Roger BÉNETIÈRE

▶ THE VERY FIRST ONE
He was one of five joint winners of the inaugural two-day edition in 1952. He would go on to win five more times in eight appearances at the SaintéLyon, which was held as a single-stage event starting from its second edition. He only dropped out once, due to a foot injury. It's worth noting that back then, participants walked in heavy hiking boots—and without headlamps.

Michel DELORE

▶ THE RECORD HOLDER FOR MOST WINS
Michel Delore, a writer and journalist born in 1936, was an accomplished endurance sports athlete—taking part in cyclosportives, 10Ks, half-marathons, marathons, mountain running, and power walking. He holds the all-time record for the most victories at the SaintéLyon, winning it 8 times between 1970 and 1980, both in competitive walking (before running was officially allowed in 1977) and in running mode. In the running division, he set a benchmark record of 5h15 in 1978. A 23-time SaintéLyon finisher and author of numerous landmark books on running, Michel Delore remains the primary witness to the golden age of the world's oldest night race.

Anne-Marie CHAPELLE

▶ 1976, 1977, 1978, AND 1980
She turned to running later in life. A versatile athlete competing for various clubs in Saint-Étienne, she took on cross-country, track, and major iconic races such as the 100 km de Millau, Marvejols-Mende, Marseille-Cassis, and many others. Anne-Marie started running marathons at the age of 44 with the New York City Marathon, finishing in 3h35. She humbly notes, “I didn't run faster because it was my first one; after that, I improved and went on to finish 3rd in New York later on.” She would go on to complete over 50 marathons worldwide. A true icon of endurance running in the late 1970s.

Gérard PETIT

▶ 1984, 1985, 1986
In the 1980s, the Lyon-based physician embodied the era of speed. An accomplished, hyperactive marathoner (who completed a world tour of 100 marathons) with a keen interest in sports nutrition, he clocked a time of 4h39 at the SaintéLyon (on a shorter and much faster course). He claimed three consecutive victories before experiencing a few DNFs and course navigation errors, later adding a 2nd-place finish in 1987, 4th in 1989, and a solid 3rd place in 1994.

Maurice MONDON

▶ 1988, 1989, 1993
This tough-as-nails runner from Saint-Étienne (2nd at the 100 km de Millau in 1991 and 1992 French 24-hour champion) got his first taste of the SaintéLyon in 1983, finishing in over seven hours. It wasn't until 1988 that he claimed his first victory at the world's oldest night race. He won again the following year and returned to the top step of the podium four years later. Demonstrating impressive longevity, he also won his age group in almost every category: Master 1 in 1993, Master 2 in 2000, and Master 3 in 2010.

Martine BLANDIN

▶ 1982, 1983, 1986 ET 1987

Ginette BAUDRAND

▶ 1983, 1984, 1985 ET 1988

TAKING TURNS!
It is impossible to present these two champions separately, so deeply did they co-reign over the 1980s. As inseparable rivals, they shared first and second place at the SaintéLyon from 1982 to 1988, even taking a joint victory in 1983. Less is known about the more discreet Ginette Baudrand. An ultra-endurance athlete, 100k specialist, and cross-country runner, she would have won seven SaintéLyon titles had she not crossed paths with Martine. Martine herself is a true SaintéLyon legend: 10 solo appearances with 4 victories, plus 3 wins in the 4-person relay. Knee osteoarthritis later affected her stride, but that didn't stop Martine from going on to compete with distinction in five SaintExpress races. Since 2017, you can find her volunteering at various posts, whether at aid stations or at the finish line.

Sylvaine Cussot

She has never won the SaintéLyon—unlike the EcoTrail Paris, which she won three times on a relatively similar format. However, she won everyone’s hearts a long time ago. She featured on the poster for the 2021 edition, which was dedicated to women. She took on her first SaintéLyon in 2013, securing an impressive 3rd place straight away. That was followed by a solid 2nd place in 2014 behind the untouchable Maud Gobert. After that, she was a constant contender between the podium and the top 5: 5th, 2nd, 4th, and 3rd again in 2022. She lined up at the start of the 82 km course once more in 2024.  

Jérôme TROTTET

▶ 1997, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2005
From the late 1990s to the early 2000s, Jérôme Trottet was one of trail running's top specialists. A two-time winner of the prestigious Trail des Templiers, a frequent podium finisher in major races, and the victor of numerous regional trails, he secured five victories at the world's oldest night race at the dawn of the modern era. This PE teacher could certainly have achieved even more had he not suffered from chronic tendon pain that cut his high-level career short. As discreet as he was passionate about nature and training, Jérôme will always remain one of the great icons of the SaintéLyon.

Maud GOBERT

▶ 2009, 2010, 2013, 2014
She was one of the top female trail runners of the 2008–2015 era. Trail Running World Champion in 2011 and a three-time French national champion, Maud Gobert won most of the major races during this period—including the Grand Trail des Templiers, CCC, 6000D, and Marathon du Mont-Blanc—while consistently racking up top finishes. An outstanding track record that naturally includes four women's victories at the SaintéLyon, a end-of-season race she was particularly fond of.

Manu MEYSSAT

▶ 2016 AND 2017
Manu Meyssat may have only won two, but he fully deserves his place in this hall of fame. A multi-titled runner with exceptional longevity who excels in mountain running, cross-country, and trail running, he has stacked up countess victories—yet it took him a long time to tame the SaintéLyon. Second in 2010, he suffered DNF's in the following years before an injury sidelined him from the circuit. He returned to the highest level in 2015, winning the SaintExpress. Two SaintéLyon victories followed in 2016 and 2017. After another DNF in 2018, he secured a magnificent 2nd place in 2019 and a 4th place in 2022, both courtesy of the impressive comebacks he is famous for.

Alexandre Boucheix

▶ 3 LYONSAINTÉLYON VICTORIES
Alexandre Boucheix, better known by his moniker “Casquette verte”, is an unconventional and extremely popular runner who has just as many admirers as critics. He lined up at the start of the inaugural edition of the LyonSaintéLyon, taking the victory ahead of ultra-endurance specialists. He returned after the Covid break to win again in 2021 and 2022. In 2023, following an insane challenge in the Atacama Desert, he pulled out at the halfway mark. In a 2024 interview with L'Équipe, he highlighted that the LyonSaintéLyon remains one of his favorite races.

Emmanuel Gault

▶ 12 APPEARANCES
Manu Gault boasts an impressive track record, yet he has won the SaintéLyon only once—back in 2012. However, he holds the record for the most 2nd-place finishes (2009, 2011, 2013, 2014), along with two additional top-5 finishes and over 12 race appearances. Now in his fifties, he still finished 25th in 2025. Remarkable longevity!