Matterhorn Ultraks Race Preview

Posted on August 8, 2013 by talkultra

image copyright Matterhorn Ultraks – www.

On the Italian border of the Canton of Valais in the west of Switzerland, at the end of the 30 km-long Nikolaital, lies Zermatt, the village at the foot of the Matterhorn, the most photographed mountain in the world. Zermatt epitomizes their image of Switzerland; high alpine, awe-inspiring and original. Almost one-third of the 4,000-metre mountains in the Alps are grouped around this word-famous health resort, which has been visited by mountaineers from all around the world since the first successful ascent of the Matterhorn in 1865. The hotels and restaurants are world-class, and the ski area is not only the highest in the Alps – it is also one of the best developed and most convenient in the world. The climate is of an excellent quality; with 300 sunny days a year, there is less rainfall than anywhere else in Switzerland. The air in Zermatt is clear, dry and clean, because, since 1947, only electric cars without a combustion engine are allowed to operate in the village. Things are a little different in Zermatt. Zermatt – A world of its own.

The ISF Skyrunning Matterhorn Ultraks is the penultimate race in the SkyUltra series. It will be a magical race, 46 km long with  D+ : 3’600 m | D- : 3’600 m. It has a great combination of wild open spaces, high mountains and a course that will require a thrilling combination of speed and technique. The highest summit of Gonnergrat at 3100m will be a test for all, however, at the summit it offers incredible panoramic views and of course, the ever-present Matterhorn will dominate.

Want to race? limited places are still available at ultraks.com

Men

Kilian Jornet comes to this race the outright favorite. At the ISF Skyrunning European Championships he came away with three gold’s in VK, Sky and Ultra. Post Trans D’Havet he moved over to Cervinia (Italy) and he is now preparing meticulously for his next ‘Summit’, a speed attempt up and down the Matterhorn itself. He will be prepared and adapted for everything that the Ultraks can throw at him.

Breaking news just in, 14th August. Luis Alberto Hernando to join the line up at Ultraks. Of course this is great news. Luis is one person that has pushed Kilian Jornet throughout 2012. He placed second at Transvulcania, he pushed Kilian to the line at Zegama, placed third at Mont Blanc and of course, Kilian and Luis crossed the line together to be crowned European Skyrunning Champions at Trans D’Havet. One thing is for sure, Luis will push Kilian and all the other contenders for the top spot right to the line!

Tofol Castanyer has had a troubled early 2013 with a series of injuries, however, a win at Salomon Four Trails and a second place at the recent Giir di Mont means he is coming back in form. If he has a good day, he will certainly be up at the front pushing with Kilian.

Michel Lanne secured a joint win with teammate, Francois D’Haene at the Mont Blanc Marathon ultra event but then had to miss Trans D’Havet due to an injury. Michel, along with Tofol, Philipp, and Cameron will dictate the early pace at the front and as his reputation confirms, he has all the ability and potential to make the podium. *injured

Philipp Reiter romped to a great podium place at Ice Trail Tarentaise and was ready to repeat his performance or move up the podium at Trans D’Havet, however, a bad fall in the first 30% of the race unfortunately meant some time in hospital and recuperation. At this stage his recovery is progressing well and we hope that he will toe the line in Zermatt.

Cameron Clayton has had a very impressive rise in the ultra world. He is young and races just one-way; hard! He applied that principal at Transvulcania La Palma and lead the race in the early stages but later faded to still secure a top placing. At Western States, his first hundred miler, he applied the same principal but came unstuck. Just the other weekend he raced at Speedgoat 50k but I am sure this was very much ‘getting back into racing’ race post Western. If he is making a trip from the US to Zermatt, you can be sure of one thing; he will turn up to run hard and win. Question is, will he be able to? Most certainly he has all the ability to mix it up at the front and push his peers. Cameron is an exciting addition to the race line up.

Nicola Golinelli had a great race at Mont Blanc Marathon and then placed in the top fifteen at Dolomites Skyrace. It wasn’t a great race for him; he certainly would have expected to be at the front end of the race. So, with that in mind, Nicola will be looking to put the record straight at Ultraks.

Florian Reichert and Didier Zago, both had similar stories to Arc’teryx teammate, Nicola Golinelli. Great racing and top ten placing’s at Mont Blanc and then below par performances in Canazei at the Dolomites Skyrace. Didier is experienced and will bounce back, Florian however is new to Skyrunning and once again found the Dolomites and its combination of steep gradients and snow another learning curve. However, he is a sub 2:30 marathon runner and the Ultraks course will suit his abilities.

Ben Abdelnoor is coming to Zermatt after an impressive win and new course record at the Lakeland 50 in the UK. For sure he is going to relish the opportunity to push against some of the best in the world. Joining Ben we have his new inov-8 teammate, Erik-Dagsson Haugsness. Erik from Norway placed fifth at Mont Blanc Marathon and is certainly a name to watch in the future.

Tadei Pivk has consistently performed in 2013 with great results at Zegama and Dolomites Skyrace; without doubt he will be coming to Zermatt to move from third place on the podium to second or even the top. Watch this space, without doubt he will add spice to the front of the race.

Stuart Air from the UK is starting to get a reputation for himself within the Skyrunning calendar. With little fanfare he turned up at the brutal Ronda dels Cims and placed thirteenth overall, he then followed this up with nineteenth at Ice Trail Tarentaise. He will participate at Matterhorn Ultraks as a guest for Scott Running. At 46km, the race may very well be a little too short and too fast for him, but it will be great to see how he performs.

The men’s field at Ultraks has great depth, Nicolas Pianet, Dai Matsumoto and representation from Russian Skyrunning, Diedre-Matxacuca, Euskal Herriko Mendi Lasterkarien Selekzioa and the FEEC will mean that an iconic and fast race awaits us.

Ladies

Emelie Forsberg, how can you bet against her? Her rise in the sport is meteoric and after winning at San Francisco in late 2012, Emelie has rarely been off the top of the podium. Her 2013 result sheet is incredible and like Kilian, she is becoming a dominant leader in the sport. Her recent results and performance ability at any distance from VK to Ultra puts her way ahead of the competition at Ultraks. I honestly don’t see anyone coming close, particularly if Emelie decides to push.

Silvia Serafini does offer a glimmer of hope at the front of the race and like Emelie, Silvia has also had a speedy rise in the sport. Just recently everything has started to click. A podium place at Dolomites Skyrace and while Emelie was dominating Trans D’Havet; Silvia topped the podium at Giir di Mont. For sure, Silvia will be Emelie’s biggest rival at Ultraks.

Anna Lupton had a troubled performance at Zegama and then found some consistency at Mont Blanc Marathon. She has recently raced in Poland and will be coming to the Matterhorn with several weeks’ recovery and training, so, she may well perform as she would expect and add some pressure to the front of the race.

Ragna Debats, Aitziber Ibarbia Beloki, Anna Comet Pascua, Paloma Lobera Grau and Eugenia Miro Figueras all have the potential to make the podium and it will be interesting to see who has the strength on the day to push the outright favorites to the line.

LINKS:

Skyrunning HERE

Race start list HERE

Matterhorn Ultraks website HERE

Race start 0700 am 24^th August 2013.

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Images and photography HERE

Zeagama-Aizkorri 2013 – Trail Magazin, Germany

Posted on August 4, 2013 by talkultra

The latest edition of Trail Magazin is available on line and can be downloaded for just 4€ from HERE

Transcript:

Zegama-Aizkorri

When asked about Zegama, Kilian Jornet replies, ‘It’s Zegama’. In other words, no explanation is needed. The word itself is enough. Zegama-Aizkorri is THE ultimate mountain race.

Located in the heart of the Aizkorri nature reserve, Zegama village is the hub for the Zegama-Aizkorri race. On July 7^th 2002 in conjunction with the Amezti Mountain Society, the Zegama-Aizkorri Alpine marathon was created, its main goal to promote and revitalize the Zegama region in terms of economics, culture and tourism.

The race is now one of the most prestigious alpine marathons in the world. It was the European Mountain Race Championship event in 2008 and is now a key race in the Skyrunning World Series.

At 42.195 kilometers it is a classic Sky marathon. The route has an accumulated height gain of 5472m over the Aratz massif and the Sierra of Aizkorri which includes the four highest peaks in the Basque Autonomous Region; Aratz, Aitzkorri, Akategi and Aitxuri at the highest point of the course at 1551m. Starting in the town of Zegama at 296m runners climb to Otzaurte at 652m. From here, following paths and mountain tracks with stunning natural beauty, participants are confronted with forest; rocky slopes, technical ridges and high grazing pasture land. It’s a tough and technical course. A capped field of 450 must cover the terrain within the eight hour cut off.

The Race

It is the race that many want to do… like London Marathon or an Ironman event; the race has far more demand than places available. The 2013 allocation of 450 participants saw over sixteen countries represented.

After several years of very wet and cold weather, a race day with good conditions could see the long-standing records of 3:54:18 by Rob Jebb in 2005 and 4:38:19 by two-time world champion, Emanuela Brizio set in 2009 challenged.

However, snow and rain in the days before race day ruled out ‘good conditions’ underfoot. As it happened, race day was a glorious, warm and sunny day. Maybe even a little too hot for some. As 450 eager participants departed from the start line, the early morning mist lifted and what lay ahead was a stunning day of mountain racing by the best in the world.

Kilian Jornet and Luis Alberto Hernando had placed one and two respectively at Transvulcania La Palma just two weeks earlier. Emelie Forsberg and Nuria Picas also had the same result on the island of La Palma, would we see a repeat in the Aizkorri nature reserve?

Last minute entrant, Marco De Gasperi dictated the early pace in the men’s race with Kilian Jornet and South African, AJ Calitz close on his heels. Marco, a world champion in his own right had been injured in the build up to Zegama and although he started the race, his long-term plan was always to pull out at halfway.

On the climb to Otzaurte Kilian and Marco had dropped AJ and pushed the pace. Hands on knees, bent double; they pushed from left leg to right leg at a relentless pace while all behind suffered. Pre race favorite, Luis Alberto Hernando running with ‘poles’ was minutes back.

Stevie Kremer from the US (now living in Italy) pushed hard in the early stages of the ladies race. She is the current long course world mountain running champion and although new to Skyrunning, she was not letting this daunt her. Stevie said post race, “I am new to Skyrunning and although I love to climb I was worried by the technical aspects of the descents, in particular the last descent which dropped from 1551m to the finish line. I wanted a time buffer!”

Behind Emelie Forsberg followed patiently. She looked calm, relaxed and focused. A surprise came from Nuria Picas. Nuria had placed second in 2012 at Zegama and was now lying in seventh place minutes behind the front of the race.

US runner, Dave James who is a USATF 100m champion had his first experience of a Sky Marathon, post race said, “The ridgeline I crawled over would make a great place for a trail if they would move some of those jagged rocks out of the way he laughed. Welcome to Skyrunning in Europe; an entirely different “sport” that combines the ascent and descents of the mountain in its purest form! Poles, hands on quads, people descending on their butts, knee-deep mud and power hiking! Was I at a mountain trek or a running event? Or was it a perfect mix of the two? The most historic off road race in the Basque Country, Zegama has it all, and for me is the toughest marathon in the world!”

As Marco dropped from the race, Kilian was left alone. He was running within himself. Enjoying the views, the blue skies, the incredible support.

“I drifted away a little,” said Kilian, “I was enjoying a wonderful day in the mountains and then suddenly I heard deep breathing. As I looked around I saw Luis Alberto Hernando, he had caught up with me along the ridgeline, and he was focused. I suddenly realized I had a race on my hands”.

Kilian was correct. Luis Alberto had the bit between his teeth and he was pushing harder than ever before… he wanted to move up from second and top the podium. If Kilian was going to win this race, he was going to have to earn it. From the final summit at Aitxuri the two dropped some 1300m on technical, twisty, muddy and very slippery terrain. Pushing each other to the limit they would alternate the lead. This race could come down to who makes a mistake!

With just a couple of kilometers to go, trail turned to road and Kilian made his move. He opened a small gap over Luis Alberto and at the line he had a handful of seconds to spare. It was an incredible finish and one that was reflected on the faces of both. Bent double, hands on knees they gulped for air. Each a spent force! They had raced hard and the best man had won

Behind, Tadie Pivk from Italy flew around the final bend, arms outstretched. He had made the podium.

The ladies race also reflected the excitement of the men’s race. Early leader Stevie Kremer was caught and passed by Transvulcania La Palma winner, Emelie Forsberg. Emelie was in her element, she just loves the mountains and you can see it reflected in her smile. Stevie was joined by teammate, Silvia Serafini and the two pursued as fast as they could.

Behind, Nuria Picas was having a stunning race, she moved up from eighth on the first climb to now catch Silvia and Stevie and go past them. As Stevie had predicted it was all going to come down to that final descent! Pushing the pace Silvia twisted an ankle and although not out of the race it hampered her ability to chase.

Emelie ultimately was a comfortable winner of the race. Nuria in the final meters of the finishing straight waved to the crowd and high fived… suddenly Stevie appeared! She had made up time on that final drop from the summit. Had Nuria been facing the wrong way, she may very well have lost second place. Nuria turned and ran for the line. It was close, so close that only three seconds separated Stevie and Nuria in the final results.

Zegama is without doubt a highlight of the mountain running racing calendar. The course and the crowd support are like a stage of the Tour de France. Although weather conditions were perfect for race day, underfoot was less than perfect. Despite this, Kilian missed the course record of 3:54:18 by only twenty seconds. The ladies record of 4:38:19 was very safe with almost 10 minutes to spare.

Race results

Men

1. Kilian Jornet (Salomon Santiveri) – 3h54’38”

2. Luis Alberto Hernando (Adidas) – 3h54’50”

3. Tadei Pivk (Crazy Idea) – 3h58’07”

Women

1. Emelie Forsberg (Salomon) – 4h48’12”

2. Nuria Picas (FEEC) – 4h49’55”

3. Stevie Kremer (Salomon Agisko) – 4h49’58”

Technical details:

DATE: 26th of May, 2013
START AND FINISH: Zegama ( Guipúzcoa ) –09:00 Start.
TOTAL LENGTH: 42.195 km.
CONTROL POINTS: 14
REFRESHMENT POINTS: 13
FLYING SPRINT: Aizkorri ( 22.58 km )
ACCUMULATED HEIGHT GAIN: 5.472 metres
MAXIMUM ALTITUDE: 1.551m Aitxurri
MINIMUM ALTITUDE: 296m Zegama.
TECHNICAL PERCENTAGE OF COURSE: 70% approx.
CLIMATE: Medium mountain, possibilities of intense heat, strong winds, fog or rain.
TIME LIMIT: 8 Hours
DIFFICULTY: Very high.
MAXIMUM NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS: 450

Kilian Jornet – An Interview

Posted on August 1, 2013 by talkultra

As another day draws to an end and the sun creeps behind the mountains, I catch up with Kilian Jornet outside his hotel on the outskirts of Canazei in the Dolomites. Looking fresh and relaxed he is on his iPhone, no doubt tweeting and replying to many of the messages he will have received congratulating him on another stunning win in the ISF Skyrunning Dolomites Skyrace. Just forty-eight hours earlier he had also won the Dolomites Vertical Kilometer.

Kilian needs no introduction. He is without doubt the leading example of everything that is great about our sport, not only on the trails, but also off them. He is the superstar of the sport. Always in the limelight, always in demand, I have been fortunate to see both sides in close quarters for some time now. It’s not just racing! Kilian has so many demands placed upon him, that it is miraculous that he can perform at the consistently high level that he does.

After our chat he must prepare for a long drive to Switzerland the following day for a four-hour meeting. Returning the same day to Canazei he will then leave for Verona, attend a meeting and then depart for the ISF Skyrunning Trans D’Havet ultra, he will attend three stores to do signings, photos and maybe go for a run. It is a hectic, full on, non-stop life. Despite all this, despite all the pressures placed upon him, I have never witnessed him say no to a photograph or an autograph. His dedication to the sport, his fans and al those around him is remarkable, so, when I ask to take up some of his valuable time for a chat it is always with a sense of guilt… I, just like you, want to hear what he has to say; I want his thoughts and his input. But at the same time, I also want to leave him, let him relax and just find some downtime away from the buzz that his ability as a runner attracts.

So, when I chat, although I would love that full hour with him so that I can go deep, ask about his life, talk through his progression I don’t. I set myself a fifteen-minute deadline, conscious of the fact that when I ask in the future, I hope, Kilian will always say yes!

Racing at the Dolomites Skyrace just hours before he had a close race; just three seconds…. Not many people can push Kilian to the line like that!

IC – Another great win Kilian and this time you had a real battle on your hands with your old adversary, Marco De Gasperi. You won by just three seconds, an incredible race!

KJ – Yes, a hard and incredible race. It’s always great to race Marco and today was very hard. During the race it’s hard and then it is beautiful afterwards. This is how we like it.

IC- Many people think that when they see a start list with your name on it, that you are automatically going to win. However, when we see Marco’s name, it’s great because we know he will push you along… Luis Alberto Hernando can do this too. Do you relish the opportunity to race these people so that you are pushed?

KJ – I think people think I am going to win but in my mind it is not like that. When I see Marco or Luis is in a race I think, this is going to be super hard. For sure, it is motivating. I relish competition. For the last three weeks I have done many races, for example the VK I have just done and the Skyrace when competition is tough that is what I like. I knew here at the Skyrace it would be tough against Marco. He likes short distances and I knew that he would go hard from the start. I needed to push myself. It may be easy from the outside to look in and think I am going to win but it is much harder than this.

IC – I agree, we all know your ability. Your skill in the mountains and your skill as a runner are without question. It is unfair to assume that you can race Ice Trail, the VK, The Skyrace and then go to Trans D’Havet and for us all to assume that you will win… when you approach a race like the Dolomites Skyrace and particularly this year with lots of snow, you must think that plays to your advantages, is that correct?

KJ – I know this race. I know the route quite well. I have raced here twice before. The snow wasn’t great for racing this year. It was soft, so not ideal to race fast. The snow wasn’t an advantage this year, however, it was more of an advantage to know the route. When I started with Marco I pushed on the uphill, at the top I had 20 seconds so I thought, we will do the downhill together. The downhill you need the correct line, so it was important to get the best line and if you are in front or if you have someone in front it is easy to follow, so, it would have been impossible to drop Marco. I was sure we would finish together. For me, I thought Marco would be stronger uphill. I thought he would start fast. But when I was with him uphill, I knew it would be a race to the line.

IC – Now Emelie Forsberg keeps tweeting about sprint sessions and interval work. The last time I spoke to her, she told me that she was going to make you do some speed work! After that VK finish when you sprinted from third place to take the win and then in the Skyrace finish you won by three seconds, does that mean you are not telling us something?

(Laughs)

KJ – I am improving in my sprint for sure. I am not a sprinter, in SkiMo I am a bad sprinter, but yes, I always have a little speed for the last meters. It is something I never train so I need to work on this, it’s good for me to train and work on this. Sometimes when you follow someone it’s better… last week we tried to catch Chamois, it was impossible but good for sprint training.

IC – Well it has worked! I mentioned the VK. The VK here is a tough course, very steep. I actually went up myself, boy it was tough and steep. Watching you three race up, I am guessing you placed yourself in third so that you could surprise the others. Did you have a race plan to use this tactic?

KJ – It’s a very particular VK, I have raced here three times before and I never felt good. So I was a little afraid, not afraid, I mean not confident. For all three races, (VK, Sky and Ultra) the VK is the race I was less confident about. It is a specialist race and it suited runners like Urban Zemmer. I was thinking before the start that I needed to relax and then when I saw that I was in good shape I tried to follow Urban, he is the best at this discipline. I was following and in the steep parts he was super strong, it was really difficult to be in touch with him. When it was less steep I could run and I felt better. It was okay. I needed to make sure I didn’t loose time or contact. When I saw the finish, I thought it was perfect for the sprint.

IC – It was an impressive sprint. I watched a clip on YouTube, you put your poles together, you went down the outside and then that final 50m is a wall. You have to grit your teeth and get up as quick as possible. Now one thing that many were interested in, is the fact that you used poles. Not something that you use a lot, the VK here is so steep that it would be foolish not to use them. What advantages do they bring?

KJ- I don’t use poles often for running but in SkiMo I use them everyday! I am extremely used to them. For years I used them everyday for 6-7 months. It is a particular exercise that you need to work on. On a VK like this it is like having four legs because you have the arms and upper body and you can really push. So when it is really steep it makes a big difference.

IC – Canazei is over and in 5-6 days you will race at Trans D’Havet*, it is the third event in the European Skyrunning Championships, you will be up against Luis Alberto Hernando, he will be arriving at that race fresh. You have lots of racing in your body, how do you think this race will be go?

KJ – It will be a great fight, I haven’t seen the list of other racers but I am sure it will be quality. I am in good shape. I am strong. Mont Blanc Marathon a few weeks ago was a fast race, Ice Trail Tarentaise was like a long training session and then the two races here makes it hard but I am good. I hope I can keep this shape for one week and then I will rest. Yes, it will be hard, Luis is strong this season and of course he hasn’t raced recently, he is focused on Trans D’Havet it is going to be hard but the hardest part of the race is the 0100am start… that is horrible.

(Laughter)

*Kilian and Luis Alberto raced head-to-head at Trans D’Havet and both crossed the line together in what will be seen as a defining moment of the sport, read my race report HERE

IC – You flippantly talk about races such as Mont Blanc and Ice Trail. Particularly Ice Trail, you said it was easy but everybody else thought it was super tough… you are here now for the VK and Sky but you have missed your Chamonix-Mont Blanc-Chamonix record… super impressive! A fantastic achievement, many look and find it difficult to comprehend how someone under human power can do something like this. What is it in the Summits project that has illuminated the fire within you to push to new depths?

KJ – Summits it is about pushing in the mountains. It is about being light. It is more than records, a record is nice but it is about being light and moving fast. How light can I be in the mountains? If you are light you need to be fast to be safe. Mont Blanc took a lot of time. We had too much snow early season, I attempted ‘CMBC’ after Mont Blanc Marathon but it wasn’t the correct time. The snow wasn’t correct. The week before my attempt I was in the mountains everyday to form an opinion on when was the best time and when the best day would be. It was all about timing. It is not like a race. Here you need to be in the mountains, to understand. Every mountain is different; you need to understand how it works how it breathes. I had perfect conditions for my attempt and the perfect day. I was with Mateo Jacquemoud for all the uphill and most of the downhill so it was just pushing, pushing each other. (Note – Mateo fell on the downhill and insisted that Kilian carry on)

IC – You mentioned a couple of great points. The one I concentrate on most is the need of understanding the mountain. It is very easy for people to follow Talk Ultra, websites or blogs and look at what you do and think, Chamonix-Mont Blanc-Chamonix, I can do that! But it is a real risk, a real understanding of the mountain is required, you make it look easy, I know that it is not. Do you feel you have a responsibility to those who follow you?

KJ – I saw Alex Honnold do soloing in Yosemite, I saw Ueli Steck doing the north face of the Eiger, and it is not because of this that I would do an attempt. It is inspiring but it is important not to follow. We can all have our goals, our own summits, but of course when we do these things, we have a responsibility. Chamonix is accessible, many people climb every year, and I am not dangerous but every year people die. That is because of rock falls, avalanches etc… you need to know the mountain, you need to know yourself and you need to know your limits. We take risks when we go, of course, but we accept those risks based on our ability.

IC – It is about your personal summits and about you understanding what risks you can take, about how light, how fast you can go?

KJ – Yes, it is about knowing each persons capacity and knowing the conditions, the mountain conditions change daily. Maybe one day you have the capacity and conditions but the next day it changes. I know people who climb a mountain and then they say it was easy… It is not like that! Today they climbed but another day maybe more wet, cold, snowing and everything changes; it is no longer the same mountain. Nobody is stronger than the mountain. You need to understand that, you need to take time, spend time in the mountains and understand them.

IC – The Matterhorn will be your next summit?

KJ – After Trans D’Havet I will take a break. I plan to stay more than one month without a race to recover and then prepare for the Matterhorn. It is a technical mountain. Bruno Brunod has a record of 3:14. It is a technical route that is not difficult BUT if I fall, I will die! I need to know the route very well, I need to spend time on the mountain, and I need to learn every step.

IC – And the process? Will it be going on the mountain everyday, working routes and understanding how the mountain adapts to the weather?

KJ – Yes I will be in Cervinia (Italian side of the Matterhorn) with my van and I will stay for at least a month. I know many guides in the area and I also know that it has too much snow at the moment but during this time I will go up and down, up and down etc… I need to know everything. I think Bruno climbed thirty times before the record attempt; so, I need to go up 10-15 times at least.

IC – And your attempt, will that come before or after the ISF Skyrunning Matterhorn Ultraks?

KJ – It depends on the weather? I planned Mont Blanc for May but snow made it impossible… I actually did it in June! I have planned the Matterhorn for late August or early September, however, the mountain will decide.

Image taken by Kilian Jornet, Friday Aug 2nd w/ Emelie Forsberg at the summit of the Matterhorn copyright: Kilian Jornet

IC – Kilian, thank you so much for your time. I wish you all the very best for the coming months.

KJ – Thank you so much Ian, see you at the Matterhorn!

You can listen to this interview on Episode 40 of TALK ULTRA – HERE

WANT TO WIN A SIGNED BOOK BY KILIAN JORNET?

PLEASE GO HERE AND ADD YOUR ANSWER TO THE QUESTION.

LINKS:

Dolomites Vertical Kilometer HERE
Dolomites Vertical Kilometer IMAGES HERE

Dolomites Skyrace HERE
Dolomites Skyrace IMAGES HERE

Trans D’Havet HERE
Trans D’Havet IMAGES HERE

Skyrunning HERE

Kilian Jornet HERE
Summits of my Life HERE
Salomon Running HERE

Trans D’Havet – RACE SUMMARY

Posted on July 27, 2013 by talkultra

Trans D’Havet was the concluding race in the ISF European Skyrunning Championships. Following on from the VK and SKY race in Canazei last weekend, the 80km Trans D’Havet was always going to be a test of many aspects of human will and the power to dig deep and find something from within. However, little did we know how deep some people are able to go?

Runners assembled in Piovene Roccchette for the 0100am start. It was quite a site, local revelers were dancing and drinking while around them, lycra clad runners milled around waiting for the off. The arrival of Kilian Jornet, Luis Alberto Hernando, Nuria Picas, Emelie Forsberg and Philipp Reiter created some additional buzz as locals and participants in the race looked for a photo opportunity or an autograph.

With five minutes to go, it was already 27 degrees, it was going to be a very hot race! Missing from the start line was Luis Alberto; he had unfortunately received some devastating personal news. After some contemplation, he decided to run. Goodness knows what he felt like. Of course we can only guess and this is not the place to pursue that thought. With his decision to race confirmed, on the stroke of one, the masses disappeared into the dark.

The route is a spectacular one, which winds through the Piccole Dolomiti between the Veneto and Trentino Alto Adige on the Pasubio and Carega group. These mountains are the setting for some of the bloodiest battles in the First World War. Starting with 1000m altitude to Mount Summano the course goes up and down taking in, Forte Rione on Monte Novegno, Monte Alba and Passo Xomo. Taking in fifty-two tunnels that have total distance of some 6km the course offer much variety. With over halfway completed, runners pass Monte Cornetto and then the final big climb to the highest point of the course at 2238m, leaving the Passo Campogrosso runners climb to the Faccaroli refuge. From here the course looks to be downhill but 12km of ups and downs await before the finish line in Valdagno.

Luis Alberto and Kilian Jornet started together and finished together. Matching each other over every meter of the 80km course, it would maybe appear that a decision was made to race the rest of the field but not each other. They had occasional time gaps but that was more due to natural breaks and feed stations. Ultimately, the decision to cross the line together was the correct one, the statement made in the finishing straight said far more that any one individual victory. Today was ’really’ about trail and Skyrunning. Kilian has a photo book titled, ‘Trail running for me is not about running’ and today both he and Luis proved it. It was an honor to witness that moment.

Csaba Nemeth from Hungry was doing a great job in the European Championships and his efforts paid off, his consistent pace and strong climbing in the growing daily temperatures secured him a third place. Podium prospect Philipp Reiter unfortunately had to pull out of the race after falling and damaging his knee.

The ladies race was always going to come down to a battle between Nuria Picas and Emelie Forsberg. Emelie has had a stunning 2013 and her calendar of late has seen her race multiple times and place 2^nd at Mont Blanc Marathon, 1^st at Ice Trail Tarentaise, 2^nd at Dolomites VK, 1^st at Dolomites Skyrace and then of course she was coming to Italy to tackle 80km’s with over 5000m+ of vertical gain and ascent against a fresh Nuria.

Emelie had a small gap in the early stages but as per usual, both Emelie and Nuria ran together again, on the final big climb from Campogrosso, Emelie had a two-minute lead and then extended that, continually pulling away. With the throttle open, the gap extended and she scored a convincing victory. Equally impressive, once again she placed 10^th overall.

Nuria arrived in Valdagno and looked to be a spent force. The temperatures were now around the mid 30’s and the combination of heat and pace had cooked her. She said after the race. ‘The miles just didn’t tick past today. I had to push for everyone and it was a tough day’.

The third podium spot actually turned out to be an exciting battle. Taken by Uxue Fraile, less than a minute after Nuria, this confirmed the stranglehold by Spain both in the men’s and ladies events over the ultra distance.

The ISF Skyrunning European Championships have been a great success. We have seen some incredible racing over VK, Sky and Ultra and the locations, terrain and temperatures have been varied; what more could you want!

Full results and classifications of how the European rankings stand will be posted later today.

Results:

Men

Kilian Jornet (Spain) 08:59:47
Luis Alberto Hernando (Spain) 08:59:49
Casaba Nemeth (Hungary) 09:43:25

Ladies:

Emelie Forsberg (Sweden) 10:21:32
Nuria Picas (Spain) 10:33:34
Uxue Fraile (Spain) 10:34:20

Links:

Skyrunning HERE

Trans D’Havet HERE

RACE DAY IMAGES HERE

Trans D’Havet – Race Day Images

Posted on July 27, 2013 by talkultra

ing

Trans D’Havet – location hunting

Posted on July 26, 2013 by talkultra

Less than 12 hours to go to the start of the 2013 ISF Skyrunning Trans D’Havet, 80km race.

Campogroso at 48km and then the final big climb of the day has some stunning vistas and landscape. Due to the 0100 start, this area will see the front runners climb up the mountain with sunrise. I’m hoping to get some great images!

Follow on:

Facebook HERE

Twitter HERE

Skyrunning HERE

Episode 40 – De Gasperi, Jornet, Air, Forsberg

Posted on July 26, 2013 by talkultra

This is episode 40 of Talk Ultra and on this weeks show we have audio from Marco De Gasperi on the finish line at the Dolomites Skyrace. We have a chat with Kilian Jornet. We introduce a new regular addition to the show called ‘smilesandmiles’ with Emelie Forsberg. We have an interview with Brit, Stuart Air about his 13th placing at Ronda dels Cims and for one show only, Philipp Reiter is my co host!

00:13:20 NEWS

Hardrock 100

Sebastien Chaigneau – 24:25:50 (counterclockwise course record; old record, Karl Meltzer 24:38, 2009)
Troy Howard – 25:20:09
Scott Jaime – 26:38:43

1. Darcy Africa – 29:54:55
2. Darla Askew – 31:09:52
Betsy Nye – 36:46:42

Eiger Trail

Iker Karrera 11:38
Urs Jenzer 12:28
Konrad von Allmen 13:13

Francesca Canepa 16:18
KathrinZbinden 17:06
Helene Ogi 17:33

Dolomites VK

Kilian Jornet 32:43 – SPA – * new course record
Urban Zemmer 32:50 – ITA
Philip Gotsch 32:54 – IT

Antonella Confortola 41:02 – ITA
Emelie Forsberg 43:01 – SWE
Iva Milesova 43:09 – CZE

Dolomites Sky

1. JORNET KILIAN (ESP) SALOMON SANTIVERI – 2h00’11”

2. DE GASPERI MARCO (ITA) GS FORESTALE – 2h00’14”

3. PIVK TADEI (ITA) CRAZY IDEA – 2h04’10”

1. FORSBERG EMELIE (SWE) SALOMON 2h26’52”

2. SERAFINI SILVIA (ITA) SALOMON AGISKO – 2h36’55”

3. DOMINGUEZ NURIA (ESP) TEAM ESPANA – 2h37’41

00:28:31 – MARCO De GASPERI AUDIO from the Dolomites HERE

Ice Trail Tarentaise

1. Kilian Jornet (Salomon) 07:35:32 new course record
2. Francois D’Haene (Salomon) 07:40:13
3. Philipp Reiter (Salomon) 08:12:38

Ladies:

Emelie Forsberg (Salomon) 09:11:11 new course record (and 10th overall)
Christel Dewalle (Terre de Running) 10:08:58
Francesca Canepa (Team Montura/Vibram) 10:31:59

Badwater 135

Carlos Sa 24:38
Grant Maughan 24:53
Oswaldo Lopez 25:27

Catherine Todd 29:55
Pam Reed 30:39
Meredith Dolhare 32:52

Vermont 100 (Grand Slam)

Jason Lantz 15:23
Chad Ricklefs 15:26
Nick Clark 15:54
Ian Sharman 15:57 *

Larisa Dannis 18:38
Traci Falbo 19:13
Amy Rusiecki 19:53

Zoe Romano completes TDF route on foot and now is finishing off in Corsica – http://www.zoegoesrunning.com

00:44:25 – KILIAN JORNET audio HERE

01:01:36 – BLOGS

What makes us happy? Emelie Forsberg – http://emelieforsberg.com/what-makes-us-happy/

“Happiness is a basic foundation in my everyday life. For me there are many ways to experience the joy in the everyday life. It´s about finding the happiness no matter what daily situation you choose to be a part of. To be satisfied with what you are doing.”

01:02:37 – SMILES AND MILES with Emelie Forsberg

No Talk Training this week but we are introducing Emelie Forsberg’s new regular slot called, Smiles and Miles with Emelie Forsberg. Emelie will be talking about what makes her tick but also she is going to bring a much needed female element to the show, so, if you have a question or would like us to discuss a particular topic, please email Emelie at:

smilesandmiles@yahoo.com

This initial audio, like the rest of the show was recorded on location so apologies for the audio.

01:30:58 – INTERVIEW, Stuart Air

This week’s interview is with Brit, Stuart Air. Stuart entered the 177km Ronda dels Cims, arguably one of the toughest 100 milers out there. Not only did he complete it but he placed 13th. I caught up with him after Ronda and just before he toed the line for the Ice Trail Tarentaise. At Ice Trail he proved Ronda was no fluke by placing in the top 20.

02:03:27 – UP and Coming RACES

Australia

Queensland

Flinders Tour – 50 km | 50 kilometers | July 28, 2013 | website

Canada

Alberta

Canadian Death Race | 125 kilometers | August 03, 2013 | website

France

Haute-Corse

Via Romana – 62 km | 62 kilometers | July 28, 2013 | website

Jura

Le tour du lac | 57 kilometers | July 27, 2013 | website

Tour du Lac de Vouglans | 71 kilometers | July 27, 2013 | website

Loiret

L’Orleans-Océan | 410 kilometers | July 27, 2013 | website

Savoie

Courchevel X Trail 54 km | 54 kilometers | August 04, 2013 | website

La 6000D | 65 kilometers | July 27, 2013 | website

TCT 50 | 50 kilometers | August 04, 2013 | website

Trail du Tour des Fiz | 63 kilometers | July 28, 2013 | website

Ultra 6000D | 110 kilometers | July 27, 2013 | website

Germany

Bavaria

Chiemgauer 100 k Mountain Ultra Run | 100 kilometers | July 27, 2013 | website

Chiemgauer 100 mi Mountain Ultra Run | 100 miles | July 27, 2013 | website

Chiemsee-Ultramarathon Juli | 108 kilometers | July 27, 2013 | website

Brandenburg

Berliner MauerwegNachtlauf | 62 kilometers | July 27, 2013 | website

Lower Saxony

STUNT 100 | 100 miles | August 03, 2013 | website

Iceland

RacingThePlanet: Iceland 2013 | 250 kilometers | August 04, 2013 | website

Russia

Elbrus Ultra Trail | 105 kilometers | August 01, 2013 | website

Spain

Aragon

2 Cara del Aneto | 69 kilometers | July 27, 2013 | website

Vuelta al Aneto | 100 kilometers | July 27, 2013 | website

Cantabria

UTPE – Ultra Trail Picos de Europa | 120 kilometers | July 27, 2013 | website

Sweden

Stockholm Ultramarathon 100 km | 100 kilometers and 50km| August 03, 2013 | website

Switzerland

Grisons

Swiss Alpine Marathon K78 | 78 kilometers | July 27, 2013 | website

United Kingdom

England

Oxfam Trailwalker | 100 kilometers | July 27, 2013 | website

The 50 Mile Challenge | 52 miles | July 26, 2013 | website

The Montane Lakeland 100 | 100 miles | July 26, 2013 | website

The Montane Lakeland 50 | 50 miles | July 27, 2013 | website

Scotland

Devil o’ the Highlands Footrace | 43 miles | August 03, 2013 | website

USA

Alaska

Resurrection Pass 100 Mile Ultra Trail | 100 miles | August 09, 2013 | website

California

Angeles Crest 100 mile endurance run | 100 miles | August 03, 2013 | website

Colorado

Grand Mesa 100M | 100 miles – 50 miles and 37 miles | July 27, 2013 | website

Mountain Ultra | 220 kilometers | August 02, 2013 | website

Wild West Relay | 200 miles | August 02, 2013 | website

Idaho

Wild Idaho 50K Enrudance Run | 50 kilometers | August 03, 2013 | website

Wild Idaho 50M Enrudance Run | 50 miles | August 03, 2013 | website

Maine

Great Cranberry Island Ultra Marathon | 50 miles | July 27, 2013 | website

Maryland

Catoctin 50k Trail Run | 50 kilometers | July 27, 2013 | website

Minnesota

Minnesota Voyageur Trail 50 Mile Run | 50 miles | July 27, 2013 | website

Ohio

Burning River 100 Mile Endurance Run | 100 miles | July 27, 2013 | website

Pennsylvania

Viaduct Trail 150 Mile Ultramarathon | 150 miles – 100 miles and 50 miles | July 26, 2013 | website

South Carolina

Landsford Canal 50 K | 50 kilometers | July 27, 2013 | website

Utah

Speed Goat 50K Ultra Marathon | 50 kilometers | July 27, 2013 | website

Virginia

Dahlgren Heritage Rail Trail 50 km | 50 kilometers | August 03, 2013 | website

Washington

White River 50 Mile Trail Run | 50 miles | July 27, 2013 | website

Wonderland Trail | 93 miles | August 02, 2013 | website

02:06:53 – CLOSE

02:11:49

LINKS:

http://traffic.libsyn.com/talkultra/Episode_40_-_Jornet_De_Gasperi_Air_Forsberg.mp3

ITunes http://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/talk-ultra/id497318073

Libsyn – feed://talkultra.libsyn.com/rss

Website – talkultra.com

Dolomites Skyrace RACE SUMMARY

Posted on July 22, 2013 by talkultra

Kilian Jornet and Emelie Forsberg once again show incredible powers of recovery to win the ISF Skyrunning European Skyrace in the Dolomites, Canazei.

After placing first and second respectively in the Vertical Kilometer just forty eight hours previous, Kilian and Emelie excelled in the Skyrace. Emelie dominated the ladies event from start to finish but Kilian had a much tougher time. Racing his favourite sparring partner, Marco De Gasperi, they pushed each other over every meter of the Canazei course and in the end it was an explosive sprint from Kilian that provided the victory just three seconds clear of Marco.

Marco explained after the race, ‘we kept pushing, racing Kilian is always hard, he pulled away a little on the climb to Piz Boè but I always had him in sight. We had lots of snow that can provide an advantage when going downhill but can reduce pace when running on the flat or up. It was tough race!’.

I asked Kilian about racing Marco, “I was a little worried racing Marco. This race is only two hours and therefore would suit Marco. I expected him to push hard from the start and cause me some problems. I decided to run hard uphill but Marco remained in touch. The descent is long and technical and the opportunity to pull away was impossible. Ultimately it cam down to a sprint and I found that little extra.’

It was an epic battle, post race Marco was a little disappointed to once again repeat a second place behind Kilian just like at the Mont Blanc Marathon. Marco’s time will come once again. The pace at the front was so fast that Kilian and Marco both broke the old course record.

Interviews with Kilian Jornet and Marco De Gasperi are available on the next episode of Talk Ultra out on Friday.

Tadei Pivk arrived four minutes after the dynamic duo to take the third spot on the podium, a repeat of his performance at Zegama-Aizkorri. Ionut Zinca from Romania placed fourth and Alexis Sevennec fifth making it a truly varied European podium fitting of a European Championship with representation from Spain, Italy, Romania and France.

Tadei Pivk third place overall

Emelie Forsberg produced once again another stunning performance and dominated the ladies race. Her time of 2:26:52 was just fifty two seconds off her 2012 time and almost certainly, had Emelie had someone to push her during the race she could have broken the course record. The day after the race, relaxing in the Canazei sun she told me of her passion for running, the mountains and the sport. It is reflected in all she does. A true ambassador for the sport.

You can listen to Emelie’s new regular slot on Talk Ultra this coming Friday ‘Smiles and Miles with Emelie Forsberg. You can email questions to her here: smilesandmiles@yahoo.com

Silvia Serafini produced a stunning performance for Italy and moved her way up through the field for second place and a silver medal, ten minutes behind Emelie. Spain produced third and fourth places with Nuria Dominguez and Maite Maiora and Poland completed the top five with Dominika Wisniewska.

The Dolomites SkyRace® has for many years represented an ideal playground for the world’s top athletes. The steep technical course and spectacular panorama has runners coming back for more time and again. Today, 540 runners finished the race – the top 60 men within half an hour of the new course record. Fans of stats will also be pleased to hear that Kilian broke the male ascent record set by Augusti Roc and Emelie Forsberg broke the female descent record set by Angela Mudge.

A total of 23 European nations were ranked to date. Look out for the final race on July 27, when the Ultra distance will be disputed for the European title at the Trans D’Havet, Vicenza.

Italy leads the national ranking with 622 points, followed by Spain and France. Spain leads the medal count however, with two gold and a bronze, followed by Italy and Sweden. The final ranking will be confirmed after this weekends ultra at Trans D’Havet.

European Skyrunning Championship

Medal count

Spain – 2 gold / 1 bronze

Italy – 1 gold / 3 silver / 2 bronze

Sweden – 1 gold / 1 silver

Czech Republic – 1 bronze

National ranking

1. Italy – 622 points

2. Spain – 558 points

3. France – 480 points

4. Sweden – 380 points

5. Czech Republic – 216 points