The torrential rain and thunderstorms from 2016 became a distant memory as finally, after two-years on an ‘alternative’ course, the Limone VK finally took place on the original route.
A day of blue skies and October warmth welcomed the runners as they assembled on the banks of Lake Garda ahead of the 6pm start.
As darkness arrived, they were released onto the mountain, the elite wave starting at 7pm.
Climbing 1100m, the course is a relentless 3km long with the glowing lights of Limone village and Lake Garda in the backeround – the darkness broken by the head torches of runners as they cover the distance as quickly as possible.
Starting at 60m altitude from Lugolago Marconi, the VK takes a straight line up the impressive mountains that back onto Limone culminating at the finish in Nembra via Dooso Dei Roveri. Rocky waterfalls, via ferratta, wooded forest and technical trail – the Limone VK has it all.
Philip Gotsh and Christel Dewalle won the race ahead of a strong field.
Race director, Fabio Meraldi, a Skyrunning legend, was finally happy to have the original route run after two years of bad weather.
Tomorrow it is the main event of the weekend and the final race in the Migu Run Skyrunner® World Series – Limone Extreme. You can read a preview HERE. Action starts at 11am local time.
Getting steep and getting high, the 2018 Skyrunner® World Series was announced today.
Since 1989 and the pioneering days of Marino Giacometti, Skyrunning has developed and grown into one of the most prestigious mountain running circuits in the world.
The catchphrase, Less Cloud, More Sky sums the sport up perfectly.
2018 brings a new circuit with old and familiar races but importantly the distances of SKY CLASSIC, ULTRA and EXTREME combine – SKY CLASSIC and SKY EXTRA.
The 2018 Season
China will kick-off the season with the Yading Skyrun in April.
May brings us two iconic races that over the years have become favorites for Skyrunner’s all over the world, Transvulcania and Zegama-Aizkorri.
June kicks-off with USM – Ultra SkyMarathon Madeira followed by TBC, Olympus Marathon (Greece).
Buff Epic 42km (Spain) is the first race in July closely followed by High Trail Vanoise (France) and the iconic Dolomites SkyRace (Italy) and Comapedrosa (Andorra).
Tromso SkyRace (Norway) is a stunning way to start August and the highly anticipated Trofeo Kima (Italy) returns (this race is every two years) on the same weekend as Matterhorn Ultraks (Switzerland).
The RUT 25km (USA) begins September and then Skyline Scotland will host the Glen Coe Skyline (Scotland) ahead of the Ultra Pirineu (Spain).
Pirin Ultra SkyRace (Bulgaria) kicks-off October and Limone Extreme (Italy) concludes the season once again in the mountains that back on to Lake Garda.
BONUS RACES
Each of the bonus races will award 50% extra points.
There will be three Sky Classic and two Sky Extra bonus races.
Sky Classic
Olympus Marathon
SkyRace Comapedrosa
Limone Extreme
Sky Extra
Ultra SkyMarathon Madeira
Trofeo Kima
RANKING
Sky Classic Ranking
The Sky Classic Ranking will take into account a maximum of the five best seasons’ results in this category.
Sky Extra Ranking (Extreme and Ultra Races)
The Sky Extra Ranking will take into account a maximum of the four best seasons’ results in this category.
Overall Ranking
The Overall Ranking will be the focus of the season and a foretaste of the single ranking that will apply from 2019.
All athletes scoring points in any race will enter the Overall Ranking.
The ranking will take into account a maximum of the best two results in each category.
BONUS POOL
The 2018 End of Season Bonus Pool will increase amount 66,000 EUR (in increase from 60’000 EUR in 2017). Men and Women will be equally rewarded and emphasis will be put on the Overall ranking. The breakdown will be as follows:
1st Place:
Sky Classic 5000 euro
Sky Extra 5000 euro
2nd Place:
Sky Classic 2500 euro
Sky Extra 2500 euro
3rd Place:
Sky Classic 1500 euro
Sky Extra 1500 euro
THE FUTURE IN THE SKY – 2019 VISION
The Migu Run Skyrunner® World Series in 2019 will continue within the footsteps pioneered by Giacometti, Meraldi and Brunod to establish itself as the premier circuit for mountain running worldwide.
Varied distances, varied terrain and locations all over the world.
As the running world continues to grow at a pace, the Skyrunner® World Series will look to set new standards in 2019.
Races will not exceed 16-hours.
Distances will be 22km to 66km.
A SkyRace will be clarified by technicality, speed, intensity and extreme terrain.
A race rating of 1 – 3 will based on the following:
Climbing difficulty.
Altitude reached.
Single vertical difference.
Snow fields and glaciers.
For example, Extreme races are 3.
THE BIG NEWS
A single ranking for 2019 to determine who is the best Skyrunner® in the world.
SEASON
The calendar will run April to October with a spread of races that will number 15-20 on different continents.
RACE STATUS
Four races in the season will be ‘SuperSky Races’ and will reward more points.
THE ‘KONA’ OF THE SKY
Ironman has its KONA and Skyrunning will have its THE SKY MASTERS – a race to end the season that will gather the best-of-the-best to race head-to-head at an iconic location.
PRIZE MONEY
Each SkyRace will have a price purse of 6000 euro.
The end of season bonus pool will amount to 100.000 euro.
The 2017 Migu Run Skyrunner® World Series draws to a conclusion on the stunning shores of Lake Garda for the Limone Extreme weekend of racing. The mountains that back onto this iconic location provide a wonderful playground to Friday’s VK (VK World Circuit) and Sunday’s Classic SkyRace.
It’s been a long season of Skyrunning all around the world. Recently, Jonathan Albon and Maite Maiora were crowned EXTREME champions in Scotland at the Skyline Scotland and at Ultra Pirineu, Ragna Debats and Luis Alberto Hernando were crowned champions for the ULTRA category.
This weekend in Limone we will have two champions crowned for the CLASSIC sky distance and in addition, we will have COMBINED champions. The combined champions having scored points in the 2017 season over different race distances.
Over the years, Limone Extreme has grown to be a pinnacle event on the calendar and as the last race of the Skyrunner World Series, it is often a crouch race for points, therefore, fast and aggressive racing is guaranteed over the 27km course with 2450m of vertical gain.
Marco De Gasperi will go head-to-head with Aritz Egea and young gun, Jan Margarit for the Sky Classic title, it is et to be an epic battle with nine out of the top ten male runners toeing the line.
Limone gives a 20% bonus, so, it’s all to fight for!
The ladies’ race may be even more exciting than the men’s, it is wide open! Ragna Debats has already won the Ultra title and she would need an incredible run in Limone to pull off the overall tittle – it is possible though! In reality, Laura Orgue is the favourite with a strong threet coming from Sheila Aviles. These two have fought each other in the mountains in 2017 and now it comes down to who will perform in Italy! Hillary Gerardi and Oihana Azkorbebeitia will also figure.
Joining the line-up for the SWS title is a host of world-class talent who will not only impact on the results of the race but they will more than likely impact on how the SWS points are allocated and therefore influencing who are the champions for 2017.
Remi Bonnet and Stian Angermund-Vik are likely winners of the race, Bonnet has won here in the past and Angermund-Vik has been unbeatable in 2017. Joining these two is Eugeni Gil. Hector Haines and Pascal Egli – all theree have had their fair share of podium places. Marc and Oscar Casal Mir, Kiril Nikolov, Eduard Hernandez and Julien Martinez round out the top contenders.
The combined titles are also at stake and here there is a very interesting prospect with Maite Maiora not racing and Ragna Debats toeing the line. Should Debats place first or second, she will take the title from Maiora. For the men, Jonathan Albon has an untouchable lead.
Episode 121 – On this weeks show we speak with ELS2900 race director, Matt Lefort, about his super tough Andorran race. Niandi brings us a selection of audio, recorded in the Simpson Desrert, as Australia’s 2016 Big Red Run took place. Ian is interviewed by a Portuguese magazine and Speedgoat is back co-hosting!
RUNNING BEYOND BOOK is now available in Germany, Spain, Italy and the English language versions will be posted out on November 3rd. News in that the book will now also be translated to Swedish – HERE
00:09:12 Interview with Ian by Rute Barbedo from a Portuguese magazine also listen to Ian’s 1-hour interview byTom Williams for Marathon Talk HERE
00:31:34 NEWS
LIMONE VK
Philip Goetsch – SWS champ 2016
Stian Angermund
Patrick Facchini
Christel Dewalle – SWS champ 2016
Valentina Bellot
Hilde Alders
LIMONE SKY
Alexis Sevennec 2:46
Hector Haines
Kiril Nikolov
Tadei Pivk SWS 2016 champ
Megan Kimmel 3:17 and CR and SWS 2016 champ
Laura Orgue
Celine Lafaye
THE OTTER
Marc Lauenstein defended his Otter African Trail Run title in South Africa, and set a new course record in 3:54. Robyn Owen and Stevie Kremerplaced 1 + 2 with Owen winning in 4:49 to Kremer’s 4:52. Full results.
BIG DOG BACKYARD ULTRA
A 4.16-mile loop of trail every hour. Those that finish the loop in an hour move on to the next loop and this continues until the last runner standing!Babak Rastgoufard won in 28:48 and gets a place in the Barkley Marathons.
OCR
Jon Albon becomes OCR world champion again
AUTUMN 100
Centurion Running’s Autumn 100 had 2 course records from Mark Denby 14:07:39 and Susie Chesher 15:22 – Suzie was so quick she finished 2nd overall results here
ELS2900
6,700 meters of elevation gain over just 70k (44 miles). Thirty-nine competitors started the race, and 24 managed the improbable finish. Xavier Teixido, finished in front at 13:49. Vivien ReynaudandÒscar Perez were second and third in 15:18 and 15:38.
Sonia Regueiro became a two-time finisher and winner, this time 18:59, three hours faster than her finish last year, and Cati Lladó was second in 21:26.
00:54:56 INTERVIEW with ELS2900 RD – Matt Lefort
Pete Kostelnick if you don’t know already is aiming to break the trans-US running record, which stands at 46 days, 8 hours. Pete will likely finish in around 41 or 42 days early next week, which is utterly insane when you think about the fact that he could shave nearly five days off this record. He’s averaging 71 miles a day for the last 36 days, or in Aussie speak, that’s 114kms a day. Bowsers.Read HERE
Torrential rain and thunderstorms started in the morning of the VK and continued on through the day and resulted in a course change instigated by the race organisation for safety reasons. The resulting course was very different to the original route and considerably longer at 6km. Less steep, less technical and considerably more runnable. Of course this may very well have changed the dynamic of the race but the usual protagonists for the VK distance still performed at the highest level.
Philip Götsch and Christel Dewalle won the race and in the process set two new course records for the ‘B’ route – incredible under such tough conditions.
Race director, Fabio Meraldi, made the decision earlier in the day with advice from mountain rescue that the original vertical route would not be possible in such bad conditions.
Although 289 runners were entered into the race, only 180 started in the inclement conditions. Leaving the warmth of a large tent, the 180 headed up 6km covering a total gain of 1200m.
Stian Angermund lead the race in the early stages but it was Philip Götsch who won the race, 32 seconds faster than Remi Bonnet in 2015 to finish with a CR 43:19. Stian finished just 1-second slower in an agonising 43:20. Patrick Facchini placed 3rd in 43:47.
Christel Dewalle ran an incredible time of 49:59 to go 48 seconds faster than 2015 and also set a new CR. The expected battle with VK specialist Laura Orgue did not happen with Laura deciding to rest ahead of tomorrow’s SkyRace. Valentina Belotti placed 2nd 53:15 and Hilde Alders placed a solid 3rd in 54:50.
Attention now turns to the Limone Extreme SkyRace which will start at 1100 tomorrow.
Thanks to the support of our Partner Migu Xempower, Sponsor Alpina Watches and Official Pool Suppliers, Scott Running, Compressport and Salomon.
About Skyrunner® World Series
Skyrunning was founded in 1992 by Italian Marino Giacometti, President of the International Skyrunning Federation which sanctions the discipline worldwide and sports the tagline: Less cloud. More sky.
The Skyrunner® World Series was launched in 2004 and has grown to represent the peak of outdoor running defined by altitude and technicality. In 2016, the Series, composed of four disciplines, features 23 races in 15 venues on three continents.
IANCORLESS.COM IS THE OFFICIAL PHOTOGRAPHER AND MEDIA PARTNER FOR THE
Another season of Skyrunning concluded in Limone sul Garda with the Limone Extreme SkyRace, the final race in the 2015 Skyrunner® World Series. As expected, it was a day of high emotions that ultimately resulted in blood, sweat, tears and elation.
Although race day conditions were ideal, a new course had been created after the thunderstorms of Thursday night and Friday morning. The resulting race although the same distance (23km) had an additional 800m of elevation and descent. Work it out! 23km and 2800m of elevation gain and descent, that can only mean one thing; pain!
One thing became clear though post race, although this new course was tougher it had a unanimous nod from all the runners that the additional difficulty was a good thing; that’s Skyrunning for you!
Final races in a series can often have a forgone conclusion of who will be crowned respective male and female Skyrunner® World Series champions, not here in Limone. It was wide open and all to fight for.
Click on the images to view pre race photographs:
In the men’s race, Remi Bonnet once again proved that we have a star in the making. He followed on from the previous nights VK victory with a world-class SKY performance that left every other runner in the race trailing in his wake. It was stunning to watch. This course is tough, don’t doubt it! Remi ran every step. He has an incredible style, almost shuffling as he moves from left-to-right foot in small movements. It’s incredibly effective and ultimately impossible to follow. Despite him winning the race outright, he could not follow up his Skyrunner® World Series victory for the VK distance as he did not have a result on a Continental race, had he had this, he may well have been the 2015 champion?
Behind Remi, series leader, Tadei Pivk grabbed the bull by the horns and followed the young Swiss runner with 100% determination. His style on the climbs was in complete contrast to Remi; he almost fought the terrain! On the final long descent back down to the Lake and the finish line in Limone, I had expected Tadei to close the gap as he descends incredibly well. Alas no, the day was not for him but his 2nd place gave him the ultimate prize of the 2015 Skyrunner® World Series title.
Ever present Manuel Merillas, also a strong contender for the overall series ran a well paced race and moved from 6th, 5th and 4th to finally finish 3rd. It was a great result and ultimately secured his 2nd place in the Skyrunner® World Series rankings ahead of Martin Anthamatten who took the final podium slot despite finishing 13th on the day, no doubt carrying over fatigue from his recent victory in the USA.
In the ladies race a hotly anticipated battle between Laura Orgue and Megan Kimmel really came to fruition and as always happens in these scenarios, somebody wins, somebody looses. Laura Orgue already had the Skyrunner® World Series title for the VK distance secure before Friday’s VK race and she made the very sensible decision not to race and save her legs for the following day and Saturday’s Sky race.
Running at the front of the race, the VK specialist really embraced the additional 800m of vertical gain and used all her climbing skills to pull off a stunning victory. It was a gutsy ‘give it everything’ performance and one that Maite Maiora tried to spoil. They traded blows throughout the day and Laura managed to squeeze ahead and find those extra percentages of performance to finish just 17-seconds ahead of the La Sportiva runner.
Could Megan Kimmel finish 3rd and secure the world series title?
No! A tough day in the office and carried over fatigue from a recent victory in the USA’s Flagstaff race resulted in Megan feeling tired all day. Of course, the additional 800m of vert didn’t help. Megan finally finished 6th and just had to accept that ‘these things happen!’
Oihana Kortazar followed up a great run from the previous days VK with the final podium place ahead of Elisa Desco and Yngvild Kaspersen.
A season comes to an end and with it we have memories, emotions and passion. The 2015 Skyrunner® World Series champions are:
Laura Orgue and Remi Bonnet are the SWS champions for the VK distance.
Laura Orgue and Tadei Pivk are the SWS champions for the SKY distance.
Emelie Forsberg and Luis Alberto Hernando are SWS champions for the ULTRA distance.
Attention now turns to 2016 and the calendar of races that will once again secure the hearts and minds of the mountain running community.
Less Cloud, More Sky!
Results
Laura Orgue 3:18:50
Maite Maiora 3:19:07
Oihana Kortazar 3:22:24
Elisa Desco 3:28:00
Yngvild Kaspersen 3:28:40
Remi Bonnet 2:45:25
Tadei Pivk 2:51:08
Manuel Merillas 2:52:52
Jokin Lizeaga2:53:55
Aritz Egea 2:55:47
Moments from the finish line, click on images to view larger:
RACE DAY IMAGES – more images to follow as soon as wifi becomes available
Laura Orgue and Remi Bonnet are crowned 2015 Skyrunner® World Series Champions for the VK distance in Limone on the shore of Lake Garda at the 4th edition of the Limone Extreme race.
Torrential rain and thunderstorms the previous night and morning of the VK resulted in a course change instigated by the race organisation for safety reasons. The resulting course was very different to the original route and considerably longer at 6km. Less steep, less technical and considerably more runnable. Of course this may very well have changed the dynamic of the race but the usual protagonists for the VK distance still performed at the highest level.
VK specialist Urban Zemmer dictated the early pace showing his all around ability to run and drop his hands on his knees and grind out a fast pace on the steeper gradients. However, it was rising star of the sport, Remi Bonnet, who finally made his presence felt at the front. Too many observers this was expected after his recent performances at the RUT in the USA and his most recent victory at Lantau 2 Peaks in Hong Kong. Tromso VK winner, Stian Angermund placed 3rd ahead of Hannes Perkmann VK ever-present Jonathan Wyatt in 5th.
In the ladies’ race, Laura Orgue already had the Skyrunner® World Series title sewn up based on previous victories. Despite this, her plan was to run the VK and SKY. However, in the days before the VK, Laura had picked up a virus and decided it was best to miss the distance she loves:
“Hard decision today, I need to rest instead of race in the VK. I’m not feeling 100% so I have decided to recover for tomorrow’s SKY race of 23km and 2800m of elevation!”
Last minute entrant and VK specialist, Christel Dewalle was the fastest lady on the day and lead from the front constantly trailed by Antonella Confortola, Maite Maiora and Norwegian rising star, Yngvild Kaspersen who moved up to 2nd in the overall rankings.
The ladies’ positions remained this way all the way to the line with Spanish runner Oihana Kortazar taking the 5th spot.
A total of 296-runners toed the line of the VK which started at the picturesque location of Marconi lakefront on the shores of Lake Garda. The overall elevation gain of the new route was 1200m+ in a distance of 6km.
Attention now turns the SKY race which will start today, Saturday at 1200 local time. This course has also been changed due to Thursday nights and Friday mornings excessive weather. The new route has an additional 800m of vertical gain which makes what was a tough race, exceptionally tough!
RESULTS
1-Christel Dewalle (50’48”)
2-Antonella Confortolla (53’12”)
3-Maite Maiora (53’46”)
4-Yngvild Kaspersen (54’58”)
5-Oihana Kortazar (56’27”)
1-Rémi Bonnet (43’51”)
2-Urban. Zemmer (44′)
3-Stian Angermund. (44’13”)
4-Hannes Perkmann (44’26”)
5-Jono Wyatt (44’43”)
Skyrunner® World Series ranking 2015:
Laura Orgue
Yngvild Kaspersen
Maite Maiora
Remi Bonnet
Nejc Kuhar
Ferran Teixido
Limone sul Garda also provided a location for the Skyrunning AGM where the 2014 calendar, 2015 calendar and the future of the sport was discussed.
The 2014 Skyrunner® World Series came to a dramatic conclusion in Limone on the banks of Lake Garda today. Although the final race was a formality for Stevie Kremer and Kilian Jornet (both unbeatable after 3 victories) a battle commenced and what a battle…
The Limone Extreme course is a true ‘classic’ Skyrunning race. In simple terms, it’s straight up, run across a ridge (going up and down) and then descend back to lake level and finish under the banner after running 26.5kms and climbing/ descending 2000m. Easy huh? Well, no. But you knew than answer to that one didn’t you.
Petro Mamo from Eritrea (2012 WMRA champion) produced the race of his life to beat the king of the mountains, Kilian Jornet. Kilian on the finish line said that he had very sore legs after putting his efforts into the previous nights Vertical Kilometre. However, one can understand why. His victory in the VK confirmed another Skyrunner® World Series title and he is now world champion in VK, SKY and ULTRA all in the same year! A first and in all honesty, I personally don’t ever see anyone have the versatility and ability to win a series of events that are so diverse.
David Schneider excelled on the first half of the course in 2013 but faded on the technical downhill. This year bolstered after a great performance at Sierre-Zinal produced an incredible race to finish 3rd ahead of Skyrunning legend, Marco De Gasperi.
On a hot and muggy day, many runners talked about the difficult conditions. Humidity was high and after the previous nights heavy rain, certain sections of the course were very slippery.
Leading the ladies early on, VK specialist Laura Orgue pushed hard with a small lead over Stevie Kremer. Christel Dewalle was showing great powers of recovery running in 3rd after winning the previous nights VK and the ever present, Maite Maiora looked strong in 4th.
As the race progressed, Maite with fresh legs made a move and took the lead grasping the race by the horns. Stevie Kremer pursued but couldn’t catch the La Sportiva runner as she pushed hard knowing that victory would mean she would finish the series 2nd overall.
Elisa Desco battling the tough conditions fought hard, catching Dewalle and Orgue and finished 3rd securing her overall place on the podium of the Skyrunner® World Series.
2014 has been an incredible year. We have see the confirmation of Kilian Jornet and Stevie Kremer as the King and Queen of SKY and in the process we have witnessed the growth of new stars such as Maite Maiora, Elisa Desco, Manuel Merillas, Ionut Zinca and Zaid Ait Malek.
Skyrunning is on the up. NO DOUBT!
Tough, technical and vertical is all the rage. The support of key brands: Salomon, inov-8, Compressport, Scott and Arc’teryx combined with the vision of Lauri van Houten and Marino Giacometti confirms that we are at a pivotal point in the sport. A new year, a new World Series is just around the corner… are you going to be part of the 2015 Skyrunner® World Series? I for one know that I will.
We draw passion from the mountains but it’s in the sky that we can live our dreams.
As light faded over Lake Garda, the worlds best Skyrunners departed the town of Limone and headed up… up 1000 vertical meters for the final of the 2014 Skyrunner(R) World Series.
Leading from the front, Kilian Jornet almost didn’t need a head torch as he illuminated the trail with his speed. Last years winner and Skyrunner(R) World Series 2013 champion, Urban Zemmer followed but the writing was on the wall. Kilian looked impressive, relaxed and despite high humidity looked as cool as a cucumber.
37:27 after the start, fireworks confirmed Kilian’s arrival at the summit, Zemmer placed 2nd 37-seconds later.
Zemmer’s La Sportiva team mate, Marco Moletto placed 3rd.
For the ladies, a suer motivated Christen Dewalle lead 2013 Skyrunner(R) World Series champion Laura Orgue all the way to the summit producing a strong and world class performance.
Laura Orgue forever strong over the VK distance held on to 2nd place 2-minutes behind Dewalle.
Antonella Confortola had a battle for third place but held on recording a time of 48:16
Kilian’s victory confirms that he is now Skyrunner(R) World Series champion in VK and ULTRA distances. Tomorrow’s SKY race will make history… Kilian Jornet will be crowned Skyrunner(R) World Series champion in all three disciplines. A first!
If ever proof was needed of the Catalans supreme form and ability, this is it! We are experiencing history and in years to come we will look back and say, ‘do your remember?’
Bravo Kilian.
Results
Kilian Jornet 37:27
Urban Zemmer 38:05
Marco Moletto 38:19
Christel Dewalle 44:51
Laura Orgue 46:51
Antonella Confortola 48:16
The end of season bonus pool will amount to 100.000 euro.
IAN CORLESS 