him again to find out his state of form as we approach the Barjo second stage of the Challenge.
The Bri'zeuse took place on Saturday May 27, Eric MABIRE took a good third place behind Felix LEBEURIER and Valentin ORANGE. “I didn't put myself in the red because Valentin and Felix were really above it” Eric confided to us, this race management allowed him to complete two good weeks of training in preparation for the second stage of the Challenge which will have place for the Barjo 50 km, where he hopes to make a top 5 and go under 4h30 of racing.
Eric MABIRE currently occupies first place in the general classification of the Challenge with a comfortable cushion over his pursuers, Sébastien DONJOIN and Jasmin LEMONNIER.
Cotentin Trail Challenge
UNDER THE STARS
UNDER THE STARS
LA BRI'ZEUSE
LA BRI'ZEUSE
LA BARJO
LA BARJO
THE MOVIE KILLER
THE MOVIE KILLER
TRAIL CHALLENGE IN COTENTIN
TRAIL CHALLENGE IN COTENTIN
Themes