The Skyrunning UK, Skyrunner®National Series 2016 is well underway and with three races completed – V3K, Lakes Sky Ultra and the Peak SkyRace it is time to post an update on the rankings.
To clarify, the 2016 ranking includes ALL the races in the 2016 UK calendar and yes, that includes the UK’s first ever VK!
Including ‘all’ races in a calendar would not normally be the case as per the Skyrunner World Series. However, the UK series is still relatively small and we want to encourage participation in all races and all distances. It may well show a complete and rounded athlete?
To score for the series, you need 4 races to qualify for the series and should you complete more than 4, then your best 4 results count.
Importantly, the 3×3 in the Lakes is very soon (and has entries available) and if you need a race or points, that is the one to enter…! Don’t think easy points will come at the VK, that race will be a full on lung and leg buster.
What can you win?
In addition to prize money awarded at each race, the male and female 2016 Skyrunning UK Champions will receive:
Free entry into all Skyrunning UK races in the following year.
Guaranteed entry into a 2017 Skyrunner World Series event with 2-nights accommodation.
Prizes from Skyrunning UK sponsor, Raidlight
Current Ranking
Women:
In the ladies ranking, Sarah Ridgway currently has a 200 points from victories at Lakes Sky Ultra and the Peak SkyRace. This places Sarah in a very strong position for the UK series but despite two victories, Sarah ranks 2nd.
Currently the 2016 ladies leader is Sarah Sheridan who has completed three out of three races. Sarah placed 3rd in two races, the V3K and Peak SkyRace providing 156 points but she also placed 9th at Lakes Sky Ultra providing 60 points. Her tally is currently 216 points.
Beth Pascall won the V3K and this provides her with 100 points. But the great thing about a series is consistency and therefore Katie Boden currently lies 3rd in the ranking with 166 points coming from 2nd at the V3K and 3rd at Lakes Sky Ultra.
Sarah Sheridan 216 points
Sarah Ridgway 200 points
Katie Boden 166 points
Men:
The men’s race may well go down to the wire and once again, consistency is playing a key part in the ranking. Despite Michael Jones and Donald Campbell gaining maximum points with victories at the V3K and Lakes Sky Ultra, they have each only run one race!
Ben Hukins placed 4th at the V3K and recently won the Peak SkyRace and this provides a total of 172 points, however, Ben is not in the lead!
Bjorn Verduijn has run all three races and therefore has a strong lead in first place with 2nd at the V3K (88 pts), 9th at the Lakes Sky Ultra (58 its) and finally 3rd at the Peak SkyRace (78 its) providing a grand total of 224 points.
The final podium place is currently with Emmanuel Barbier who placed 10th at the V3K (56 its) and 14th at Lakes Sky Ultra (48 its) providing a total of 104 points.
Bjorn Verdijn 224 points
Ben Hukins 172 points
Emmanuel Barbier 104 points
NEWS
The next races on the UK calendar are at SKYLINE SCOTLAND which takes place on the 16th, 17th and 18th September. This is one weekend that you will not want to miss and if you are looking for points, some entries are available!
On Friday the 16th we will have the UK’s first ever VK – Salomon Mamores VK™ . If you are not running, come along, bring a bell and cheer runners on as they climb 1000 vertical meters in less than 5km. *Limited places available enter HERE
On Saturday 17th it is the Salomon Ring of Steall Skyrace™ which is 25km and includes 2500m of vertical gain. *Limited places available enter HERE
The main event of the weekend is the Salomon Glen Coe Skyline™ which is a 2016 Skyrunner® World Series event in the three race EXTREME category and this race, I guarantee, will have the greatest elite field ever assembled for a race in the UK that takes place on trails and mountains.
Following an epic weekend in Scotland is the 3×3 in the English Lakes which takes place on September 24th. Three summits, 4000m of vert and 80km in distance. This is a seriously tough, challenging and beautiful race. Entries are available HERE
October draws a conclusion to the 2016 series with the Garmin Mourne Skyline MTR which is full. however, they do put on a great race and maybe you’d like to join the party and enter the GTR evening run which follows the ethos of a VK but over a shorter distance, you can enter HERE
This is Episode 116 of Talk Ultra and We speak with Beth Pascall who obliterated the female record at the UK’s Lakeland 100 and placed 4th overall in the process. We also speak with Donnie Campbell who won the Lakes Sky Ultra. We have the news, results and Niandi Carmont co-hosts while Speedgoat Karl goes for a jog on the AT!
Luis Alberto Hernando and Caroline Chaverot were crowned champions for the ULTRA in 12:53 and 14:41 ofthe 105km course with 8000m of vert. Andy Symonds and Javier Dominguez were 2nd and 3rd and Eva Moreda and Jasmin Paris were 2nd and 3rd in the ladies. HERE
Stian Angermund did a double winning the VK and SKY. He ran 3:56 for the SKY to beat Tom Owens and Ismail Razga. Maite Maiora won the ladies race in 4:42, Azara Garcia placed 2nd and Elisa Desco 3rd. HERE
In the VK it was Stian Angermund and Christel Dewalle who took top honours. HERE
KENDAL MOUNTAIN RUN
Dakota Jones and Emelie Forsberg both had two great runs and returns to form to win in 1:37 and 1:59. In the men’s race Daniel Hadis placed 2nd and Timmy Parr 3rd. Sarah Pizzo and Taylor Nowlin were 2nd and 3rd respectively in the ladies’ race.
BADWATER 135
Pete Kostelnick set a new CR** of 21:56 beating Valerie Nunes 2007 record. Harvey Lewis placed 2nd and Dan Lawson from the UK 3rd.
Alyson Venti won the ladies race with a new CR**too in 25:53 – 23 minutes better than the old CR. Brenda Guajardo was 2nd and Nikki Wynd 3rd.
** The race now starts at night as opposed to the morning start and may very well influence the new CR’s?
Donnie Campbell and Sarah Ridgeway, champions at the 2nd edition of the LAKES SKY ULTRA their respective times 07:30:40 and 8:38:46 and new CR’s.
Second place went to Neil Talbott and Sophie Grant with Alexander Beaven and Katie Boden placing 3rd.
00:26:22 INTERVIEW DONNIE CAMPBELL
FKT RECORD
Yassine Diboun and Scott Loughney set the new Supported FKT on the Oregon Section of the PCT running the length of the state in 8 days 12 hours & 5 minutes (Finishing the 453 mile journey yesterday). Brian Donnelly still holds the overall FKT of 7 days 22 Hours & 37 minutes (Respectively unsupported).
Gonzalo Calisto, 5th at 2015 UTMB tests positive for EPO
Lizzy Hawker has just completed a solo foot circumnavigation of monte Rosa on the Tour de Monte Rosa. Approximately 170km and 11,700m of elevation change in just over 37 hours. She returned to grachen after leaving the church square at 4am on Friday.
Controvery over UTMB, the Polettis and the term, ‘ULTRA TRAIL’
The Iznik Ultra series of races once again took place this last weekend, April 18th and 19th. It’s always an exciting way to combine running and time seeing some of the incredible sights of Istanbul.
Turkey is not known for ultra running. Despite its geographical location, its history and the multi-cultural influences placed upon it. Ultra is a sport for the few. Runners such as Mahmut Yavuz, Elena Polyakova and Aykut Celikbas have pioneered the way and they are loyal to Caner and the Iznik races. Last year I invited Jo Meek, Robbie Britton, Marcus Scotney and Tracy Dean to the races. They dominated the 10k, marathon, 80km and 130km distances. 2015 would prove to be a similar story with Donnie Campbell and Zoe Salt winning the 130km events in style.
Please go to RUN ULTRA HERE and read the full article.
As runners arrived at 0400 on the morning of Saturday 4th October at the High Terrain Race HQ for the 3×3, Skyrunning UK’s 3rd race in 2014. They may very well have thought the apocalypse had started!
Yes, the rain was that bad!
The race had a capacity field of 300 entrants; expect the normal drop out race of 10% and after pre race registrations on the evening of Friday 3rd October, it was correct to assume that 250+ starters would toe the line. In reality, less than 190 started.
It’s a sign of how bad the conditions were. Ian Mulvey, race director for the 3×3 had consulted with his team and a decision had been made that the first summit at Scafell would be missed with an alternative re route in place. It was a great call… no race wants to make these decisions, however, safety is key and paramount. Remember folks, it’s only running!
Considering everyone taking part was likely to have 9-hours+ on the course, to take runners to such a low point in the first 2-3 hours would have potentially impacted on the race as a whole and may well have not only stretched the runners but logistics.
So bad were the conditions that I personally wasn’t able to make the first ascent due to severe flooding; yes, it was potentially 2009 all over again.
With just under 40km’s covered and on the ascent to Helvellyn, a clear pattern had started to form with Lee Kemp pushing the pace, Donnie Campbell chasing and ever present Skyrunning UK competitor and Peaks Skyrace winner, Jayson Cavill chasing 20-minutes back.
The ladies race had Lakeland 100 course record holder, Lizzie Wraith out front with a convincing lead chased by Sally Ozanne and Great Lakeland 3-Day winner, Kerstin Rosenqvist.
The weather was playing a key factor in the whole day, however, the Biblical conditions of the first couple of hours calmed to leave an ever changing and gusting day.
Over Helvellyn and then dropping down to Keswick runners headed up to Latrigg and then took on a tough anti-clockwise loop of Skiddaw. Over the summit the wind was gale force and the wind chill was close if not below zero. Cloud bursts; heavy rain and even a hale storm made the day impressive visually but something to endure from a running perspective.
Lee Kemp somehow lost the race lead over Skiddaw, as he ran past me he shouted that he had taken a wrong turn… I will clarify this later. This mistake by Lee opened the door for Donnie Campbell and looking strong he pushed to the line without actually realising he was the first to cross it! Lee Kemp held on to 2nd and Ed Batty placed 3rd after Jayson Cavill withdrew from the race. Ever present Centurion race winner, Ed Catmur placed 4th and local legend and recent Wainwrights FKT record holder, Steve Birkinshaw placed 5th.
Lizzie Wraith never relinquished the ladies race lead, however, over Skiddaw the gap was reduced considerably. Sally however couldn’t close and the positions remained the same all the way to the line with Kirstin Rosenqvist finishing out the podium.
The 3×3 was a real test. The conditions added to the adventure and from first to last, every single runner should be extremely proud of finishing such a tough race. Ian Mulvey and the High Terrain team did a great job of managing conditions, ensuring everyone’s safety and in the process they have made the 3×3 one of the must do events on the UK calendar.
At the awards ceremony, fell running legend Billy Bland arrived to provide a very natural and humble ending to a great weekend of running.
Attention now turns to the final Skyrunning UK race of 2014, the Mourne Skyline MTR in Ireland.
RESULTS
Donnie Campbell 8:28:56
Lee Kemp 8:38:49
Ed Batty 9:00:17
Ed Catmur 9:23:48
Stephen Birkinshaw 9:29:24
Lizzie Wraith 10:42:23
Sally Ozanne 10:50:18
Kerstin Rosenqvist 11:12:21
Jamie Aarons 11:18:02
Lauren Woodwiss 12:15:08
All results TBC
Race Images will be available HERE after Monday 6th October
To score for the series, you need 4 races to qualify for the series and should you complete more than 4, then your best 4 results count.
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