A selection of images in and around the town of Zegama. This race is a beautiful mountain race with a history. As runners arrive ahead of tomorrows registration day, the locals join in for the build up to Sunday’s race.
Sarah Ridgeway Inov-8 copyright Ian Corless
Sarah Ridgeway needs no introduction to the ‘Zegama’ experience. She raced here in 2012 and placed 6th overall. She loves Zegama and she feels very privileged not only to be back racing at Zegama again but also to be part of the Inov-8 International Skyrunning Team.
Last years race was cold, wet and we had snow. Sarah hopes she gets similar conditions this year… one of the advantages of being a fell and mountain runner in the UK!
YouTube HERE
Links:
Alex Nichols Inov-8 copyright Ian Corless
Alex Nichols has had a long journey to Zegama. However, he has had some time to relax and recover and without doubt he is looking forward to the challenge that will unfold on Sunday.
Without doubt he is excited to be racing Kilian Jornet, Luis Alberto Hernando, Michel Lanne, Marco de Gasperi and more… he is new to racing in Europe and he appreciates the racing and trails are very different to the US. But he is here to race, his form is good and he plans to push at the front of the race!
YouTube HERE
Links:
Stevie Kremer – copyright Ian Corless
Stevie Kremer burst onto the European running scene with a stunning second place at Sierre-Zinal in 2012. She followed this with a win at the World Long Distance Mountain Running Championships at Interlaken later that year.
Stevie is extremely modest and humble, she says that she shouldn’t really be a World champion… I don’t agree. She has immense talent. She most certainly has the potential to win at Zegama but it is her first big race of the year and her first big race against some serious competition. She may well use this to ease into 2013 and find her feet. Rest assured, once she has found them she will be a force to be reckoned with.
YouTube – HERE
Links:
© Running The Cape
Zemmer and Orgué
2012 Vertical Kilometer® world champions, Italian Urban Zemmer and Spaniard, Laura Orgué win Saturday’s Cara Amòn Vertical Kilometer®, second race in the Vertical Series after Mount Elbrus.
Cold, rain, wind and snow above 1,500m prompted the organisers to choose a safer, alternative route. The new course followed the original 2012 SkyGames® route in Barruera Vall de Boi in the Spanish Pyrenees. Initially the same for the first 500m climb, the course then deviated to summit the Corona del Pina at 2,053m where the runners were greeted with 25 cm of fresh snow. The race totalled 980m vertical climb over 4.8km distance, shorter than the planned event.
Despite the desperate climatic conditions, 200 participants took part. Among the top runners present, three-times skyrunning world champion Agustí Roc, winner of the Vertical Kilometer® category at the 2012 SkyGames, who came a close second to Zemmer. Zemmer’s team mate, Marco Fachinelli, winner of the Mount Elbrus Vertical Kilometer®, now leads the Vertical Series ranking together with La Sportiva.
The women’s field was strongly led from the start by Laura Orgué (Salomon Santiveri), followed by Britain’s Tessa Hill (Arc’teryx) second, and Spaniard, Alba Xandri (FEEC), third.
SWS Team partners Salomon, La Sportiva and Arc’teryx all had an excellent race, featuring in the top five in both men’s and women’s categories.
Race results
Men
1. Urban Zemmer (La Sportiva) – 39:26
2. Agustí Roc (Likesport) – 39:34
3. Marco Fachinelli (La Sportiva) – 39:40
4. Didier Zago (Arc’teryx) – 40:35
5. Marco Moletto (La Sportiva) – 41.30
Women
1. Laura Orgue (Salomon Santiveri) – 47:23
2. Tessa Hill (Arc’teryx) – 49:59
3. Alba Xandri (FEEC) – 51:51
Calendar:
VERTICAL
1. RUSSIA: Mount Elbrus Vertical Kilometer®, Mount Elbrus – May 7
2. SPAIN: Cara Amón Vertical Kilometer®, Barruera – May 18
3. FRANCE: KM Vertical, Chamonix – June 28
4. GREECE: Gerania Vertical Kilometer®, Loutraki – September 8
5. ITALY: Vertical Grèste de la Mughéra, Limone sul Garda – October 11
Link:
Skyrunning – skyrunning.com
Shona Stephenson – Inov-8
Natalie White, is the sports and marketing manager for UK Company Inov-8 who this year celebrate 10 years in the business. With less than one week to go to Zegama, I caught up with Natalie to discuss the brand and the expansion for the future. In 2013, Inov-8 has put together an International Skyrunning Team, it is a new departure for the brand, I asked how this has come about and why now?
NW: Yes, when I began at Inov-8 in Feb 2012 budgets had already been set so I had to focus on what people were telling me to do based on the budgets we had. However, in September 2012 I sat down with the European marketing manager and I said that we need to get involved in Skyrunning. It is a passion of mine anyway but all the high profile athletes are at these races and we as a brand needed to be involved. So, it made sense. I set up an International Skyrunning Team with runners from Australia, America, UK and France. Hopefully we are going to make an impact.
IC: It is an ambitious project and one that will test the financial strings as much as the runner’s legs. How do you go about putting something like this together, particularly in this current market?
NW: It takes some serious logistics. I also have a 101 other jobs to plan and budget for. I really need to manage my time well. It’s a case of getting a small International team and focusing and what needs the athletes have. Such as kit, what they expect from the brand, travel expenses and then budgeting all that. We shall review the total cost at the end of the year and then make adjustments for future years. I am a runner myself so I know what the runners want. I need to balance all the costs, hopefully everyone will be happy.
IC: Is part of the project also to develop new products such as clothing and shoes that you can take forward in future years?
NW: Yes! We have just sent our SS2014 workbook to print with some very exciting new products. I can’t talk about that yet…
IC: Your lips are sealed?
NW: Yes, we have our launch this month, in May. We are also working on other new products. It is all very exciting.
IC: In the past, as a company you have been renowned for your shoes and packs but you are moving into clothing?
NW: Yes we launched AW2013 running apparel and showed it in February 2013. Our athletes will be wearing our new mountain running wear in Zegama. I hope it will make retail outlets in July and August. It’s a very exciting time for the brand and the athletes.
IC: How have these products been designed? Do they all have athlete input?
NW: Yes, everything we do has runner feedback and athlete feedback. We put everything together, produce a product and then test it. Our athletes test it in training and our marketing team test the products. We go out at lunch and run on local trails. We debrief and then make adjustments as appropriate.
IC: You have mentioned the athletes. You have some real variety for 2013. Such as Brendan Davies and Shona Stephenson from Australia and then we have Americans, UK runners and then somebody like Joe Grant who is a Brit who lives in the US. Zegama will see the British runners head to Zegama… it is quite a mix.
NW: Yes, it is a mix. Prior to me joining we only had a small team of UK based athletes. To get more brand awareness across the world I thought we needed an International team. So, the best athletes from around the world put them in one team and then send them out to run in the Skyrunning series. We support them and help them travel the world to race. We want to help them achieve.
IC: Skyrunning is a very different sport to a lot of other running. UK runners in particular seem to adapt well particularly if coming from a fell running background… of course fell doesn’t have the altitude but it does have some tough terrain. How do you think Brendan and Shona will handle Skyrunning? It will be very different for them. How do you help them and help them adapt to the challenges?
NW: I speak with Brendan and Shona every other day via email and we have regular Skype chats. Because I have done plenty of Skyrunning I can help them. They are currently preparing with adjustments for altitude. They are in form. Look at the results from UTMF and TNF 100. Incredible! (Brendan just won and set a new CR at TNF100 in Australia, a record previously held by Kilian Jornet)
Brendan Davies – Inov-8
IC: How will Brendan and Shona recover from these high profile and demanding races and be ready for Skyrunning?
NW: To be honest, they both seem to recover very well. I don’t think recovery will be a problem. Of course flying and travel may impact but I think, fingers crossed, they will be fine.
IC: Zegama is the first race that you will attend, yes?
NW: Correct, yes.
IC: Zegama is the classic mountain race. It is famous for the terrain, the racing and a top quality field. What team will run?
NW: Alex Nichols from the US, he is in great shape. We have three UK runners, Ben Bardsley who is coming from a SkiMo season. He has actually been racing Kilian. He has been in the Alps doing some fastest known time attempts too. We have two ladies, Sarah Ridgeway and Anna Lupton. Sarah has been training on the Isle of Skye doing some ridge running. Ana Lupton is in good form too…. Hopefully everyone will be fit and healthy and will be able to have a great race!
Ben Bardsley – Inov-8
IC: Yes, it is going to be a great way to kick off the series for Inov-8. I have just done a race preview and I think Ben and Alex are potential dark horses.
NW: Ben came into our office just the other week and he looks super fit and healthy. He is very keen for the first race. He is very appreciative to be part of this team. It’s a dream come true for him. He is very happy.
IC: As the season progresses the priorities will fall with the Sky marathon and Sky ultra series. What at the end of the year will mean that this year has been a success?
NW: Ultimately brand awareness. We have many plans and we will attend many races. After Mont Blanc marathon we will stay on in Chamonix to do product testing, photography, video and so on. It will be great to have everyone in the same place at the same time. It is taking some planning but I am sure it will be fine! We then have Alex Nichols at Pikes Peak and then we have a team at Ultraks in Switzerland. Shona and myself will race Ice Trail Tarantaise…. Not sure why I signed up for that! Speedgoat and UROC will see some American runners participate and then we will have a team at the last race in Limone, Italy. It will be a great finish to the year. It will be a case of having representation across the world with athletes in the overall rankings. All about developing the brand.
IC: Inov-8 has been going almost ten years. As a company it has achieved a great deal. From a shoe perspective you have always been highly respected. You understood the needs of particular terrain and developed products accordingly. For example, the mud claw, it is a classic. How will the brand develop in the future? Will you have any shoes developed specifically for Skyrunning?
NW: My lips are sealed!
IC: Okay, enough said. That is a yes then!
IC: If we look forward to 2014, do you have a plan to increase your team or do you think you will look after the team you have and help them progress.
NW: We will progress the team we have and build on that. We are always inundated with requests for sponsorship but it is just not possible to help everyone. We just don’t have the budget. We need to look after the people that we have currently. We need them to have the results and we need to help them achieve that.
IC: Much better to have a hardcore team of eight to ten who you can help, finance and support so that they can get results. No point having a team of thirty and no results.
NW: Exactly!
IC: Finally, you have Joe Grant on the team. Joe has done some crazy exploits such as the Iditarod Trail Invitational… a crazy event! 350 miles in sub zero temperatures. Do you plan to help progress ideas like this as a brand, for example, will you create projects that your athletes can undertake. I guess adventures which Inov-8 can help finance.
NW: Definitely, we have Ray Zahab from Canada who is currently taking on a challenge of crossing the Gobi Dessert. He is doing that in June this year and we are helping to support him. We love this sort of thing. Crazy challenges… the crazier the better!
IC: It creates a story and it creates a buzz. Ultimately that is great for you as a brand. You need your name out in the arena and that comes from inspiration. It filters back to consumers.
NW: Yes, exactly. We are all about making the brand the best it can be and ultimately providing the customers with the right footwear and clothing for them to achieve!
IC: Natalie, it has been great chatting with you and I am looking forward to Zegama this coming weekend. Best of luck for you and the team!
Calendar:
SKY
1. SPAIN: Maratòn Alpina Zegama-Aizkorri – 42k, Zegama – May 26
2. FRANCE: Mont-Blanc Marathon – 42k, Chamonix – June 30
3. USA: Pikes Peak Marathon – 42k, Manitou Springs, Colorado – August 18
4. SWITZERLAND: Matterhorn Ultraks – 46k, Zermatt – August 24
5. ITALY: Limone Extreme SkyRace® – 23k, Limone sul Garda – October 13
ULTRA
1. SPAIN: Transvulcania Ultramarathon – 83k, La Palma – May 11
2. ANDORRA: Ronda dels Cims – 170k, Ordino – June 21
3. FRANCE: Ice Trail Tarentaise – 65k, Val d’Isère – July 14
4. USA: Speedgoat – 50k, Snowbird, Utah – July 27
5. USA: Ultra Race of Champions “UROC” – 100k, Vail, Colorado – September 28
Links:
Race Elite 230 – Inov-8
courtesy of – bethcardelli.blogspot.co.uk
Beth Cardelli (33) only started running in 2007. Just this past weekend, Beth blasted around the TNF 100 course in Australia and set a new course record breaking her own previous best by some seventeen minutes.
In such a short space of time she has had an incredible rise in the sport. Stand out performances have been:
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
Beth said in her race report about the 2013 TNF 100:
“I have a certain affinity with this event. It is in the Blue Mountains and I love the Blue Mountains. It traverses some of my favorite locations with stunning views. It was my first 100km event and first big ultra. I ran in the inaugural event (2008), which was held shortly after I started running. During the first event all I could think about was just finishing and perhaps getting a silver belt buckle (then available for sub 20hr finishers). I trained as hard as I could and was absolutely stoked to finish, and more so to have done it in 15:30. The lead guys and girls in that year’s race managed to finish in 10:22 and 12:45 respectively. I was in absolute awe of their athletic ability and couldn’t comprehend how people were capable of traversing such difficult terrain in the times they did. They must have been exceptional athletes to accomplish such incredible times.”
I caught up with Beth just a couple of days after her incredible run and found out a little more about what makes her tick!
IC: Beth you just had a stunning run at TNF 100 in Australia, welcome!
BC: Thank you so much, it’s a real pleasure. I listen to Talk Ultra all the time so it is an honor for me.
IC: Can I go back in time and ask how you started running. Am I correct in saying that you didn’t run pre 2007?
BC: That is correct. I was never a runner; I enjoyed netball and bush walking. It is only when I moved house with my husband to a new area and we joined a local running club to meet new people that things started to progress. My running took off. I started to run longer distances. I did my first 10k with the running club. It took me ages to recover. (laughs) It took me quite a while to adapt my body but I took my time.
IC: Why ultra, what made you think ultra would be good?
BC: I didn’t have lots of speed and I preferred longer distances. I found that I could run for hours but not really run fast. I didn’t seem to tire over long distances. I was definitely more endurant.
IC: You have progressed and come a long way in a short space of time. In 2009 you placed 2nd at TNF 100. That was impressive.
BC: Yes, things have progressed in the last few years. Way back in 2009 I didn’t have lots of races to choose from. Now if I look at the females, the 2nd and 3rd place runners at TNF 100 this year would have won the race with the times they have run in 2009. It’s all about progression.
IC: I guess from your perspective being based in the Southern Hemisphere do you ever think to yourself, okay, I am in a big country but ultra running is a small minority. I may be a big fish in a small ultra pond here but how would I compare to European and American runners?
BC: Yes, I never really thought about it like that but I have always thought about running in Australia and I admit we are sort of sheltered. I look at the USA and European runners and wonder if I could run that fast… it is amazing the times they run. Whenever I have an opportunity to compare myself I will, it is awesome.
IC: In 2011 you went to Western States and this provides comparisons. We can look at it and compare you to some of the best runners in the world. That gives you and your performances a perspective. You placed 12th, you must have been very happy and positive with that?
BC: That was a favorite race experience. Going over seas and racing an incredible field. All I want to do is go back. I know I can do better now. I just want another go! But that is the point of ultra, you do an event and when you have done it you think, I can go back, I can do better. It is important to have goals and to strive for something.
IC: Currently in Southern Hemisphere running who is your main female competition?
BC: Shona Stephenson and Ruby Muir for sure. Shona is incredible; she can run back-to-back races without much recovery. I can’t do that. It is incredible. I got to run with Hanny Allston at the weekend, she is powerful. I don’t think she was focused on TNF100 but if she really wanted to she could fly through that course. She is someone to watch out for.
IC: You mention the course, what is it about that course you like, you perform consistently well?
BC: I train on the course a lot. It helps mentally, I know what is coming. It provides strength. I also have a house in the Blue Mountains. I love to train in that area.
IC: What is the course like in comparison to European mountains or lets say Western States.
BC: Well I haven’t raced in Europe so I can’t really compare. I have raced mainly in Australia but in comparison to WS I found it an amazing trail to run. The trails are smooth and the scenery is pretty. Hard to compare the two. I got sick at WS due to altitude so I missed lots… but TNF100 certainly requires more hiking. Having said that, they are both very runnable courses. The course has variety, lots of trail, mountains and road.
IC: In 2012 at TNF100 you set a CR, what was your ambition for 2013. Did you just want to win or did you want a time?
BC: I got 11:18 last year so I wanted to go sub 11:00 this year. I just missed it by 1 minute. But as you say I got a new CR. I tried hard but I just missed my target… next year?
IC: When you are racing, what inspiration do you take from the men as you placed high overall too?
BC: The guys are pretty good when I catch them. I have a chat with them. It’s funny; I always seem to see the same guys in the same place as the years before. It’s like the race is on repeat.
IC: Like déjà vu?
BC: Yes, absolutely. Even at the beginning the same things happen. Funny how this happens but you have to run your own race and take the rough with the smooth and do your best. If you catch people, you catch them and that is good, it’s a distraction and it helps take your mind away from the moment.
IC: What is your training like; do you break your training down into a structured format?
BC: I do hover around a 100k a week. I try to do a couple of quality runs but I do lots of ‘junk’ miles. Time on my feet. I am told it is not the most effective way to train but I find I don’t get injured and it works for me. For the time being anyway. Every second weekend in the months leading up to The North Face to put in solid training sessions of up to 50km on sections of the course.
IC: It works!
BC: For the time being… I always look ahead and try to get information. For example I listen to Talk Ultra to find out what others are doing I mix that into my training…
courtesy of – bethcardelli.blogspot.co.uk
IC: Glad to hear you listen to Talk Ultra!
BC: (laughs) Absolutely!
IC: Apart from running, do you work?
BC: I am a director for a center involved with child care. I work 0700-0900 and then 1430-1830 so that split shift allows for training and rest.
IC: Perfect for training.
BC: Yes, I can often get an afternoon nap.
IC: Now that you have a new CR and the TNF100 out of the way, what is next?
BC: In five weeks I have Lavaredo Trail in Italy and then I have a couple of other plans.
IC: Other races, what are they?
BC: I am doing a VK and the European Skyrunning Championships.
IC: Fantastic!
BC: That is the plan anyway.
IC: I will be at the VK and the championships.
BC: Awesome, cool. Be nice to meet up.
IC: VK, wow that is going to be new for you.
BC: Yes, I am going to be really interested in that, I can’t do a VK in Australia.
IC: The Europeans will be a great race. Another new experience. Very exciting for you… once you have the Skyrunning bug you will want to come back more.
BC: It’s a great opportunity to plan holidays and racing together.
IC: Great to catch up for just a brief chat. Many congratulations on a great TNF100 and I look forward to catching up later in the year.
BC: Thank you so much. It has been great and as you say, really looking forward to catching up in Europe.
courtesy of – bethcardelli.blogspot.co.uk
TNF 100 Results:
Ladies:
Men:
Links:
Following on from Transvulcania I have just seen this incredible movie by Christoph Malin
Video link – http://vimeo.com/53845425
In Christoph’s words….
Inhale the fresh air, smell the refreshing scent of the green pine forests glowing above black volcano sands, no sound but the wind in the trees. A deep blue sky matches with the blue atlantic ocean far below. Epic volcanic trails lead trough an unique archaic landscape. Feel the elements. Be yourself, at the “Island in the Sky”.
This short film, a homage to the beautiful Island of La Palma – “Europe’s Hawaii” – was like a never ending project for me. More than one and a half years of work…. photographing, processing, re-processing, selecting and de-selecting footage, some weeks filming…
I had certain pictures in mind – the scenes, locations, and moods. Every interesting place I had spotted during many stays on the Island while Hiking or guiding Bike Groups was considered.
As often as possible I returned to Palma to let the film get reality (newswatch.nationalgeographic.com/2011/08/15/new-astro-timelapse-video-the-island-showcases-astronomy-haven/), but more than once got thrown back – bad weather, equipment malfunction or whatever.
I hiked up Volcanoes, stayed awake all night on stormy ridges, slept like a dead on the beach next morning. Pre-processed nights footage at the Apartment later, to validate what scenes worked, or needed to be repeated. Hurried back up the mountains before sunset for new setups. Finally got some rest and watched the clouds and stars move. Feeling small in the universe. And tired and dizzy, as well.
Night-Timelapse filming is an art, a struggle to live from, tough on your biorhythm – and needs a lot of passion, love and dedication. Passion for the work, love for nature and wilderness, being alone in the night. Back at the office in the timelapse studio it needs dedication and endurance in front of my workstations working trough the image data.
Which is the toughest part for me – I am not the office guy. I hate sitting in front of a Computer screen too much. And that is what you do with Timelapse. Way too much. After cleaning up the project, 906.65 GB and 83846 RAW images and movie-sequences remained for processing. And there is no automatism, each software at the workflow needs to be fed with each sequence separately, to deliver results…
On some key scenes of this film I have even worked over several months, trying different variations on color-reprocessing, iterating them many times. I am still not sure if they are good now. You judge.
Thanks to all who support me, especially my family. Thanks to Babak Tafreshi of Twanight.org for providing the legendary GRANTECAN Intro and MAGIC-from-the-side Footage (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MAGIC_(telescope). Props to the Folks at IAC.es and Visitlapalma.es! Horay to the team at TWANight.org for tips and feedback! Awesome to Nikon NPS!
Jesse Hozeny has provided an awesome soundtrack with “Miles High”! This ended a long search!
itunes.apple.com/at/album/niyama-volume-one-two/id39888393
Equipment: Nikon D4, D700, D7000, D3s, AFS 14-24/2.8, AFS 24-70/2.8, AF 50/1.8, AF 16/2.8 and AF-DX 10/2.8 Fisheye. Dynamic Perception Stage Zero Dolly and MX2 Merlin Interface, Vixen Polarie: vixen.co.jp/en/lp/polarie_movie.html
Processing: Nikon View NX, Adobe Lightroom LR4, LRTimelapse, Apple Motion, Final Cut Pro X.
Now dive in, put your earphones on and relax…
Cheers.
Christoph Malin
That Guy with the Tent
Christophmalin.com
P.S.: Check some of my other films:
“Astronomer’s Paradise”, vimeo.com/36972668
“Urban Mountain Sky”, vimeo.com/40969904
“ISS Tronized”, vimeo.com/51499009
Transvulcania La Palma in 2012 was billed as the race of the decade…. that is until the 2013 edition of the race came around. Without doubt the race was stacked and finally we would have a show down of the best of the best racing head to head in the men’s and ladies fields.
The start of race week saw a couple of key withdrawals, firstly the ‘Queen’ as Nuria Picas calls her, Anna Frost. Anna has been plagued with niggles since late 2012 and as much as she would have loved to race, she made the correct long term decision and withdrew.
Miguel Heras, also withdrew midweek. Knee issues had not improved and he would therefore, like Frosty, play safe.
Pre race build up was quite incredible as one elite athlete after another arrived at Hotel Sol La Palma on the coast. I did a series of pre race interviews which can all be viewed on the ‘home page’ of this website. One of those interviews had been with Anton Krupicka (Here), finally he was fit, healthy and he was looking forward to the opportunity to one again race Kilian on a course that he had only encountered as a spectator in 2012. But would he race…. ?
The day before the race, Tony complained of fever, chills and aches and then at approximately 1800 he confirmed, “I am going to pull out. I race to win and I don’t like to bail. The way I feel now will just not do me or my performance justice”. Needless to say it was a huge blow not only for Tony, who certainly needs some good luck at the moment, but the race and all the other runners.
The Race
Early starts of 0200 to 0300 and then 1000+ runners assembled at the lighthouse at Fuencaliente. It is just an incredible start and atmosphere. On the strong of 0600 they left the coast and turned left, headed immediately onto the GR131 trail and like a series of ants with head lamps and red tail lights they disappeared into the darkness.
The Men’s race
The mens’s race ultimately came down the three runners, Sage Canaday, Luis Alberto Hernando and Kilian Jornet. But that would not do justice to those runners behind, Timothy Olson ran a very clever race starting a little steadier and working his way up through the field to a solid fourth. Cameron Clayton, played an early role pushing up front with Sage but paid the price and dropped back a little. Of course we should forget dark horse, Patrick Bringer who eventually finished fifth.
During the race one key issue arose… stomach problems! Francois D’Haene, Philipp Reiter, Joe Grant, Luke Nelson and Adam Campbell were all hit by a bug (maybe what TK had?) and spent much of the 83km’s either running for the bushes or vomiting. A real shame!
But up ahead, Luis Alberto Hernando showed all his skills as Skyrunning world champion and forged up the tough and sometimes technical course to have an approximate two minute lead ahead of Kilian Jornet at Roques de los Muchachos, the high point of the course at 2956m.
Kilian put all his incredible descending skills to use on the ‘drop’ from the summit to the sea and the port of Tazacorte. This is the place in 2012 when he stumbled and the heat hit him! Not this year, he pushed ahead and arrived to an incredible finish in the town of Los Llanos to the applause and cheers of 1000’s of spectators. Not only did he win but he set a new CR*. Luis Alberto Hernando arrived just over four minutes later and he looked ecstatic (and tired) with a second place. Completing the podium was Sage Canaday who performed exceptionally well in his first European mountain race.
The Ladies
Emelie Forsberg one again proved herself to be a star in the making. She literally only started running again just over a week ago and she had a battle royal with Nuria Picas. They pushed each other along the 83km’s of the Transvulcania course but ultimately Emelie found something in the latter stages and crossed the line first, just outside ‘Frosty’s’ CR from 2012.
Nuria, gave the race everything and was tired and emotional on the line. She has a big heart, not only in terms of her generosity but also passion and power. She loves to race and in particular, she loves to race against Emelie. Without doubt the two of them created a spectacular show on the trails of the GR131, today, it was Nuria’s turn to be second behind Emelie, just over six minutes difference.
Final spot on the podium went to Uxue Fraile. She ran a very smart race. She started behind many of the front runners and slowly worked her way up through the field. She had experience of the course as she placed fifth in 2012. What was impressive was how much quicker she covered the 83km’s. In 2012 she was ninety minutes behind Frosty, this year she was just over thirty one minutes behind Emelie.
You can listen what Anna Frost had to say in a pre race interview HERE
It was an incredible day, an incredible experience, a beautiful island, a beautiful course with an incredible field. The race fulfilled all expectations and our congratulations go to Kilian & Emelie on two incredible performances.
Links
RACE DAY IMAGES HERE
IAN CORLESS 