Kima – Pre Race Interviews

Posted on August 25, 2012 by talkultra

Andy Symonds and Philipp Reiter planning for the race

Pre Race interviews with Andy Symonds, Emelie Forsberg and Kilian Jornet in Val Masino in preparation for Skyrunning Trofeo Kima.

Tom Owens, Philipp Reiter and Emelie Forsberg discuss the route and feed stations

You can listen to the audio HERE

Kilian relaxes pre race – slack lining

“… All the travellers who find themselves in Morbegno should spend a few hours at Val Masino.  A clear stream full of trout rumbles along the rocky bottom of the valley of the glacial traces are clearly visible on the rounded surface of the rocks … we all agree that no valley that we know more than the Val Masino in variety and beauty natural. ”

SE Kennedy  First conqueror of Misfortune

Climbing for hours… slow and focused in the moment when your hands feel at one with the rock. You gradually climb up to the summit and a vista of blue. Peaks and clouds are in front of you. Nothing is more satisfying than hours of hard work and sweat to see the joys of what the Val Masino and Val Bregaglia offers. Beautiful granite mountains in a circular vista. Incredible.

The major peaks of Val Masino like so many other mountains I guess were first scaled by the local people. Maybe hunters in search of game, peasants who climbed to retrieve livestock or forage for food. As often the case and with the passage of time, explorers came into the area and used the mountains for fun.

Val Masino became a legend of mountaineering with important ascents becoming “the classic routes” of modern mountaineering.  Routes such as taking the mountain guide lace Cengalo on Badile in Vall Parcellizzo, on top of Castle Valley in Zocca, or along the wall of the Sphinx or maybe climb to the summit of Mount Accident ?

Stunning climbs that start at 400 meters at the base with modern and hospitable mountain huts from which to start an unforgettable mountain experience.

Trails, waterfalls, forests, pastures, ice in the valley. Serene and secluded, large in size. The most fascinating natural granite sculptures that the Alps have to offer. Climbers from all over the world contend with granite monsters that have been created by wind and glacial erosion.

The memory of the mountain guide, Pierangelo Marchetti, the unforgettable “Kima” takes place fulfilling the mission of providing a great race on the Rome Path that attracts the leading specialists in high altitude marathon running.

Kima King

Posted on August 23, 2012 by talkultra

Fresh from their victories at Pikes Peak Marathon in Colorado, World Series ranking leaders Kilian Jornet and Emelie Forsberg have arrived in Italy’s Val Masino for Sunday’s Kima Trophy, third of the new Ultra Series races.

Joining them for the challenge on the gruelling course are Britain’s Tom Owens and Andy Symonds, Michel Lanne and Matteo Jacquemoud from France and Germany’s Philipp Reiter. Contenders in the women’s field include Spain’s Nuria Picas and past skyrunning world champions Emanuala Brizio and Corinne Favre.

Certainly the most technical race on the Series, the 50 km course boasts 3,800m total elevation over a decidedly alpine course climbing seven passes – all over 2,500m and reaching a top altitude of nearly 3,000m.

Described by Kilian Jornet, 2010 winner, as “the most spectacular race in the world”, race organiser Ilde Marchetti comments: “’Only’ 150 lucky competitors can participate in this biennial race because, while the race philosophy, distance and course features embrace the trail spirit, the severity of the course and the strict Italian law, force us to cap the entrants to ensure a safe and well organised race everybody can enjoy”.

Pikes Peak

Posted on August 20, 2012 by talkultra

Kilian Jornet and Emelie Forsberg dominate the Peak

Emelie Forsberg racing for the win. © Droz Photo

The records stand, but new champions emerge: Kilian Jornet wins the 57^th Pikes Peak Marathon, Sunday, in 3h40’26” followed by new skyrunning star, American Alex Nichols in 3h47’22” and Max King, third in 3h50’10”.

In the women’s field, the race went according to forecast with a full Salomon podium: Sweden’sEmelie Forsberg first, 11^th overall, in 4h28’07”, American Kasie Enman second in 4h28’25” and Spain’s Mireia Mirò, third in 4h32’13”, 15^th overall.

The men’s race saw a tight group to the summit with Jornet leading throughout. Local runner Alex Nichols is evidently getting a taste for distance and altitude after excelling in his first SkyMarathon^® at the recent SkyGames^® in the Spanish Pyrenees with a 5^th position while Max King, after a brilliant 3^rd at Speedgoat, held the pace to close 3^rd. Colorado runnerMarshall Thomson took fourth while France’s Greg Vollet and Oscar Casal Mir from Andorra took 5^th and 6^threspectively.

Alex Nichols on the descent. (c) Tim Bergsten

The women’s race was won on the descent. A downhill specialist, Forsberg was ten minutes behind at the summit and overtook Enman on the last mile to the finish. Both Jornet and Forsberg set new records on the downhill – a natural for seasoned skyrunners. Mirò’s tendon injury held off and was pleased to have finally concluded a marathon, the first this year. Michele Suszek from Colorado was 4^thand Britain’s Lauren Jeska, 5^th.

Jornet and Forsberg now lead the Skyrunner^® World Series ranking. After just a few days’ rest and training they’ll be ready for the next challenge: the highly technical and gruelling Kima Trophy in Italy, on Sunday, where Jornet will face strong competition from top runners Tom Owens and Andy Symonds from Great Britain, Michel Lanne from France and Germany’s young Philipp Reiter.

Race results

Skyrunner® World Series ranking

Speedgoat 50K & Giir di Mont

Posted on July 31, 2012 by talkultra

Two great races – many great champions. Winners at Saturday’s Speedgoat 50k , the second World Series Ultra, were Kilian Jornet and Anna Frost. Jornet finished in 5h14’10” breaking the course record. Rickey Gates was a close second in 5h18’27” followed by Max King (5h23’10”) and Anton Krupicka (5h23’36”) 4^th in a great come-back after his long lay-off. You can read my pre-race predictions here

The result was not without controversy however as Jornet was declared winner but his record and prize-money withheld for ‘cutting switchbacks….. I will be interviewing Speedgoat Karl for a ‘Meltzer Moment’ on episode 15 of Talk Ultra so make sure you tune into the show to hear what he has to say.

Anna Frost, despite worries of not being on top form, led the race from start to finish. Kerrie Bruxvoort was second while local runners Sarah Evans and Emily Sullivan where third and fourth, respectively.

Back in Europe at Italy’s Giir di Mont, predictions aside, no-one was ready for American Kasie Enman’s triumphant win and record together with Tofol Castanyer’s great come-back in a stacked men’s field. Brit Tom Owen’s was second and Luis Alberto Hernando, third.

The men’s field was an exciting match with Rumenian Ionut Zinca leading strongly in the first part of the race, before ceding to pressure on the final ascent from Hernando, with Castanyer and Owens alternating the lead. Owens was hampered on the final downhill due to severe blisters from last week’s Dolomites SkyRace^® but managed a heroic second position.

In the women’s field it was Enman’s race from start to finish, breaking the course record and closing 14 minutes ahead of her competitors. Sweden’s Emelie Forsberg kept a steady second place throughout most of the race, to be overtaken by Silvia Serafini – Italy’s new skyrunning hope. No doubt last week’s superb record at the Dolomites SkyRace® took its toll on Forsberg who slipped down to fifth position. Oihana Kortazar finished third, not on her best form and Blanca Maria Serrano, fourth.

After the weekend’s races, the Skyrunner^®World Series ranking is lead by Luis Alberto Hernando, Kilian Jornet and Tom Owens and Emelie Forsberg, Blanca Maria Serrano and Kasie Enman.

On August 9th I will be heading out to Switzerland to report live and record some interviews at the next World Series’ race on August 12 with another star-studded line-up at the Course de Sierre Zinal in Switzerland.

Skyrunner^® World Series ranking

Taking a break S2 E05

Posted on July 26, 2012 by talkultra

Gathered for Kilian’s Classik in the Pyrenees, the team takes time out together on Kilian’s home turf. They run and they have fun! What if that’s their secret…?

Once again another great Salomon Running video filmed by The African Attachment.

If you ever wonder why you run or wonder why you perform well, surely the secret must be because you love what you do. This movie for me sums up that enjoyment, the pleasure of running and enjoying the trails with like minded people.

Dolomites Sky Race

Posted on July 22, 2012 by talkultra

Records fall at the 2012 Dolomites Skyrace with Kilian Jornet and Emelie Forsberg taking the respective wins in the male and female races. The Dolomites Skyrace is part of the ISF Skyrunning World Series.

The mens race:

photo by Skialper

Kilian Jornet ran 2:01:52 beating the previous course record by nearly 3 minutes. In second place some 4:39 in arrears was Alin Ionut Zinca with a finish time of 2:06:31 and third place went to Mitjia Coseweli in 2:06:58.

Brit Tom Owens finished 7th in 2:09:45

The ladies race:

http://www.sportdimontagna.com

To confirm the dominance of Salomon Running (they took the top three places), Emelie Forsberg ran a superb race to not only take the win but set a female course record in 2:26:00 on the dot, over 4 mins quicker than Antonella Confortola who set the record of 2:30:09 in 2008. Second place behind Emelie was Kasie Enman in 2:28:09 and in third was Mireia Miro in 2:30:08.

Previous records:

Mens record set in 2007 by Mitja Kosovelj 2:04:53
Womens Record set in 2008 by Antonella Confortola 2:30:09

The Route

The race is 22 km long (10 km uphill, 12 km downhill), the path changes from earth to gravel. The race begins and ends in Piazza Marconi, Canazei m. 1450, the maximum height of Piz Boo is 3.152 m., the uphill altitude is 1.750 m. The course is marked with flags. Refreshments are available at Passo Pordoi (2.239), Pordoi saddle (2.829 m.), Boè (2.871 m.), Pian Schiavaneis. Runners must reach Passo Pordoi in 1 hour and 5 minutes and Forcella Pordoi in 1 hour and 50 minutes.

Race Link: DOLOMITES SKYRACE® – Canazei, Trento – July 2

The African Attachment – Salomon

Posted on June 13, 2012 by talkultra

Within minutes of recording audio with Greg and Dean from The African Attachment for episode 11 of Talk Ultra and they release the next instalment in the Salomon Running TV S2 E03 – Learning at Zegama.

This episode features Emelie Forsberg who placed 3rd at the Zegama race.

It’s a wonderful film that sums up the spirit of why we run… the passion, the bond, the learning curve and importantly the friendship.

Footage shows the severity of the Zegama course, the ability of the runners and the passion of spectators.

This is why I love running. Why I love ultra running…. enjoy!