Tag Archives: Alps

Tor des Géants – Francesca Canepa

Posted on by
Reply

Just a week after a stunning second place at the shortened UTMB, Vibram athlete Francesca Canepa turned up at the start of the 2012 Tor des Geants not really knowing what lay in store… lets face it, it is one hell of a challenge!

The route of the 2012 Tor des Géants ran along the Alta Via 1 and Alta Via 2 of the Valle d’Aosta, with the start and finishing line in Courmayeur, and it covered a total of around 336km (200 miles), with an altitude range of 24,000 metres. The landscape at the foot of the region’s Four-Thousanders makes the route especially spectacular.
Along the route they had a number of rest, rescue and refreshment points, as well as seven larger bases that divided the route up into seven sectors:
  • Courmayeur – Valgrisenche 49 km 3996 D+
  • Valgrisenche – Cogne 56 km 4141 D+
  • Cogne – Donnas 44 km 3348 D+
  • Donnas – Gressoney St Jean 53 km 4107 D+
  • Gressoney St Jean – Valtournenche 39 km 2601 D+
  • Valtournenche – Ollomont 44 km 2702 D+
  • Ollomont – Courmayeur 48 km 2880 D+

The Tor des Géants combines long distance but does not impose any compulsory stages. The winner will be the runner who completes the race in the shortest time and therefore the decisions on when and when not to sleep may very well be the difference between being on top of the podium or not.

The Tor des Géants is the first race of this kind to cover an entire region. It runs along the paths at the foot of the highest Four-Thousanders in the Alps and through the Gran Paradiso Natural Park and the Mont Avic Regional Park. It is a unique race.

Francesca Canepa

So, post UTMB I caught up with Francesca and interviewed her about her race and expectations for the Tor des Géants. You can read that HERE

At this current moment in time I have not had the opportunity to catch up with Francesca but it is important to say that for someone who was going into the race tired and using it as possible ‘training’ she performed remarkably.

Not only did she win the ladies race but she was 7th overall with a total time of 99:13:56. The race winner was Oscar Perez in a time of 75:56:31.

You can read more about Francesca on her blog site HERE

Information on the Tor des Géants HERE

VIBRAM HERE

Article on RUN247

‘Get Ready’ S3 EP 10 – UTMB

Posted on by
Reply

Another great video from the ‘Get Ready‘ series of films that feature The North Face and possibly one of my favourite ultra runners of all time, Sebastian Chaigneau.

Seb running up Notre Dame de la Gorge

Seb is a great guy. He always has time to talk, chat, relax and give advice. We have actually a 60 minute interview with Seb ready to transcribe and and edit for Talk Ultra, so we must aim to get that out soon…

This film captures the 2012 The North Face Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc.

As you may know, I was at the race and managed to catch up with Francos D’haene, Lizzy Hawker and Mike Foote after the race. You can listen to the interviews HERE or HERE on iTunes.

Seb the day after the race keeping his eyes protected

I spoke with Seb after the race and he told me how his vision disappeared and how frightened he became. I’m glad to say he is recovering well.

Here is a great movie that captures the atmosphere of UTMB 2012.

Faces of UTMB

Posted on by
1

A series of people, faces and experiences from the 2012 UTMB.

Starting at 1900 in Chamonix the race took a shorter route of 100k and remained in France covering 6000m+ of vertical gain on a very wet, snowy and cold night. These images tell the story of 15 hours following the race.

Faces of KIMA

Posted on by
Reply

Skyrunning Trofeo KIMA

A personal project on some of the faces that illuminated an incredible day in the Alps.

Trofeo Kima race summary

Posted on by
3

Less than 2 hours from Milan Bergamo airport and nestled in the peaks of Val Masino, every other year a race takes place. A race so severe, so difficult and so demanding that it has a restricted field of just 100.

The Trofeo Kima was established to honor the memory of mountain guide Perangelo Marchetti affectionately known as ‘Kima”. I can think of no better way to honor a mountain guide.

The race, 50km long and covering some 7 mountains passes is part of the Ultra Skyrunning series and is billed as ‘the one’. Starting in Filorea the race goes in an anti-clockwise direction. Preda Rossa at 1940m, Rifugio Ponti 2559m, Roma 2894m, Bivaccio Kima 2894m and Cameraccio 2950m and this is just the first full ascent and the highest point of the course.

Kilian Jornet ran the race for the first time in 2010 after UTMB was cut short due to bad weather. Desperate not to waist his training and a weekend he headed over to Italy from Chamonix and the next day, along with Heras tackled what he know calls an iconic race. Setting a new course record of 6:19:03 in the process.

The night before the race electrical storms entered the Val Masino and a deluge of rain fell making many wonder as we lay in bed if the race would actually go ahead. Morning came and with it a new day. Dry weather and an improving sky confirmed that the race could go ahead but with a 30 min delay.

Once underway Kilian Jornet soon made clear his intentions leading from Tom Owens, Andy Symonds, Franco Sancassani (3rd place 2007), Philipp Reiter and Michel Lanne.

In the ladies race Emelie Forsberg and Nuria Picas raced neck and neck with Emanuela Brizio (2008 and 2010 winner) chasing behind. Forsberg pushed ahead and at Cameraccio 2950m she took the lead and the prize money for the first lady to the highest point of the course.

At Camerozzo 2765m a super technical section in what already is a very technical race, Kilian descending by the chains securely bolted to the wall and had a lead of nearly 10 mins over Tom Owens.

Nuria Picas and taken the lead here and was looking super strong. Behind Emelie Forsberg and Emanuela Brizio now raced neck and neck.

In the men’s race Michel Lanne chased Francis Sancassani now in 3rd. Several minutes behind Andy Symonds and Philipp Reiter chased together.

Kilian used all his mountain skills and ran into the finish to win comfortably in 6:28. Tom Owens pulled of an impressive 2nd place after (in his words) a disappointing Sierre Zinal just two weeks ago to cross the line in 6:39. He said as he finished:

“Wow, so hard, so technical… an incredible race, you can’t describe what that course is like”.

Francis Sancassani sealed the men’s podium in 6:45.

Nuria Picas ran a wonderful race to finish first in a new Course Record of 7:36:21 some 10 mins faster than the previous best. Emelie Forsberg had to move up a gear in the final km’s to win a well earned second place in 7:46 from Emanuela Brizio who was just seconds behind.

I have witnessed many races and the Trofeo Kima stands out as the most incredible, the most beautiful and the most frightening I have ever seen. It’s an incredible race and with just 100 entries every other year it is one race that should make it to all ultra runners bucket list. It is a fitting tribute to KIMA.

 

 

 

Trofeo Kima 2012

Posted on by
1

Kilian Jornet once again proved himself as the worlds premier mountain runner at the biennial TROFEO KIMA in the Italian Alps producing an outstanding win ahead of Brit, Tom Owens.

In the ladies race, Nuria Picas ran away from Emelie Forsberg to secure a win and a new CR by 10 mins at her first attempt at this iconic race.

A full race report will follow.

Until then feast your eyes on what I consider to be the most outstanding, impressive and frightening course I have ever seen.

Sierre Zenal round up

Posted on by
Reply

De Gasperi and Cardona

What a day !

Marco de Gasperi after a turbulent 7 months in 2012 returned to form in a race that he loves! You can listen to what he had to say the day before the race HERE

Initially Marco de Gasperi and Cardona (Columbia) raced neck and neck going through 10km’s side by side. But Marco looked relaxed and in control. Post race in a finish line interview (listen HERE) he told me that the Columbian looked tired and he decided to push hard on the descent. We had discussed only the day before the race how he practices the skills to run down technical trail quickly.

He soon opened a gap and ran into the finish with a gap of just under 6 mins to prove to everyone that Marco is back!

Cardona obviously struggled with the pace and the effort that Marco had dictated and relinquished second place to Cesar Costa from Martigny. Cesar crossed the line in 2:37:39 in comparison to Marco’s 2:31:69.

David Cardona did hold on to third place though in 2:38:06

British men excelled in what was a very tough field with 43 year old and previous winner of Sierre Zenal (in his younger days as he told me) Billy Burns taking a great 9th place (2:43:38) in front of Tom Owens in 12th (2:45:56) and Joe Symonds in 18th (2:48:42).

In post race chats with both Tom and Joe they said how they had been going well running in the top 10 but the altitude had hit them making it really tough when racing along the plateau.

Tom Owens leading Joe Symonds

Billy Burns on the other hand who lives locally was adjusted. He kept saying to me post race “You know I’m over 40 don’t you? You know, don’t you?” He seemed really stoked at gaining a top 10 in an incredibly tough field. So he should!

The Ladies Race

Aline Cmboulive – FR – Ladies winner

Well, I guess the ladies race didn’t quite go to plan… or should I say, it didn’t quite go to the form book! Pre race favourites such as Oihana Kortazar and Nuria Picas didn’t have the races they wanted with Oihana dropping early and Nuria arriving at the finish looking in real pain.

Aline Camboulive from France moved ahead of the ladies field early on and maintained the gap all the way to the finish.

Stevie Kremer – USA

Big surprise of the race was American, Stevie Kremer who ran an incredible race to finish just 1:30 down on the winner for second place. She had been my pre-race dark horse! I had several chats with her prior to race day and although we all knew little about her she seemed motivated and very modest about her ability. On the finish line she looked as though she had just run a 10K !

Third placed lady some 6 mins behind the winner was Maud Mathys from Ollon.

Surprise of the day came from a last minute entrant! Non other than Lizzy Hawker. Apparently, she had phoned the race organiser at the 11th hour, obtained and entry and slipped into the race as a ‘training run’ (her words) on the back of some serious UTMB training. She still placed 9th!

Lizzy had this to say on the finish: listen HERE

Lizzy Hawker

Once again Sierre Zinal confirms itself as a race for everyones bucket list! At 31km’s it is a manageable distance for all. With two starts, one at 0500 am for the walkers and slower runners and then 0900 for the main runners it provides everyone with a possibility to experience the scenery, the altitude and the climbs of this beautiful area of Switzerland.

Course Profile

RESULTS

Top 10 Men

Top 10 Ladies