The Coastal Challenge Costa Rica 2025 – Stage 4

Posted on February 12, 2025 by talkultra

Stage 3 of the 2025, The Coastal Challenge was epic. The strength and commitment from Erick to attack and push paid off, he not only caught back his 16-minute deficit but now leads by 9-minutes.

Pierre was defiant though and clearly exclaimed that if he wants to win, he will race and race with the intention of victory.

Going in to stage 4 we knew a battle was coming, the day, on paper, played into the hands of Erick with a great deal of vertical terrain and at times, lots of technicality, particularly the final descent.

The discussion in camp was generally that one of them, more than likely would blow up today and potentially lose the race.

At 0530 the runner’s were released straight into a climb through dense rainforest, the expectation was Erick would appear first, but no, it was Pierre.

A long wait and then Erick arrived, he had lost 6-minutes 30-seconds on the first climb. Was he paying for the previous days effort?

At cp 2, the gap had extended to 7-minutes 30-seconds and several kilometers before cp3, the gap was 8-minutes 15-seconds.

Pierre was having a stunning day and Erick was just trying to minimise his losses.

Cp3 came and several kilometers later, Pierre appeared on the challenging high ground with the Talamancas as a backdrop. The gap was now 10-minutes 15-seconds, Pierre was the leader on the road.

It was expected the Pierre would continue to open the gap or at least maintain the gap, but nom this 2025 TCC is turning into a classic.

On the final descent Pierre suffered in the heat and humidity, he was a shell of his former self and when he arrived at the line he was exhausted and collapsed. Medics immediately submerged him in the river to cool down.

Just minutes later, Erick arrived, battered and bruised, he had pulled back many minutes but in the process had taken a bad fall, he was taken to hospital and gladly we can report there are no broken bones.

Photos © magdalena kalus / rodrigo carazo

So, Erick still leads the 2025 TCC, the gap has been reduced from just over 9-minutes to now, 6-minutes 20-seconds.

Epic!

Both are somewhat broken from stage 4 and with 2 stages to go, who knows what will happen. For now, they need to eat, rehydrate, rest, have a good sleep and let’s see what happens at the beginning of stage 5…!

The rest of the race, in comparison, ran smoothly, the women’s race followed the same process as the previous days with Katie once again taking another win.

The landscape, the views, the small villages, the people, they all come together to make stage 4 a brutal and beautiful day.

Roll on stage 5.

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Marathon des Sables – The Legendary : STAGE 4 2024

Posted on April 18, 2024 by talkultra

Time allowance 12-hours 45-minutes / 0630am and 0800 start (top 150 ranked)

The fall out from the long day is always hard. Bodies are now tired and normally, many would be saying, ‘just a marathon to go!’ But not for the 2024 edition.

Stage 4 is 43.2km’s and to follow, stage 5 and stage 6 at 31.4km and 21.1km respectively.

Travelling north all the way to B3, this is a tough day and probably will be remembered as the soft-sand day, especially as the most challenging terrain comes at the end.

With 3 CP’s at 10km, 22.9km and 30.1km, the severity of the stage is reflected with ‘additional’ water stations at 17km 37.7km.

While the early km’s allowed for easier terrain with cooler temperatures, the kick is in the tail with relentless sand and dunes from 22km all the way to the finish with increasing heat, expected at a 35-degree high, but feeling much hotter than 40-degrees for the runner’s. A tough day!

Rachid El Morabity dictated the early pace with Aziz and Mohamed behind.

The trio mixed it up but by the halfway point they were all together.

In the closing 10km, Rachid made a notable kick and pulled away for the stage win, Aziz and Mohamed behind 3:13:24 for Rachid and 3:14:59 for the duo.

Aziz E Amrany has been at another level this year and once again she dominated the stage from the front with another stage win in 4:29:41.

Aziza Raji followed looking relaxed and strong with a secure 2nd place in 4:53:08.

Sadly, 3rd placed runner Adriana Moser had to withdraw from the race at one of the CP’s opening the door for Gemma Game who has placed 3rd at MDS twice in the past; it maybe three times a charm! However, it was Rajaa Hamdaoua who was 3rd on the stage with 5:09:59.

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The Coastal Challenge 2024 – #TCC2024 – Stage 5

Posted on February 15, 2024 by talkultra

The day starts by crossing the Sierpe River via ferry, ahead one of the most ‘runnable’ days with an abundance of gravel road interspersed with technical trails.

It’s an iconic stage where a boat crossing is required in the final 5km’s transporting runners from one land section to another before the run in towards the iconic Drake Bay.

A delayed start due to problems with the ferry meant the runner’s started 1-hour late. Sometimes, situations happen and there is nothing to do than say, Pura Vida and carry on.

Once underway, the race split at the front with Pierre Meslet deciding no matter how bad the ankle, let’s give it a go. Cristofer Clemente Mora followed and then Cody Lind and Jean Francois Cauchon.

It was only a matter of time before Cody and Jean-Francois took control of the race and the duo finished together in 4:28 (time tbc due to a delay at the boat crossing).

Cristofer finished 3rd.

For the women, Katie Young well and truly sealed the 2024 TCC with an outstanding performance in 5:55. All day, she smile, ran fast and smooth and dare I say, made it look easy! This TCC is a breakthrough performance for Katie, especially coming after a top-10 at MDS in 2023.

Lina El Kott Helander finished 2nd in 6:14. Lina could very easily have pulled out of the race early in the week after damaging her right arm. She has fought on and impressively so, chapeaux!

Marline Côté finished just ahead of Sanna El Kott Helander, 6:33 and 6:41 respectively. But it was Janina Beck from Germany who finished 3rd in 6:31.

The racing is now done! Stage 6 tomorrow and it would take an absolute disaster to change the ranking, so, expect a victory loop. And let’s face it, a fun loop is well deserved, despite the fact not many would call 35.9km an easy loop…

Pura Vida.

Jean-Francois Cauchon 4:28:17 (tbc)
Cody Lind 4:28:17 (tbc)
Cristofer Clemente Mora 4:30:28 (tbc)

Katie Young 5:55:07
Lina El Kott Helander 6:14:56
Janina Beck 6:31:24

Overall:

Cody Lind 22:41:18
Jean-Francois Cauchon 23:02:46
Cristofer Clementa Mora 23:45:14

Katie Young (7th overall) 30:46:07
Lina El Kott Helander 31:53:57
Sanna El Kott Helander 32:56:52

The Coastal Challenge 2024 – #TCC2024 – Stage 2

Posted on February 12, 2024 by talkultra

Runner’s got there first night in camp last night. Tired bodies looking to recover and prepare for stage 2 of the 2024 The Coastal Challenge, a 230km, 6-stage journey from Quepos to Drake Bay. Ambiance and atmosphere was high. Stage 1 had certainly taken a toll and surprised many. The combination of route, heat and humidity a wake up call. The impact of day 1 saw 18 participants move from the Expedition race to the shorter Adventure category; a huge number!

But today, starting almost 3-hours early makes a huge difference. The almost vertical climb straight out of camp allows for cooler temperatures and an ability to ease in the day.

A rollercoaster of gravel roads followed by rainforest and more gravel roads lead the race to the coast and finally the ocean.

Now the heat of the day takes hold as the the participants navigate a route to the Dominical finish via long stretches of beach.

There was a very different mood to the start of stage 2. Summed up in one word, respect. The top men ran together lead by Jean-Francois Cauchon. This lead group did not include Cristofer Clemente Mora who ran a short distance behind with Erick Aguerro behind.

Pierre Meslet made a 3rd group running Lina El Kott Helander.

Lina El Kott Helander pushed the pace for the women, this came as no surprise with a steep climb to start the day. The skyrunner no doubt in her element. Behind Katie Young followed with a parmanent smile.

Sanna El Kott Helander, just like her twin sister, enjoyed the early vert to run in 3rd.

As the runner’s headed to the coast, the race opened up and Cody Lind and Carlos Calvo López were the first to arrive at the estuary leading to the final 5km’s and a long beach section. Cody now in familiar territory from his 2020 victory no doubt relishing the final km’s pushed to take the stage and overall lead with 3:59:13 on the clock.

Carlos was expected to finish 3rd but Jean-Francois pushed and not only caught but passed the Costa Rican, 4:00:15 and 4:01:53. Cristofer finished some way back and lost his overall lead by almost 10-minutes and is now in second. We have a race on!

Lina continued her strong running all the way to the estuary, she had now opened up a 6-minute lead. Katie arrived looking fresh and full of enthusiasm, with flat running all the way to the line, Katie pushed and closed the gap to under 2-minutes at the line, 5:06:08 and 5:07:58.

Sanna continued to pull away from Lindsey Ullrich and ran a strong 3rd place in 5:29:05. A very positive run after a troubled ay 1.

Stage 2 was not without drama, Lina took a bad fall and had concerns for a badly damaged arm. More news to follow. Pierre also had troubles with a very badly twisted ankle that saw him require a stick in the early stages.