Mont Blanc Marathon summary

Posted on June 30, 2013 by talkultra

The Skyrunning Mont Blanc Marathon, part of the Skyrunner® World Series weekend has really been a truly incredible experience. Mont Blanc, location of the 2014 Skyrunning World Champuionships, the 2013 event was so much more than a test run for next year!

The VK on Friday was an exhibition of exploding lungs and legs full of lactic acid as 400 runners climbed 1000 vertical meters over a 3.8km course – follow HERE

Today however, Sunday, was the classic marathon with a stellar field toeing the line to tackle a tough but fast course over the Mont Blanc mountain range. Wet and misty weather from Saturday cleared to one of the most glorious days in the mountains I have had the pleasure to witness.

Course records fall at the 2013 Mont Blanc Marathon

If you have never seen the Mont Blanc mountain range, a photo may give an impression but the awe inspiring majesty of these enormous beasts is a sight to behold and remember. They are truly incredible.

At 0700 two thousand runners departed from the square in Chamonix. The early pace was relentless over the first 10km’s due to relatively flat and very runnable terrain.

A lead group of men sped past at Argentiere pushing the pace hard. As expected, the main protagonists of the day were present; Kilian Jornet, Marco De Gasperi, Luis Alberto Hernando, Florian Reichert, Nicola Golinelli, Didier Zago, Alex Nichols, Tofol Castanyer and Salomon Team Manager, Greg Vollet amongst other.

First lady was Stevie Kremer. Pushing the pace hard very early on she shouted as she passed, “they are not far behind”. As it happened, at this early stage in the race she already had a ninety second lead over Emelie Forsberg.

On the trails the terrain changed and started to undulate. Kilian Jornet, Marco De Gasperi along with Luis Alberto Hernando and Nicola Golinelli started to pull away from the rest of the filed. Stevie Kremer extended her lead from ninety second to three minutes and this pattern continued.

At the Col de Posettes the race was blown apart with Kilian Jornet and Marco De Gasperi pushing each other stride-for-stride. Four minutes later Luis Alberto Hernando arrived. Nicola Golinelli was pursued by team mate Didier Zago and then we had Alex Nicholls and Florian Reichert. The pace was relentless.

Alex Nicholls and Florian Reichert

Stevie Kremer flew down the descent and I waited… three, four, five, eight, ten and then Emelie came in sight… she was ten minutes and thirty seconds behind Stevie. Quite incredible! Emelie did say post race that she was having stomach issues, “I take nothing away from Stevie’s incredible performance, but today I just couldn’t push, I had no additional energy”.

Stevie Kremer on the Col de Posettes

From Tre les Champ at 1363m and approximately 32km into the course, the final 10km was all uphill! A relentless climb was broken with some relief just after Flegere before the final push to the summit finish at Plangraz, 2016m.

First around the bend was Kilian Jornet. Waving to the crowds he approached the line, turned, gave his usual one arm wave and then bent double as he tried to recover from the effort, 3h30’41 a new course record!

Marco De Gasperi was second just over a minute later. the two sparring partners had pushed each other to the line and in the process had once again provided an incredible racing spectacle that we can only look upon in disbelief.

Luis Alberto Hernando completed the podium. Post race he expressed his thoughts, “I have been training for longer races and I found the early relentless pace difficult to keep up with. However, from half way I improved and felt good. Maybe I am a little tired?”.

Stevie Kremer absolutely dominated the ladies race and blew the old course record off the scale by some twenty five minutes, her time of 4h03’16 placed her within the top 20! As she approached the line she could finally relax and that incredible smile appeared on her face. It was a stunning performance and one that many of us will never forget.

Emelie Forsberg arrived twenty two minutes later, despite her issues during the race she smiled and waved to the crowds. Emelie in her meteoric rise in the sport has become a firm crowd favorite and the cheers from all who watched acknowledged this.

Celine Lafaye completed the podium closely followed by Silvia Serafini. The Mont Blanc Marathon really was a showcase event. The anticipation for the 2014 World Skyrunning Championships will now start in earnest, with the inclusion of an 80km event, the race weekend will provide participants the option to race over the three classic Skyrunning disciplines:

VK
Sky
Ultra

Notable mentions must go to the incredible performances from the inov-8 International Skyrunning Team and Arc’teryx, both placed runners in the top ten.

Attention now turns to the Skyrunning Ice Trail Tarantaise and the European Championships in July – Information HERE

Links:

Skyrunning HERE
Marathon Mont Blanc HERE

IMAGES FROM THE RACE AVAILABLE HERE

Results

1° Kilian Jornet 3h30’41 NEW COURSE RECORD
2° Marco De Gasperi 3h31’42 –
3° Luis-Alberto Hernando-Alzaga 3h36’14

1° Stevie Kremer 4h03’16 NEW COURSE RECORD
2° Emelie Forsberg 4h25’10
3° Céline Lafaye 4h35

Kilian & Marco at Mont Blanc

Image

Mont Blanc Marathon Preview

Posted on June 25, 2013 by talkultra

The Race:

The Mont Blanc Marathon needs no introduction! Starting from the center of Chamonix (1035m) the race route over the classic marathon distance has has a positive vertical gain of 2511 meters and an elevation loss of 1490meters.   The route climbs steadily towards the upper valley, progressively passing through the hamlets of “les Bois” and Lavancher to reach Argentière at 1250m. Following a trail towards Le Planet the route traverses to the Balcon Nord before heading down towards Montroc. On leaving Montroc village runners take the trail towards Tré le Champ and go towards Col des Montets.

Crossing the “Col des Montets” at 1461m in the heart of the Aiguilles Rouges Nature Reserve runners take the old stage-coach route along the “chemin des Diligences”, the old stage-coach route to arrive at the hamlet of Buet before reaching Vallorcine at 1260 m.

Climbing to the Col des Possettes at 1997m via a trail leaving from the Plan de l’envers progression is made onwards to the highest point of the course at the Aiguilles des Possettes (2201m). The climb and exhaustion is worth it… each participant is rewarded by a breathtaking panorama of the Mont Blanc range.

Facing the ‘Aiguille Verte’ and the Mont Blanc range, the route Following the ridgeline of the ‘aiguillette’ and facing the ‘Aiguille Verte’ it is now time to descend in the direction of Tré le Champ.

A pretty trail toward le Tour, runners cross through a village, and then the Tour glacier. Taking a north-facing trail towards Montroc, cross through hamlets of the Frasserands and Tré le Champ. Now at the heart of the Aiguilles Rouges massif, opposite the Mont-Blanc range, the route climbs up towards la Flégère (1875 m). Cross the magnificent Charlanon Comb (1812m) and then the gradient increases until just before the arrival at Planpraz at 2050 m giving one of the most beautiful views of the Mont-Blanc.

The race is done!

Results 2012:

Ladies:

2012: Maude Mathys (SUI) 4h28’17’’

Mens:

2012: Kilian Jornet (ESP) 3h38’24’’

Key players in the 2013 race

Without doubt the 2013 Mont Blanc Marathon has quality and depth in abundance in both the ladies and men’s fields. The second race in the Skyrunning World Series, we now have a clear indication of who is in form and who is coming in to form. Stand out names are Kilian Jornet and Emelie Forsberg. After topping the podium at Transvulcania La Palma and Zegama-Aizkorri, will the Salomon duo remain on the top step when the race is completed on Sunday?

Men:

Kilian Jornet – Salomon Santiveri, without doubt is the out-and-out favorite for the race. Last years winner is in form and firing on all cylinders, it is his home playground and he knows the route like the back of his hand. Post his win at Zegama-Aizkorri were he had a head-to-head battle with Luis Alberto Hernando, Kilian he has done some shorter races and he has won all of them.

Luis Alberto Hernando – Adidas is without doubt a great addition to the race. His second place at Transvulcania La Palma, followed up with a second place (just 12 seconds) behind Kilian Jornet at Zegama-Aizkorri fmeans that we have a battle on our hands! A couple of weekends ago he ran Haria Extreme and produced a strong and convincing performace. Without doubt a potential winner for the race.

Tofol Castanyer – Salomon Santiveri, was forced to miss Zegama-Aizkorri due to injury so his form may not be 100%, however, he loves the mountains and he knows how to race.

Marco De Gasperi – Scott, despite dropping at half way at Zegama was showing some fine form. He was head-to-head with Kilian and pushing him. He has had some injury issues (hence the drop at Zegama) but he seems to be well on his way to a full recovery and is coming back strong. Kilian and Marco have 100% respect for each other and love to push each other to the line… we may very well see a repeat battle of the Luis Alberto Hernando and Kilian battle at Zegama, re run over the course in Mont Blanc.

Florian Reichert – Arc’teryx/ Inov-8, is new to Skyrunning but he has speed! Despite the odds, he pulled out a great first race at Zegama-Aizkorri and not only survived but also performed exceptionally well. With his duck over he will come to Mont Blanc with renewed confidence. Without doubt he will have worked on improving his technical running ability and descending. If he can add his natural speed to improved technique, he may well be one to watch!

Nicola Golinelli – Arc’teryx, always performs well in the mountains and Skyrunning events. He is the 2010 combined events champion. He will bring mountain skill and speed to the Mont Blanc course.

Ben Bardsley – Inov-8, had a troubled race at Zegama-Aizkorri with a calf strain. At this moment in time we are unsure of his rehabilitation but his skills on the fells and regular trips and training in Chamonix will mean that if fit, he will be one-to-watch.

Brendan Davies – Inov-8, has had an incredible 2013 with top placing’s at the super competitive Tarawera Ultra in New Zealand, a top five at UTMF 100 in Japan and then a win and new CR at TNF100 in Australia. He is fired up and his running is re-invigorated with sponsorship from the Inov-8 International Team. Fast over the marathon and 100km distance, hos only downfall at Mont Blanc may well be his ability over tough and technical terrain. He has all the ability to be top three and without doubt, he will not be aiming for anything else.

Alex Nichols – Inov-8, scored a top 5 at the Sky Games in 2012, his first outing in a Skyrunning event. He said, “It was a learning curve’. He recently came over to Zegama-Aizkorri to race but pulled a muscle early in the race forcing him to drop. With Pike Peak on his doorstep in the US he has plenty of opportunity to practice ascending and descending, combined with natural speed he will be a force at the front of the race.

Scott Dunlap – Inov-8, has already had a busy start to 2013, he PR’d at Boston Marathon with 2:44:35 and most recently he has run Silver State 50m in sub 10 hours. Scott has the potential for a good race but I don’t see him in contention at the front of the race.

Nicolas Pianet – New Balance, winner of the race in 2010 and 2011 and fourth last year will have some stiff competition this year and will need to provide everything within himself to fight such tough competition.

Marc Pinsach – FEEC, just recently was joint first place at the 35kmVolta Cerdanya Ultrafons with no other than kilian Jornet. Marc, like Kilian, is a ski mountaineer and they have often competed together at the world and European championships. Ranked 8^th in the World in 2010 in the ‘team’ race, 4^th in the ‘world relay’ in 2011 and in 2012 he was 5^th in the ‘European championship team’ event; all with Kilian as his partner. He has incredible ability and a true ‘Alpinist’ approach.

The depth and quality of the Mont Blanc Marathon field means that it is just not possible to review everyone, however, here is a list of other main contenders who may well shine in the Alps.

Male contenders:

Fabio Bazzana – Crazy Idea, Sota Ogawa – Salomon, Fabio Tonolo – Salomon Agisko, Giulio Ornati – Salomon Agisko, Daniele Cappelletti – Valetudo Skyrunning, Gyorgy Szabolics Istavans – Valetudo Skyrunning, Ryan Bak – Scott, Didier Zago – Arc’teryx, Marc Caros – FEEC, Just Sociats Asensio – FEEC, Jose Lozano Garcia – FEEC, Jordi Bes Ginesta – FEEC, Joan Valls Gomez – FEEC, Oscar Csal Mir – FEEC, Roberto Sancho Martinez – Diedre-Matxacuca, Daniel Cazalla Lorite – Diedre-Matxacuca, Paloma Lobera Grau – Diedre-Matxacuca, Daniel Cazalla Lorite – Diedre-Matxacuca, Francesc Marti Bertomeu – Diedre-Matxacuca, Josep Cuadrat Besa – Diedre-Matxacuca, Eugenia Moro Bertomeu – Diedre-Matxacuca, Josep Cuadrat Besa – Diedre-Matxacuca, Artem Rostovtsev – Russian Skyrunning.

Ladies:

Emelie Forsberg – Salomon, come to Mont Blanc as the outright favorite. In just one year Emelie has become a star of mountain running. Her 2012 season progressed and progressed and culminated with a stunning win at San Francisco 50. She started her 2013 season with win at Transgrancanaria running the marathon. A dominant performance at Transvulcania La Palma saw her not only stand victorious on top of the podium but she only missed Anna Frosts CR by minutes. Just a few weeks ago she again showed her form with a win at Zegama-Aizkorri. She will take some beating at Mont Blanc! However, she will not have an easy race. The ladies race is stacked.

Stevie Kremer – Salomon Agisko, had her first outing in a Skyrunning event Zegama-Aizkorri and learnt many things… probably the most important thing is that she can believe in herself and that she really does have the ability to perform at the highest level against the best in the world. She took the race to the ladies at Zegama and I am 100% sure that we will see a repeat performance in the Alps. Definite podium place and without doubt she has all the ability required to stand on top of it.

Silvia Serafini – Salomon Agisko, another star in the making! Silvia comes from a road background but she has adapted to the trails and mountain running exceptionally well. Like her teammate Stevie Kremer, she has every possibility to be on the podium. At Zegama-Aizkorri was having an incredible race running in the top four, unfortunately she twisted an ankle in the latter stages and although she finished she had dropped several places (6^th) and was in pain. Providing she has no knock on effects Silvia will perform at the highest level and without doubt has the potential to be on the podium or top five.

Oihana Kortazar – Salomon Santiveri, 2012 winner of Zegama-Aizkorri excels in the high mountains, particularly when the course is tough and technical. Her recent form is in question as she dropped at Zegama, however, you can never rule her out. She will want to prove something at Mont Blanc and put the record straight.

Shona Stephenson – Inov-8, is travelling from Australia as part of the Inov-8 International Skyrunning Team. She has had quite an incredible start to 2013 with impressive runs and results over a variety of distances and terrain. Shona was second at UTMF 100 in Japan, third at TNF100 in Australia and now Europe and the high mountains. Without doubt she has ability but this Mont Blanc course may well be a little too short and technical for her. I can’t help but think she will need some time in Europe not only to adapt to the pace but the terrain for Skyrunning mountain events.

Other lady contenders:

Stephanie Jiminez – Salomon Agisko, Natalie White – Inov-8, Sarah Ridgeway – Inov-8, Anna Lupton – Inov-8, and Tanya Pacheco.

One thing is for sure; Chamonix and Mont Blanc will see an incredible weekend of racing from June 28^th to July 1st. Many participants in the marathon will also toe the line for the ‘VK’ on Friday. A lung-busting ascent from the center of Chamonix straight up to a measured 1000 m height gain over a course 3.5km long. Great to watch, painful to participate in.

Weekend Schedule:

Friday, June 28, 2013

– Mont Blanc Vertical KM, 400 places, starting from 4:00pm in the center of Chamonix.

Saturday, June 29, 2013

– Mont Blanc Cross, 1500 places, starting at 8:30am on the landing paragliders.

– Mont Blanc 10km, 800 places, starting at 9:00am on the landing paragliders.

– Mont Blanc Mini Cross, from 800m to 3km starting from 11:00am on the landing paragliders.

Sunday, June 30, 2013

– Mont Blanc Marathon, 2000 places, starting at 7:00am in the center of Chamonix.

Stats:

Limited to 2,000 competitors
Distance: 42.195 km / 26.2 miles
Elevation gain: 2,511m Elevation loss: 1,490m
Start: 1,035m. Finish 2,016m
Max altitude: 2,201m (Aiguilles des Possettes)
6 aid stations
9h time limit

Content from Skyrunning.com re VK and Mont Blanc 80k:

The Mont-Blanc Marathon which sold out the 2,000 places many months ago, will be preceded by the KM Vertical on June 28^th where 400 runners will line up for a lung-busting 1,000 metres skywards over the short 3.5 km course. Heading the start-list are Vertical world champions Urban Zemmer (La Sportiva) and Laura Orgué (Salomon).

Urban will be challenged not only by Kilian, last year’s winner in 36’07”, but current Vertical ranking leader, Marco Facchinelli (La Sportiva) and team mates Marco Moletto and Nadir Maguet; but also Nicola Golinelli and Florian Reichert, (Arc’teryx); Ben Bardsley, Brendan Davies, Robbie Simpson (inov-8); Matheo Jacquemoud (Crazy Idea); Oscar Casal and Joan Valls (FAM); Jose Lozano (FEEC) and Artem Rostovtsev (Russian Skyrunning) in the men’s field.

Vertical specialist Laura Orgué (Salomon) will face tough competition from team mates Emelie Forsberg, Oihana Kortazar and Anna Frost as well as last year’s race winner Antonella Confortola; Shona Stephenson, Tessa Hill (Arc’teryx); Silvia Leal and Alba Xandri (FEEC).

Among the events over the weekend organised by the Club des Sports Chamonix, is the new Mont-Blanc 80K on June 28, the first time a race has been held on this course, although shortened due to snow on the course. The race will represent a “test run” for the 2014 Skyrunning World Championships where the three events will be featured.

LINKS:

Skyrunning – HERE

Mont Blanc Marathon HERE

Scott Running Apparel Test

Posted on June 8, 2013 by talkultra

New apparel can really give your running mojo a boost. I have never known it not to work… I think deep down we always like new kit to try out or new kit to give our running a boost. Running is a simple sport, you need a pair of shoes, socks, shorts (or skort) and away you go. Never quite works out like that though does it. New products arrive in the market place all the time; new colour ways, re designs, new cuts and completely new products.

Scott Sports are well established in the bike, winter sports and outdoor sector but less so in running. That is until recently. With some high level athlete sponsorship and a new range of products, the brand goes from strength to strength.

I have used and ‘loved’ the Scott T2 Kinabalu trail show for some time now (read my review here) and I used the eRide Grip 2 almost exclusively over Winter months and on the Transvulcania La Palma course in December 2012 (review here).

In March 2013 I received some of the new apparel range from Scott and I have been testing these products for a while now on local trails and when travelling. They have several ranges of clothing that crossover and coordinate with each other extremely well. However, Scott also have two distinct groups:

The Performance range (in my opinion) is geared towards road running and potential triathlon markets, whereas the Outdoor & Trail is far more ‘ultra’ specific or ideal for any general running. Outdoor & Trail has two distinct looks; the AMT range which is colourful, light and boasts some innovative fabrics and the more conventional and understated. For this review I am looking at the more conventional and understated.

Scott Windbreaker AMT
Scott Sardar long sleeve with 1/2 zip
Scott Crestone crew
Scott Somerset short
Scott T2 Kinabalu shoes
Accessory – Scott Race cap

It’s not often that you get to try out new kit and run with the brands main athlete (or at least one of the main athletes) but that is what happened in La Palma. Just a couple of days after Sage Canaday secured a stunning third place behind Kilian Jornet and Luis Alberto Hernando at the 2013 edition of the Transvulcania La Palma, we went out on the trails for a ‘play’ and a little sight seeing.

Sage Canaday 3rd place Transvulcania 2013

The CLOTHING

Crestone Crew

You may think at first touch that this garment is a ‘compression’ piece of clothing. It has a slightly ‘heavier’ feel to the fabric and panels on the back, front and under the arms look as though they would ‘compress’. Not so. The fit is ‘athletic’, so in real terms it is cut to the shape of your buddy but it does not fit really tight. It has just the right amount of freedom. I have to say that really ‘tight’ garments now don’t appeal to me. An element of loose fabric is nice. The ‘panels’ on the front, back and underarms allow key areas to release heat and sweat and they work extremely well.

Scott have used a fabric (Polyamide) in conjunction with (Elastane) that provides an ‘elasticity’ to it. The garment stretches and adapts to body movement without pulling. Treated with Chitosante the fabric is odor resistant and I have to say that from repeated use and washing, the garment has retained no lasting door. Weighing in at 180g for a mens medium the Crestone is a real pleasure to wear and has become a great day-to-day product. Looks are understated with a simple one tone colour, a small logo in the middle of the chest and the word ‘Scott’ at the bottom front of the garment on the left hand side.

Sizing – I personally feel that the whole Scott Apparel range sizes a little small. I am a 38″ chest and would normally choose ‘small’, however, I have found that ‘medium’ is best across the board. In particular, the ‘elastic’ nature of the Crestone does mean that this garment will have a tighter fit in comparison to a ‘loose’ tee top such as the AMT s/s. It comes down to personal choice.

Somerset Short

These shorts are long (9.5″ seam) and loose with three pockets. They are ideal for training runs and long days out providing no rubbing or irritation. The waist band is extremely comfortable and has a simple drawstring to adjust tension.

Branded with the Scott logo on the right hand leg, the shorts are simple and understated. They have a ‘V’ cut into the seam to allow some additional leg freedom and this works extremely well, particularly when climbing or stepping up.

Two side pockets are generous and will easily hold a mobile phone, camera or equally chunky item. On the rear in the middle and at the top is a zippered pocket that will hold keys or any other valuable item.

The inner brief is short and comfortable and they have a lightweight 2-way breathable fabric. They also include the Chitosante to keep door away and they have DUROshade to protect against the sun.

In use the shorts are hassle free, comfortable and ideal for long days on the trail. In addition, due to the understated look, longer length and pockets, they would also be ideal as a casual short.

In racing, you may require something more minimal? Weighing 220g for a mens medium they are not heavy but depending on how minimalist you like to go, the additional pockets in a racing short may well be an unnecessary addition.

Sardar Long Sleeve with 1/2 zip

Made from lightweight Polyester with mesh inserts, this top is ideally for cold or chilly days on the trail. It has a 1/2 zip to help regulate temperature.

Mesh panels are on the elbow to allow additional movement and a mesh panel across the shoulders for breathability. On the rear is a zipperd pocket situated in the lower back. The pocket is ideal for money, phone and/or keys.

The top is not a garment that you can take off and run with (unless you tie it around your waist) should you become warm. It’s too bulky for that, so, it is definitely a garment when the external temperatures require something warmer. Having said that, the fabric is extremely smooth and comfortable. Without doubt you can use this layer on its own or as a second layer.

Made from 73% Polyester, 27% Polyamide it also has ‘Coolmax’ and Chitosante to reduce door . At 180g it really is a great lightweight warm layer.

Winbreaker AMT

The AMT range is a breakthrough range for Scott. Designed to be extremely light weight and functional, they really do offer something fresh the the apparel market. The ‘Windbreaker’ is just 60g for a medium. It rolls up into a tiny ball (smaller than an apple) and it really is a jacket that can be taken on every run.

It has a hood, tailored fit and a 1/2 zip.

The hood although useful is a little loose with no option to adjust, so, if the wind is blowing it an become a little irritating. However, this is very much an emergency layer and as such the hood may very well be welcome should conditions turn nasty.

The 1/2 zip provides an ability to regulate temperature and reassuringly, when zipped up it goes high and helps stop the wind blowing around your neck and going down your back.

Elastic hems promise a secure fit and a lower back adds some additional protection. The fabric is water repellant and abrasion resistant, this jacket is an ideal emergency layer in mild conditions.

T2 Kinabalu

I have worn and reviewed the T2 Kinabalu before, so, please read HERE

In summary, they are currently my favourite every day shoe for trail. Extremely versatile, comfortable and great to look at. They adapt to all surfaces, including mud. The only time I would reach for another shoe is when conditions required a very aggressive grip.

Ultimately, if you could only purchase one pair of shoes that could do all jobs, the T2 Kinabalu would be it.

Race cap

I guess a hat is a hat… but not all hats are the same! The Scott Race cap ticks all the boxes. It has mesh on the top to allow heat to escape, a terry band to keep sweat from dripping down your face, velcro adjustment at the rear for a precise fit and good looks.

Would I change anything? Yes! I like my hats (for summer use) to have the inside of the peak black… why? well it reduces glare and allows me to relax my eyes and squint less. Very few manufacturers do this but in my opinion it makes perfect sense. Am I being fussy?

It’s a great hat though, comfortable to wear, cool and the terry band works really well.

SUMMARY

Scott Sports really have stepped up the mark in the last twenty four months. The addition of Marco De Gasperi, Sage Canaday and Ian Sharman on the athlete team has most certainly influenced product development. The T2 Kinabalu has a great deal of Marco’s direct feedback into the shoe.

As time progresses the brand will develop even more. Currently, Scott have on offer some great apparel and shoes. It’s always a great sign for me when I go to my cupboards to get clothing for a run and I seek out a certain top or short instead of grabbing what is at hand. I do this with the Scott apparel all the time!

LINKS:

Sage Canaday HERE
Marco De Gasperi HERE
Ian Sharman HERE
SCOTT RUNNING HERE

Zegama Race Summary

Posted on May 27, 2013 by talkultra

Kilan and Hernando copyright Ian Corless

It was close… oh so close! Seconds separated Kilian Jornet and Luis Alberto Hernando at the 2013 Zegama-Aizkorri. Post race in a chat with Kilian, we discussed the race and he was extremely satisfied to be pushed so hard in the latter stages of the race.

“I had relaxed and was running comfortably and then suddenly Luis appeared” Kilian said, “I had a race on my hands, we pushed each other very hard and it was only in the final kilometre that I surged and pulled away”.

Luis Alberto Hernando is the 2011 World Champion and is clearly in great form at the moment. Only a couple of weeks ago he participated in his first ultra, Transvulcania La Palma, and here he placed second again behind Kilian.

Kilian and Marco, Zegama 2013 copyright Ian Corless

Marco De Gasperi, after some deliberation (ankle injury) toed the line and led the race to the 21 km check point with his sparring partner, Kilian Jornet. Kilian and Marco love to race each other and we have witnessed some tremendous battles over the years. However, Zegama would not see a repeat, Marco pulled out to ensure that he did not stress his injury any farther.

Luis Alberto Hernando worked his way through the field and pursued Kilian and finally caught him. What followed was a tremendous game of cat and mouse as the two pushed each other to the limit on the long and final descent.

Kilian pulled away in the final moments of the race to miss Rob Jebb’s 2005 course record by just 20 seconds, his finishing time 3:54:38. Luis Alberto Hernando finished just seconds later and Tadei Pivk produced a stunning run to finish third in 3:59:07.

It was really close…. Zegama 2013

The ladies race had all the makings of a classic. Emelie Forsberg, Nuria Picas, Oihana Kortazar, Silvia Serafini and Stevie Kremer would do battle on this classic mountain course.

World long course mountain running champion, Stevie Kremer pushed hard from the start and lead the race until over halfway but Emelie Forsberg paced herself extremely well. She took over the lead and then slowly pulled away to ultimately dominate the race for a stunning win in 4:48:12.

Emelie Forsberg copyright Ian Corless

The first half of the race was fast and furious, but as time and distance progressed experience came through. In particular, Nuria Picas, the 2012 Skyrunner Ultra champion and fresh from her second place at Transvulcaniawho was out of the top five in the first half of the race. She moved through the field, hunted runners down and then passed Stevie Kremer on the descent to be place second.

Nuria Picas copyright Ian Corless

Stevie Kremer (pre race interview here) running her first SkyMarathon performed superbly and without doubt is a star of the future. She openly said, “I need to work on my descending, it is what let me down today”.

Stevie Kremer copyright Ian Corless

As Nuria waved to the crowd she almost lost second place as Stevie burst around the corner of the finishing straight. The time gap shows how close it was at the finish, 4:49:55 for Nuria and 4:49:58 for Stevie. Without doubt we will be seeing Stevie on podium again throughout the 2013 calendar.

A notable mention must also go to Silvia Serafini (pre race interview here). Silvia was having a stunning race and was in third place for much of the race, but she twisted her ankle on the final descent. She finally finished within the top ten but the frustration of what might have been was clear to see on her face and she fell to the floor after crossing the finish line.

Silvia Serafini copyright Ian Corless

Zegama-Aizkorri is renowned for the severity of the course, the ability of the runners and the passion of the supporters. It’s a pleasure and a honour to witness the action unfold and the atmosphere is akin to a stage of the Tour de France.

The crowds and the passion, Zegama 2013 copyright Ian Corless

Skyrunning is not just about fast ascents, but even faster descents – a technique that distinguishes the sport. Many strong runners new to the sport, like Germany’s Florian Reichert, Japan’s Toru Miyahara and South African A J Caltiz, who excelled on the uphill, will be honing their skills on the downhill for the next Sky Series challenge in Chamonix on June 30 with the Mont-Blanc Marathon.

A full set of race images are available HERE
Images from the race briefing HERE

Kilan Jornet and Emelie Forsberg copyright Ian Corless

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”

Video Highlight:

Zegama – A race in images

Posted on May 26, 2013 by talkultra

An absolutely incredible day on the trails and mountains of Zegama. Congratulations to Emelie & Kilian. Stunning!

: The crowds and the passion, Zegama 2013 copyright Ian Corless

: Silvia Serafini copyright Ian Corless

: Kilan Jornet and Emelie Forsberg copyright Ian Corless

: Nuria Picas copyright Ian Corless

: It was really close…. Zegama 2013

: Kilian and Marco, Zegama 2013 copyright Ian Corless

: AJ Calitz at Zegama-Aizkorri

: Stevie Kremer copyright Ian Corless

: Emelie Forsberg copyright Ian Corless

: Kilan and Hernando copyright Ian Corless

Zegama – Aizkorri 2013 Preview

Posted on April 11, 2013 by talkultra

Zegama – Aizkorri needs no introduction to those who follow Skyrunning. It is a course that has created many a story over the years.

Located in a natural park, Aizkorri-Aratz, it brings respect and excitement to every mountain runner that toes the line.

In July 2002, the Village Council decided to revitalise and bring life to the local area, in order to achieve these objectives the Zegama-Aizkorri Mountain Marathon Association was created. Today, the AIA-renovated Alpine Marathon has a reputation in the world as one of the world’s most prestigious mountain marathons.

Part of the Skyrunner World Series it is the ultimate mountain marathon test. In 2008 the European Championships were hold on this very course. When Kilian Jornet was asked about Zegama, he quite simply said:

“Zegama? It’s Zegama!”

In other words, nothing more needs to be said. It has a reputation that demands respect from the higher echelons of the mountain running world.

2012 Summary

Zegama followed just 7 days after Transvulcania La Palma in 2012 and therefore we almost had a re run of the La Palma race. Of course, conditions were a little different. The dry heat of La Palma was replaced by torrential rain, mud, cold and the occasional snow blizzard.

The American contingent who had raced well on La Isla Bonita transferred en-mass to mainland Spain with a couple of additions. Nick Clark representing Pearl Izumi and the ‘hot tip’, Max King. Max had everything in is his favour; speed and a mountain pedigree.

As it happened, the American contingent had a lesson on European mountain running and never got in contention. For many of them they could hardly stand up in the tough conditions and as Nick Clark crossed the line he exclaimed

“Now THAT is a mountain race!”.

It was a shock to the system. Dakota Jones victorious just a week earlier had taken the race easy, a pre-race plan as he had nothing to prove after topping the podium at Transvulcania. In comparison, Kilian Jornet had something to prove and now had some running in his legs… midway through the race he applied the pressure and once again proved that he is the king of the mountains.

In the ladies race Oihana Kortazar showed her dominance over this Sky distance and we started to get a glimpse of a star in the making, Emelie Forsberg. Nuria Picas also set her stall out for a year-long process of podium places over all distances, from marathon to ultra. Anna Frost tired after a dominating Transvulcania performance decided not to race at Zegama and keep some powder dry for another day.

2013

* PLEASE LOOK FOR UPDATES posted 26th April marked in BLUE

The 2013 race is going to see some great representation from top ranking teams: Salomon, New Balance, Adidas, La Sportiva, Arc’teryx, Valetudo Skyrunning, Inov-8 and Scott.

Zegama this year is two weeks after Transvulcania and although that would work well for additional recovery, it doesn’t necessarily work well for travel budgets, so, we wont have Sage Canaday, Timothy Olson, Anton Krupicka, Joe Grant and the ‘other names’ joining the Zegama party.

The Mens Race

Kilian Jornet copyright Ian Corless

Kilian Jornet will be a dominating force at Transvulcania La Palma and I see him on top of the podium, two weeks recovery is a life-time for Kilian and after his dominating performance in 2013 I see him replicating the win at Zegama. He has just flown around the Transvulcania La Palma course and set a new course record. Respect!

His sparing partner, Marco De Gasperi, a legend in mountain and Skyrunning unfortunately has now pulled out of the race with a knee problem. This is a great shame, we all love to see Kilian and Marco go head-to-head.

Marco De Gasperi copyright Ian Corless

This almost certainly means that we will have a re run of the 2012 Zegama race and also the 2013 Transvulcania… Kilian’s main competition will now come from Luis Alberto Hernando. Luis was second behind Kilian at Zegama last year and is almost certainly in some of the best form of his life at the moment. He pushed hard at Transvulcania just over a week ago and was leading the race at the final summit, ultimately loosing his lead to Kilian on the descent. His race on the island of La Palma is even more impressive considering it was his first ultra.

Transvulcania 2013 copyright Ian Corless

Missing from Transvulcania and deciding to run the ‘Sky’ distance in 2013 is Andy Symonds. Andy comes from a traditional fell/ mountain running background and just like Tom Owens, he will love the conditions here. Both Andy and Tom have withdrawn from Zegama I am afraid. In an email from Andy Symonds, he says, “We’re both injured!! can you believe it.. Tom’s got some pretty bad tendon rumpture in his foot and I’m limping with a duffed iliopsoas… neither of us have run for several weeks (much more for Tom). And so, no Zegama this year.. booo.. :-(” A real shame not to have these two top performers at the race. Speedy recovery guys.

Andy Symonds copyright Ian Corless

Miguel Heras missed Transvulcania due to injury so we currently have a question mark if he will run at Zegama. In form he is one of the best runners in the world, so, he will most definitely mix it up at the front. Tofol Castanyer recently raced the Three Peaks in the UK and had a good race but was not used to the ‘navigation’ element of UK fell running, he too has the potential to win, particularly when running on Spanish soil.

Tofol Castanyer copyright Ian Corless

Miguel Heras copyright Ian Corless

Michel Lanne from France had a great race over the tough and technical trail at Trofeo Kima in 2012 and has been racing regularly in the build up to this Spanish race. He will arriving in form and ready to take on the front of the race. Just this week he has been on the trails with Kilian.

Inov-8 have Alex Nichols and Ben Bardsley taking part and they may very well be two dark horses. Ben is well versed in fell and mountain running and will almost certainly come into the race a little under the radar… one person who knows and respects Ben’s ability is Andy Symonds. Expect a surprise! Also watch out for South African fast man, AJ Calitz, he may well struggle a little with the terrain, technicality and temperatures at Zegama. But a surprise can come from anywhere…

Other contenders are Michel Rabat, Nicholas Pianet, Dai Matsumoto, Toru Miyahara, Dawa Sherpa, Dave James and Daniele Capelletti.

The Ladies Race

Emelie, Frosty, Maud, Lizzy, Nuria copyright Ian Corless

The ladies race will be a battle royal and although the men’s field has a top quality field I can’t help but think that some real excitement and a nail biting finish will come from this select group of women. Of course, Oihana Kortazar is returning to hopefully repeat her 2012 victory. She will be fresh as she will have not raced at Transvulcania. However, I am going to go out on a limb and predict a podium place, if not a win for Stevie Kremer. Stevie (from the US and now living in Italy) may not be a name too familiar to many but believe me, she has all the class and ability to create some waves over the ‘Sky’ distance in 2013. She has just recently placed on the podium in a very tough race in Italy (overall podium, not the ladies) and after seeing her perform at Sierre Zinal and other races, I think Stevie will be the surprise package of Zegama.

Stevie Kremer copyright Ian Corless

Nuria Picas once again had a great race at Transvulcania 2013 and will come to Zegama ready to push hard and go full speed for the win. She had an incredible 2012 season and performed over all distances always making the podium and in most cases, she stood on top of the podium. She is a true champion and a great ambassador for the sport.

Nuria Picas copyright Ian Corless

Emelie Forsberg had a superb race in 2012 and she will be back fighting for the podium. She can go downhill like no other and as she showed last year, she took the final descent at break neck speed and got on the podium. She is wiser, stronger and more experienced now. She is going to be fired up after her incredible run at Transvulcania and just missing Frosty’s CR by a couple of minutes. I think back 12 months when I first met Emelie, Zegama really was her first big race… boy she has come such a long way in twelve months. What does the future hold for her?

Silvia Serafini is also another great potential for a podium place. I don’t see her on top of the podium… she is still very much a lady who likes speed and good running terrain BUT she is learning fast and has heaps of talent and ability. Just this last weekend, the 18th May, she set a new CR in The Great Wall run in China.

Silvia Serafini – copyright Ian Corless

Anna Frost gets a notable mention. She won’t be racing this year. She missed Transvulcania due to injury but just this last week has had some good news and she is now back on the trails, albeit slowly and one step at a time. She will be back!

Anna Frost ‘Frosty’ copyright Ian Corless

Emanuela Brizio will lead the rest of the ladies gunning for one of those coveted podium slots. Maud Gobert, Stephanie Jimenez, Debora Cardone, Sarah Ridgeway and Anna Lupton make up the main contenders for the 2013 edition.

Links

Follow the race via Talk Ultra on Facebook and Twitter
Race website HERE
ISF Skyrunning HERE

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: Skyrunning Xtreme – 23k, Limone sul Garda – October 13

Asian Traveler – Skyrunning

Posted on April 3, 2013 by talkultra

You can see a full set of IMAGES from TROFEO KIMA – HERE

You can download the full PDF article HERE and it includes an additional article on Kinabalu – “Climax at Kinabalu”

Scott T2 Kinabalu Review

Posted on March 30, 2013 by talkultra

Sage Canaday, Marco De Gasperi, Ian Sharman and Joe Gray amongst others are utilising the benefits of the new Scott range of run shoes, you may very well want to take a more in-depth look at the 2013 offerings yourself?

Scott Running brand.

I did a review of the Scott eRide Grip 2 some time ago, I used the shoe extensively on the trails out in La Palma on the Transvulcania La Palma course. In summary, the shoe really impressed me. It had the combination of factors that makes a shoe great to wear. You can read the review HERE

Impressions

I have now had the Scott T2 Kinabalu for a couple of months. The design of this shoe has had great input from legendary mountain runner Marco De Gasperi and the T2 Kinabalu shows that all the great features of the Scott eRide Grip 2 have been transferred to the T2 Kinabalu but in a lighter more streamlined shoe. Sizing was true to size and the drop is 11mm.

From the moment I first put the shoes on, adjusted the laces and stepped out of the door and headed of for a one hour run the T2 Kinabalu put a smile on my face. A mile of road to my local trails felt comfortable and the shoes offered grip, cushioning and a wonderful ‘return’ of energy to the next foot strike. I bounced along. On trail the grip was secure and reassuring. I did find that my heel was moving a little initially but I re-laced the shoe differently and suddenly my foot was held secure and tight.

I have been through thick mud, snow, ice, hard trail, rocks, mountains and water crossings and have accumulated some 400+ miles in these shoes. Here are my thoughts.

Upper

At the front of the shoe, protection runs around the toe area providing adequate protection should you strike rocks or roots. The toe box is wide providing plenty of room but not so much room that they become loose. Your toes are able to spread and help provide feel and contact with the ground. At the rear your heel is held firm with no hot spots. The upper is light, breathable and colourful! I like the colour and the boldness of the shoe but some may very well find them a little OTT. It all comes down to personal taste. Within the upper is a support structure (synthetic overlay) that helps hold the foot in place. The laces are not as ‘stretchy’ as those on the Grip 2 but they have a texture too them that ‘grips’. This holds the laces firm and once adjusted I have had no need to tighten them when running. A nice touch is the elastic bungee on the front of the shoe that allows you to pass excess lace underneath so that it does not flap around. It’s not as fancy or extravagant as the ‘Salomon Lace Garage’ but it does the job well.

Midsole

The midsole has ‘Aero Foam’ which is Scott’s own technology and for a more minimalist shoe it provides great cushioning and feel for the ground. After several runs the midsole ‘bedded’ in and started to mould to my foot providing additional comfort. The sock liner is perforated and the midsole has ‘drainage’ ports to allow water to escape. A real plus in wet weather or water crossings. The platform of the shoe is wide and offers great grip, it has no cut away for the arch or any additional features that cut into the sole, so, what you have is great platform that creates maximum contact with the ground. You can really feel it. Without doubt the shoe is neural and low to the ground. It has all the feel and benefits of a minimalist shoe or racing flat but with cushioning.

eRide

One of the great aspects of this shoe is the eRide sole. As I explain below, the eRide technology is designed to make you a more efficient runner. By efficient, I mean striking the ground with a mid to fore-foot toe off. But an 11mm ‘drop’ normally would not promote this run style… step in eRide. Strike the ground with your heel and you feel the shoe propel you forward. Now I am a mid-foot striker but going downhill I felt the shoe throw me forward all the time, encouraging me to make the most of the hill and encouraging me to save my quads by stopping me braking.

Sole

Grip is not as severe as the eRide Grip 2 model but its greater than many shoes in it’s class and provides excellent traction on hard trail, rocks, ice, snow and wet ground. On muddy ground it provides some traction but not as much as the Grip 2. What I love about the T2 Kinabalu is its ability to transfer between all types of terrain providing great feel and comfort. These features are transferred even to road or pavement and I would have no problem running long stretches of road in the T2 Kinabalu.

Summary

I have been testing many pairs of shoes recently and I now use the T2 Kinabalu as my benchmark shoe. It has everything in one package; cushioning, light weight, great feel with the ground, comfort, security and most importantly the ability to handle a multitude of different terrains. If I was only allowed one pair of shoes, the T2 Kinabalu would be it.

A recent shoe test in ‘Trail Runnning‘ magazine also appointed the T2 Kinabalu as “Best In Test’ in the April 2013 edition.

T2 Kinabalu Information and Statistics

The T2 Kinabalu is the ultimate lightweight trail machine according to Scott. Maximum protection and traction with minimal weight. An ideal balance of lightweight materials, cushioning, protection and quick response thanks to eRide Technology. Shaped for smooth transition whether you are striking on the heel, mid foot or forefoot to adapt to the varied terrain. Our lightest trail shoe with uncompromised traction and protection, featuring an AeroFoam midsole, which is 50% lighter than traditional EVA foams.

eRIDE

Get that fleet-footed feeling with our eRide range. The unique rocker shape creates a very stable midstance, promoting the faster and more efficient running style that runners strive for. You`ll be rocking as the miles roll by.

The benefits:

1. Healthier body position

2. More energy efficient

3. Natural midfoot strike

4. Lower profile heel

5. Smoother ride

6. Minimal and lighter weight

Aero Foam

Working with our athletes, we always hear that they would like to run in lighter shoes, but are not willing to sacrifice any cushioning performance. So, we found an alternative to the EVA foam used in most running shoes. SCOTT Aero Foam combines lightweight materials with a wear resistant compound, resulting in shoes that are lighter, have more cushioning and last longer than traditional running shoes.

Specs

Weight 270g for UK9
Drop 11mm
eRideComposite push-through plate
AeroFoamWet traction rubber
Lace bungy
Upper: Mesh/Synthetic Overlays
Lower: EVA/rubber

Scott Website HERE

Memories of La Palma – Transvulcania

Posted on March 27, 2013 by talkultra

It’s not always the racing that leaves memories but often what happens around the racing. In 2012, arguably, one of the best fields ever assembled on the island of La Palma to take part in the Transvulcania La Palma.

This film was actually a trailer for Kilian’s Quest Season 4 ‘Living Legends’.

But it shows some great times and experiences and ultimately it shows what running is about… having fun!