The “2018 Migu Run Skyrunner® World Series” kicks-off this weekend in China with the Yading Skyrunning Festival – VK, SKY and ULTRA.

It is going to be a weekend of high altitude action as the Yading races personify the simple ethos of running Between earth and sky – Skyrunning! The Yading Skyrunning Festval takes in numerous 6000m peaks through three races – VK, SKY  and the Yading Kora ULTRA.

The Yading Skyrun will start at 0700 on April 30th and will cover a distance of 29km. Staring in the centre of Yading’s Shangri-La, the race will start with a gradual downhill. After 3.5km, the race will hit the lowest point in the race – 2860m! From here, the only way is up – passing a small village, the race route hugs a single-track. The summit at 4700m is covered with Buddhist prayer flags and what follows is a fast descent all the way back to Chonggu Temple. Last year, Nepalese sensation Bhim Gurung produced an incredible downhill run to come from behind and take victory.

The Yading VK starts on Sunday April 29th. Covering a distance of 7km (unusally long for the VK format) the race will have an elevation gain of 1072m but starts at 3992m and concludes at over 5000m. It is the highest VK on the circuit and arguably one of the most stunning! Alpine forests, prayer flags, a glacier lake and a high pass at 5000m concludes a lung and leg busting race. It’s a race that all must try once, the scenery, landscape and views are mind-blowing.

The Yading Kora Ultra also takes place on the same day as the SKY race and takes in the Kora pilgrimage route over 46km – the finishing section is the same route as the SKY race.

This area of Yading is blessed with immense natural beauty, including the three sacred peaks (Mount Chenrezig, Jampayang, and Chenadorje) which loom over the National Park at an altitude of over 6,000m. From the 5th Dalai Lama through Joseph Rock this area has been a source of spiritual inspiration. With over 2,300m of elevation gain over the length of the course, and the finish line sitting at just over 4,000m, the race challenges beginners and elites alike.

Athletes to look out for over the weekend taking part in one or multiple events are as follows:

Francois d’Haene

Andy Wacker

Cody Lind

Oscar Casal Mir

Marc Casal Mir

Pere Rullan

Eduard Hernandez Teixidor

Robert Krupicka

Finlay Wild

and more….

 

For the ladies:

Ida Nillson

Mira Rai

Sheila Aviles

Ruth Croft

Hillary Gerrardi

Holly Page

Nuria Dominguez

and more…