Victory and Swiss Cross Triathlon Champion Title

This Saturday, June 21st, 2025 in La Brévine, I took part in my very first cross triathlon during Xterra Switzerland. A completely new experience for me, as I’m used to road races. My main goal was to discover a new discipline, challenge myself in a different way… and most of all, have fun.

I lined up at the start with no particular expectations, simply with the desire to give my best, enjoy every moment, and share this adventure with my boyfriend Max Studer, who was also taking part… and who won the men’s race!

image @Sammy Billon

The start was given at 1.30pm under a blazing sun. The water temperature at Lac des Taillères was 24.6°C, making wetsuitless swimming compulsory. I got off to a good start, following the men’s lead group led by Max, and came out of the water three minutes ahead of my rivals.

image @Sammy Billon

The mountain bike course was very technical, with demanding sections and lots of steep climbs. Fortunately, I had reconnoitred the course the day before, which enabled me to anticipate the difficulties. It was intense, and I had to get out of my comfort zone and give it my all, without really knowing where I stood in relation to the others.

By the end of the mountain bike course, my lead had shrunk slightly to 1’30, but from the very first meters of the trail (2 loops of 5 km with some ascent), I felt good. As the kilometers went by, I found my own rhythm. I was able to accelerate in the final kilometers to finish 8 minutes ahead of New Zealand’sElizabeth Orchard (2nd) and 9 minutes ahead of Poland’s Ana Wer (3rd).

image @Sammy Billon

I was lucky to have my loved ones there cheering me on—it was such a joy to share the race with them.

I finished the race in 2h58min27sec, 🏆 winning the title of Swiss Cross Triathlon Champion 2025 🇨🇭and qualifying directly for the 🌍 Xterra World Championships in Molveno, Italy, in September.

image @Sammy Billon

Over and above the result, it was a great human and sporting adventure for me. Throwing myself into something new, getting out of my comfort zone, experiencing it with Max, and sharing it with our families and friends on site made the day all the more special.

image @Sammy Billon