High Trail Vanoise Preview – 2017 Migu Run Skyrunner® World Series

Posted on July 5, 2017 by talkultra

The 2017 Migu Run Skyrunner World Series arrives in Val d’Isere, France this wwekens for the High Trail Vanoise and the Face de Bellevarde VK (VK World Circuit) kicks off the action at 1600 on Friday when runners will climb this classic downhill ski route all the way to the summit.

Skyrunning legend Marco De Gasperi, held the record of 34:51 set on this course many years ago last year Xavier Gachet broke it! This year, Nejc Kuhar will be looking to set a new benchmark along with Marco Moletto. The young runner won’t have it all his own way though, Ferran Teixido, current leader in the SWS rankings will be looking for a strong performance and the ever-present Hannes Perkmann, William Bon Mardion and Marc Faccinhelli will push all the way to the summit.

For the ladies, Francesca Rossi ultimately may be the one to beat! Ekaterina Mityaev and Stephanie Jimenez will be putting on a hard-fought battle along with Corinne Favre and Jennifer Fiechter, but can they beat Laura Orgue’s time of 40:52?

High Trail Vanoise is the main event of the weekend – Ice, snow, glaciers, high altitude, the High Trail Vanoise course has it all. Crossing the iconic Col D’Iseran at 2764m is merely just a taster, at 67km in length, runners will climb and descend many 1000’s of meters with a total vertical gain of 5400m – the high point of the course is the impressive Grande Motte at 3653m.

Luis Alberto Hernando heads up the men’s field, he recently became IAU World Trail Running champion for a 2nd year in a row – Luis has excelled in Val d’Isere in recent years and he is without doubt the one to beat!

Nicolas Martin won the race last-year and apparently, HTV is a priority race for 2017. It’s going to be interesting to see Luis and Nicolas go head-to-head, a little like a few years ago when Francois d’Haene and Luis raced each other – that day Francois won.

Aurelien Dunand-Pallaz recently lead the Ultra Skymarathon Madeira but was pipped to the line by Skyrunner Extreme Champion Jon Albon, we can expect Aurelien to figure at the front of the race along with 3rd place at USM, Dmitry Mityaev who is having a strong year in the world series, he also knows HTV well having podium last year.

Remigio Huaman, Andre Jonsson, Daniel Garcia Gomez, Jan Bartas, Nuno Silva and Scott Hawker head up the competition for the front of the race but it’s a stacked field and we can’t rule any of the runners below making an impression on what is a very tough race – patience pays dividends!

Xavier Teixido, Alexey Kurochkin, Artem Rostovstev, Clement Ripoll, Marc Puig, Francesc Sole Duocastella, Lars Olaf Haaheim and Nicola Alfieri.

Megan Kimmel fresh from victory in Chamonix will be looking to for maximum points in France, her form is great now, she recently beat Transvulcania champion Ida Nilsson by over 10-minutes! Local French lady Anne-Lise Rousset may well have other thoughts though, she won the race last year with a dominant performance and she knows this course well – it will be a tough race! Travelling from the USA, Kristina Pattison will be looking to repeat her performance from last year and hopefully better it.

Ekaterina Mityaeva is moving un from the ‘classic’ distance in 2017 and has already showed some great results, particularly at USM recently. HTV will be a tough challenge but the podium is there for the taking. Nuria Dominguez, Manikala Rai, Eva Maria Moreda and Ildiko Wermescher are all names to watch.

But the greatest threat for the podium will come from Ragna Debats who recently won with a new CR in Greece, Francesca Canepa who took victory at the tough Scenic 113k, the USA’s Hillary Allen who won USM and Gemma Arenas who was the world series champion in 2016 – it’s going to be quite a battle!

A Double Bill in Italy #VK and #SKY – Migu Run Skyrunner® World Series and Vertical Kilometer® World Circuit

Posted on June 13, 2017 by talkultra

Skyrunning heads to Italy this weekend for a double bill of high mountain action organised by Alta Valtellina Skyrunning Experiences headed up by mountain running legend Marco de Gasperi.

Santa Catarina VK

Friday, the Santa Catarina VK takes place, the next race in the Vertical Kilometer® World Circuit. Starting at an altitude of 1739m the course covers just 2.9km to reach 2739m in a lung and leg bursting race.

Covering a variety of terrain, the route is primarily free of technical difficulty as passes over pastures, grassland, ski routes, trails and slopes made of scree. However, the final section has fixed rope to the summit.

It’s a mass start race and the runners will depart at 1500 from the Centro La Fonte ski station.

Ones to watch:

It will come as no surprise that the La Sportiva team will be present in large numbers with Marco Moletto and Nejc Kuhar heading up the team. Both these runners are VK specialists and we can expect them to be fighting for the podium.

Saul Padua will of course be in the mix too along with Hannes Perkmann and Pere Rullan. Other string contenders are Ales Palko, Joan Freixa Marcelo, Marc Trassera Puyol, Eugeni Gil Ocana, Eduard Baquer, Josep Roset and Actor Aijuria. The ladies race is somewhat compromised after a succession of recent races, the last taking place just last weekend. Therefore, it looks likely that the battle for victory will be between Therese Sjursen, Francesca Rossi and Marianna Jagercikova.

Livigno SkyMarathon

On Sunday, the action moves to Living, approximately 90-minutes by car from Santa Caterina for the Livigno SkyMarathon, the next race in the 2017 Migu Run Skyrunner® World Series .

The Living race personifies pure Skyrunning with 2700m of vertical gain over a 34km course. Exposed mountain ridges, ropes, chains and most the course at altitudes of 2500 to 3000m, this course is not only one to participate in, but one to watch! It’s a classic.

The race takes place on the border of Italy and Switzerland and therefore captures the best of both worlds. Following on from Zegama-Aizkorri, the race will be a hot bed of action with valuable points at stake for the Migu Skyrunner World Series.

The race will start at 0800 on Sunday 18th June.

Ones to watch:

Oh, boy it’s a stacked field for the weekends main event with many of the world’s best Skyrunners toeing the line for battle. The 34km course is the perfect distance for those who will depart at 0800 on Sunday.

Hassan Ait Chaou had a great 2016 and will no doubt be a favourite along with his teammate Aritz Egea who recently has had a return to form. The Casal Mir brothers, Oscar and Marc will also be strong contenders with Marco Moletto.

But the biggest threat may well come from Bhim Gurung. He had an incredible run in China with a breakneck descent that gave him a superb victory.

Andre Jonsson, Adrien Michaud, Nuno Silva, Pascal Egli, Inaki Uribe-Etxebarria, Pere Rullan and a whole host of other top talent will be in contention for top-10 places. In total, 38 elite male runners are on the start list.

Maite Maiora after victory at the recent Zegama-Aizkorri is the outright favourite for the lady’s race – she will take some beating!

Celia Chiron (5th at Zegama) though has the potential to provide a good battle along with Aitziber Ibarbia, Michaela Mertova, Maria Zorroza, Natalie Roman Lopez, Hillary Gerardi, Addie Bracy, Katerina Matrasova and Katrine Villumsen.

Race information can be found HERE on the race website.

The Migu Skyrunner World Series can be found HERE and the Vertical Kilometer World Circuit can be found HERE.

Ultra Skymarathon Madeira #USM 2017 Summary – Migu Run Skyrunner® World Series

Posted on June 3, 2017 by talkultra

A little rain is never a great way to start a day, particularly when you have 55km of tough, challenging and mountain terrain to get over – the Ultra Skymarathon Madeira, the next race in the Migu Run Skyrunner® World Series started today at 0600 from the town of Santana.

Hillary Allen had flown in from USA and after placing 2nd last year was looking for some sun and the top rung on the podium. Obstacle racing world champion and Skyrunner Series World Champion for the Extreme distance Jon Albon, was looking for a little mud, colder temperatures and was more than happy with a little rain.

Weaving up and down mountains, around beaches, through dense undergrowth, up a riverbed and of course plenty of climbing and descending, the USM course is a unique one – It’s not an ordinary Skyrunning course!

The USM has a brutal start to the day, just 1km to warm up and then a climb of 1400m. Head torches illuminated the trail and light persistent rain followed the runners until they broke through the cloud – on the other side, blue skies and a different day.

A section of via ferrata at around 6km was followed by a little descending and a final push for the highest point of the day. Aurelien Dunand-Pallaz from France was the first to arrive and yes, it was somewhat of a surprise. He was closely followed by Russian Dimitry Mityaev and Jon Albon.

For the ladies, Hillary Allen was making her presence felt with a convincing lead of Ekaterina Mityaev and then Anna Frost followed some time later.

Descending over the summit, the cloud inversion was clearly visible – the landscape awe-inspiring. It was quite special to see so many mountains and trails all above the cloud.

Running the ridges and several more climbing sections, the front of the race didn’t change until they returned to the coast.

A descent to the sea was followed by a steep short climb and then another descent which was followed by a section of riverbed littered with boulders. Albon made his move, the obstacle course world champion was in his element and he pulled away from the Frenchman with ease. At first opening a slender gap but on the steep climb that followed, the Englishman who lives in Norway but the hammer down realizing a course record was possible. Albon crossed the line obliterating the old record of 6-hours 28-second setting a benchmark 5-hours 45-minutes.

Dunand-Pallaz held on for 2nd also breaking the old course record in 5-hours 55-minutes and Mityaev placed 3rd in 6-hours 7-minutes.

Allen’s wish came true – in the closing kilometers from the river bed, she extended her lead over the Russian and took top honors in 7-hours 4-minutes, her time just outside the course record.

Mityaev placed 2nd but looked exhausted and dehydrated when she crossed the line – a great weekend double for her! The previous day she had won the Santana Vertical Kilometer. Frost was expected next but news came in she had withdrawn on the beach section therefore opening the doorway for Catalan runner Eli Bertran. Mityaev and Bertran finished in 7-hours 34-minutes and 8-hours 35-minutes respectively.

‘USM is one of if not the hardest race I have ever done. It was relentless terrain of ups and downs, the variety is incredible and I loved the river bed section,” said Albon. ‘This race is up there with my all-time favourites. I will definitely be back!’

Attention now turns to Lugano next weekend were the Migu Run Skyrunner® World Series continues with the Scenic Trail K113.

2017 Calendar HERE

Ultra Skymarathon Madeira #USM 2017 Preview – Migu Run Skyrunner® World Series

Posted on May 31, 2017 by talkultra

The 2017 Migu Run Skyrunner® World Series and the 2017 Vertical Kilometer® World Circuit progresses with two stunning races on the island of Madeira this coming weekend.

The SVK – Santana Vertical Kilometer®

The SVK (Santana Vertical Kilometer® ) covers a course 4.8km in length and a total vertical gain of 1003m and follows on from the most recent VK at Zegama-Aizkorri just last weekend where Stian Angermund-Vik and Laura Orgue took top honours.

The SVK takes place within the Madeira Natural Park, inside protected ecosystems areas that are part of the Natura 2000 Network – an ecological network that has the objective to contribute for ensuring biodiversity through the conservation of natural habitats and wild fauna and flora in the European Union. Starting near the Vale da Lapa at an altitude of about 780m, in the heart of the Laurissilva forest, a Natural World Heritage Site of Mankind, the course covers 4.8km. Participants can experience the amazing views of Madeira Island and feel nature at its most beautiful. The final part of the route consists of a very technical and demanding climb that culminates in an emblematic point called Encumeada Alta (1785m), in the central mountain, from where you can enjoy superb panoramic landscapes on the highest peaks of the island.

A total of 78 runners will take on this tough course with Saul Antonio Padua Rodriguez heading up the race. Other runners to watch are Ferran Teixido, Ekatarina Mityaeva, Anna Frost and more.

Runners depart at 1-minute intervals

The USM – Ultra Skymarathon Madeira®

The main event of the weekend is the USM (Ultra Skymarathon Madeira®) – a technical mountain race that consists of steep slopes and trails covering a distance of 55km and 4000m of vertical gain.

Comprised of passages which require technical climbing expertise of grade 2, stunning mountain scenery, mountains, sea cliff landscape plus the addition of an up river boulder hopping scramble; yes, the Ultra SkyMarathon Madeira is a unique race – It is no ordinary race and one that combines mixed elements in a wonderful natural playground.

“This place is incredible. The diversity of nature, the amount of vertical that you get immediately from the sea is breath-taking. The colour of the water is like nothing I have ever seen. I have stopped so many times to say “wow”! The organisers and community runners have made me feel at home already. I don’t want to ever leave…” – Anna Frost

The ladies race will have a tough battle with last years 2nd and 3rd place ladies, Hillary Allen and Anna Frost.

Add to the mix Elisabet Bertran Mesanes, Ekaterina Mityaeva, Eva Maria Moreda, Katarina Lovrantova and Laura Pratt Merino.

In the mens race it’s wide open, the hot favourite may well be 2016 Skyrunner World series Extreme Champion Jonathan Albon who will love the technical nature of the Madeira course. However, Italy’s Franco Colle will be tough competition along with Pere Aurell Bove, Dmityr Mityaeva, Nuno Silva, Roger Vinas and Xavier Teixido.

A full line-up of the start list can be viewed here.

Cristofer Clemente (6:00:28) and Gemma Arenas (6:59:51) took top honours in 2016, who will stand atop the podium in 2017?

The Madeira Ultra SkyMarathon®, now in its fourth year, embodies the sea-to sky concept that personifies Skyrunning.

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The “2017 Migu Run Skyrunner® World Series”

The 2017 Migu Run Skyrunner® World Series features 22 races in 11 countries and will reward the champions in the various categories a € 60,000 end of season prize purse.

The Chinese company Migu Run, the creator and owner of an advanced online and offline exercise and health management platform, has been announced as the new long-term title sponsor of the Migu Run Skyrunner® World Series beginning in 2017.

The Series is structured in three categories, Sky Classic, Sky Extreme and Sky Ultra, counting 22 races in 11 countries stretching from April to October.

Note for 2017 the ‘new’

VERTICAL KILOMETER® WORLD CIRCUIT HERE

The rapidly expanding appeal of climbing 1,000 metres sky-high has prompted the creation of this circuit to showcase some of the best races across the world – for starters, sixteen races in eight countries.

The circuit is a Skyrunner® World Series spin-off, launching with double the number of races. They include the world’s shortest and fastest races, the first and only triple VK, some 20-year-old classics and some exciting new ones. With the aim of expanding in the future, the number of races may be increased throughout the season.

TRANSVULCANIA ULTRAMARATHON 2017 PREVIEW – 2017 Migu Run Skyrunner® World Series

Posted on May 8, 2017 by talkultra

The 2017 Migu Run Skyrunner® World Series kicked-off in April in China with Yading SkyRun – a 29km ‘SKY CLASSIC’ event that set a new benchmark in high altitude sport. Attention now turns to the iconic Transvulcania Ultramarathon, the first ‘Ultra’ race in the 2017 calendar.

Transvulcania and the island of La Palma has become arguably one of the most well-known races around the world after its inclusion in the SWS in 2012. The motto, Less Cloud, More Sky is personified by this point-to-point course that climbs from sea level all the way up to extended periods of running well above 2000m. The drop from Roques de Los Muchachos has gained a reputation as one of the toughest and most challenging in the world – 2426m in 18km. Tazacorte Port offers some recovery but the final 5km kick up to the finish line in Los Llanos is brutal and in past editions has been a decisive part of the race.

Anna Frost, Emelie Forsberg and Ida Nilsson have shone the light for the ladies in recent years and for the men, Dakota Jones, Kilian Jornet and Luis Alberto Hernando have set the benchmark of how to cover this tough and challenging course in record times.

The 2017 edition of the race looks set to have all the makings of a classic with a stunning world-class field.

Luis Alberto Hernando will not defend his title this year leaving an opportunity for a new male champion. In the ladies’ race, Ida Nilsson will return and after showing incredible form in China at the Kora Ultra – she is without doubt the hot favourite for victory on the trails of the GR131.

The Men’s Race

The race for victory in the men’s category will be a terrifying one as many of the world’s best will go head-to-head.

Nicolas Martin from France placed 2nd in 2016 and excelled at Skyrunning is without doubt a hot favourite for victory.

Hayden Hawks a rising star from the USA who is setting a fast trail following in the footsteps of Walmsley and Miller. He will go out all guns blazing. He already has two victories over the 50km and 55km distance in 2016 and 2nd at Chuckanut 50km.

Pau Capell from Spain who is currently on a roll after victory at Transgrancanaria and 2nd at MIUT (Madeira Island Ultra Trail) will without doubt be a contender for the podium if not victory. He’s on fire at the moment!

UTMB reigning champion Ludovic Pommeret from France had a great 2016 with three victories, a 2nd, 3rd and 5th place in Maxi Race China, MSIG Lantau 50 and the IAU World Trail Champs. In 2017, he has only raced once, March, at the Trail du Ventoux and he placed 2nd.

Xavier Thevenard also from France who is the only runner to win all UTMB events – OCC, TCC, TDS and UTMB. In March he placed 8th behind Pommeret’s 2nd at Trail du Ventoux but recently placed 3rd at MIUT behind Francois D’Haene and Pau Capell – maybe the form is coming?

Tom Owens from the UK is in fine form now after a stunning victory at The Coastal Challenge and in Costa Rica and 2nd at the ‘Three Peaks’ in the UK. He has raced in La Palma before and struggled with the heat, this year will be a different story.

Remigio Huaman from Perú recently raced at MDS and excelled with a top placing. He is new to Skyrunning but he laid some great foundations in 2016.

And finally, Hardrock 100 winner Jason Schlarb from the USA rounds out the top challengers for the podium places after a solid The Coastal Challenge earlier this year and a recent win at Zion 55km.

Dimitris Theodorakakos from Greece has also raced well in La Palma in the past and he will be a contender ahead of one of the strongest male fields this island has ever seen:

Diego Camacho,

Dmitry Mityaev,

Nuno Silva,

Roger Viñas,

Jan Bartas,

Fulvio Dapit,

Daniel Jung,

Daniel Aguirre,

Manuel Anguita,

Thomas Angeli,

Lamnbert Santelli,

Iván Ortiz,

Héctor Haines,

Francesc Sole,

David López Castán,

Davide Cheraz,

Santiago Obaya,

Ignacio Conde,

Antonio Manjón,

Martin Schedler,

Zdenek Kriz,

Peter Fankhauser,

Ernest Ausiro,

Santos Gabriel Rueda,

Alejandro Fraguela,

Basilio Labrador,

José Carlos Vera,

Francisco Javier Rodríguez,

Santiago García,

Pere Aurell,

Agustín Luján Maldonado,

Iván Cáceres,

Chico Santos,

Martial Collomb,

and Xavier Teixido.

The Ladies Race

Ida Nilsson from Sweden will be head and shoulders above the rest of the field if she shows anything of the form she had at the recent racing in China at the Yading Skyrunning Festival. In 2016, she won Transvulcania and The Rut in addition to the Endurance Challenge 50 in December.

Anne Lise Rousset from France had a very solid 2016 and took a stunning victory at High Trail Vanoise. Two 2nd’s at The Rut and Transvulcania most certainly make her a potential winner in 2017.

Andrea Huser from Switzerland is relentless in her racing calendar. This year she has already taken two victories and one second place at Ultra Trail Tai Mo Shan, MIUT and Transgrancanaria. She will without doubt be in contention for a top placing but for me, will lack the speed needed to win this race.

Hillary Allen from the USA had a solid year Skyrunning in 2016 with a string of podium places at The Rut, Ultra Pirineu, Ultra SkyMarathon Madeira and Transvulcania. It’s fair to say she was tired at the end of the year and I believe that Transvulcania kicks-off her 2017 campaign.

Kristina Pattison also from the USA like Hillary Allen had a strong 2016 with a sting of top places typically between 4th and 6th.

Ragna Debats from Holland was 3rd at the IAU World Trail Champs in 2016 – a stand out performance. Just last weekend she placed 2nd in China at the Yading races. She will be in the mix for the top-5.

Mimmi Kotka from Sweden won the CCC in 2016 along with Gran Trail Courmayeur and Trail des Balcons d’Azur – I think she may well be a surprise package of the 2017 edition of Transvulcania.

Cassie Scallon from the USA has won three races in 2017 already – Gorge Waterfalls 50km. Nine Trails 35m and La Cuesta Ranch Trail Run. However, her victory at Bandera 100km in 2016 is her stand out performance. More importantly, her 16th placing at Festival de Templiers is maybe more relevant to Transvulcania.

Zuzana Urbancova from the Czech Republic placed 7th at Trofeo Kima and 8th at USM in 2016 – she is contender for the top-10 and maybe the top-5 if she has a good day!

Corrine Malcolm from the USA was 6th at The Rut in 2016 and a recent 2nd at the Yakima Skyline Rim 50km shows that 2017 form is coming.

Verónica Bravo from Chile has a great pedigree in adventure racing and has won The Coastal Challenge in Costa Rica.

Ekaterina Mityaeva from Russia has slowly but surely made her presence felt in the Skyrunning world, her best result 4th at Ultra Pirineu.

Maïlys Drevon placed 2nd at Mont-Blanc 80km and heads up a string of other top-female contenders will be chasing the ladies above:

Eva María Moreda,

Raquel Martínez,

Sara Longoni,

María Yolanda Fernández,

Tracy Dean,

Natalia Román,

Noelia Camacho,

Ana Begoña González,

Elisabeth Margeirsdottir,

Manikala Rai,

Svetlana Buravova.

Action kicks-off in La Palma on Thursday with the Transvulcania Vertical Kilometer, the second race in the ‘new’ 2017 VERTICAL KILOMETER® WORLD CIRCUIT HERE

The main event of the weekend, the Transvulcania Ultramarathon starts on Saturday the 13th at 0600 hours. The route begins at Faro de Fuencaliente and continues through the “Gran Recorrido” trail GR 131, also known as ‘Ruta del Bastón’, until Puerto de Tazacorte. Connecting with the GR 130, Camino Real de la Costa, the route continues until the finish line located in Plaza de España – Los Llanos de Aridane.

*****

The “2017 Migu Run Skyrunner® World Series”

The Chinese company, Migu Run, under the name of Migu Xempower, was the Series’ main sponsor in 2016.

The 2017 Migu Run Skyrunner® World Series features 22 races in 11 countries and will reward the champions in the various categories a € 60,000 end of season prize purse.

The Series is structured in three categories, Sky Classic, Sky Extreme and Sky Ultra, counting 22 races in 11 countries stretching from April to October.

Ultra Pirineu 2016 Preview – Skyrunner® World Series

Posted on September 21, 2016 by talkultra

The 2016 Skyrunner® World Series championship for the ULTRA distance will be decided in Spain this coming weekend at the Ultra Pirineu located 2-hours north of Barcelona in the Parc Natural del Cadí Moixeró.

A 110km race with 6800m of ascent, Ultra Pirineu is a seriously tough way to end a season. As the last race in the calendar, a 20% points bonus is available and therefore a good placing is required to guarantee a podium place for the 2016 series.

Cristofer Clemente, recent winner of the RUT placed 5th at Ultra Pirineu in 2015 and this year is leading the Skyrunner® World Series ranking. He will be looking for a strong showing in the race but more importantly, he will be working out calculations to make sure that he retains his position at the top of the series.

Roger Viñas has been a revelation in 2016 consistently racing and performing to accumulate points and place within the top-3 of the Skyrunner® World Series. His presence at Ultra Pirineu is two-fold just like Cristofer, have a good race but more importantly retain his position within the ranking.

Legendary runner Miguel Heras, will toe the line and he is no stranger to the Ultra Pirineu. He placed 1st in the race in 2010 and 2011 and in 3rd in 2015. Miguel is one of the most talented runners in the world but is often prone to injury. When he is in-form, he is often unstoppable and he may well be looking for the good old days of 2010 and 2011 in 2016.

Pau Capell has consistently grown as a runner over the past few years and this was confirmed with victory at the TDS and a strong performance at Transgrancanaria earlier this year – along with Cristofer, I see Pau being a potential winner of the race.

Yeray Duran, although not contesting the Skyrunner® World Series is a potential winner of the race and like Pau has slowly but surely impressed over the last couple of years with strong and dominant performances.

Dimitry Mityaev had a stunning race at High Trail Vanoise which unfortunately left him injured. However, if he is fit and has the form shown in France, he may well be a podium contender.

Marcin Swierc currently is placed 4th in the Skyrunner® World Series and his placing and the placing of Roger Vinas and Cristofer Clemente may well be instrumental in his opportunity to move up and on to the podium – remember a 20% bonus is available.

Nuno Silva (5th) Remigio Huaman (6th) and Fulvio Dapit (8th) are all top-10 contenders on the Skyrunner® World Series and with this race coming so late in the season, many possibilities are available for a jump upon the rankings.

Francesc Soler, Cristobal Adell and Toti Bes make up the other main contenders for the top-10 places.

In the ladies’ race, Ida Nilsson is without doubt the hot favourite for victory after showing fine form at the season’s opener in La Palma, Transvulcania! Recently, Ida backed this up with victory at the RUT. Ida does like to run and the relentless 6800m of vertical in Spain will test her.

The USA’s Hillary Allen (2nd on ranking) is making the long journey to Spain to participate in the final race of the series in the hope to gain more points after placing 2nd at Ultra SkyMarathon Madeira and 3rd at the RUT.

Gemma Arenas, like Hillary, has been consistently gaining points in the Skyrunner® World Series in 2015. She won in Madeira and last year placed 4th at Ultra Pirineu. A recent ‘dnf’ at UTMB may well leave Gemma feeling a little tired? It’s all to fight for in Spain.

Anna Comet (6th) and Kristina Pattison (5th) have been ever-presents on the 2016 series and they have both placed consistently. Here in Spain, they may well find that little extra to move up the rankings and gain additional important points. Tina Bes will also be a contender for the podium.

A huge ball may well come from Maite Maiora who usually prefers the SKY distance. In recent years she has raced longer distances and we have seen her on the podium at races such as Transvulcania. Recently she was crowned Skyrunning World Champion at the Buff Epic. The terrain here in Spain suits this fierce competitor.

As with any race, we can expect surprises. Action starts on Saturday and you can follow as the race unfolds via the usual social media feeds and live via tracking on the race website.

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.

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SKYRUNNING WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS 2016 PREVIEW

Posted on July 20, 2016 by talkultra

Every two years the Skyrunning world assembles at an iconic venue and racing commences in VK, SKY and ULTRA distances to announce a male and female champion in the respective distances. Two years ago, the endurance capital of the world Chamonix, hosted the championships and this year it is Spain.

The Vall de Boí in the Spanish Pyrenees will provide a modern day coliseum where Skyrunning gladiators will battle at the BUFF® Epic Trail Aigüestortes events. A spectacular natural arena surrounded by 3,000m peaks and 200 mountain lakes. Rich in cultural history, it is also a UNESCO World Heritage site.

It may come as no surprise that runners from all over the world will arrive in Spain and over the three races, the lineup of talent is second to none. The line-up has five previous world champions returning:

Luis Alberto Hernando

Luis Alberto Hernando, Laura Orgue, Oihana Kortazar, Augusti Roc and Elisa Desco.

©iancorless.com_©iancorless.com-3368MontBlancVK_2014

In 2014, Australia were a dominant force and surprised many with break through performances, once again they return with a super strong field. The Czech Republic, Japan and Portugal are also sending talented squads, for many, it may well be a first racing in Europe or the high mountains of the Pyrenees. In total, 35 different countries will be represented.

Events start on Friday July 22nd with the VK, on Saturday 23rd it is the ULTRA and closing events on Sunday 24th is the SKY distance.

Importantly, WADA anti-doping tests will be carried out at the Championships managed by FEDME, the Spanish Mountain Sports Federation and ISF member for Spain which will sanction the events and oversee them with their referees. The organisation will be in the capable hands OCI Sport, with whom the ISF has collaborated on a number of high-profile events including the 2012 SkyGames® in Andorra and Spain.

Needless to say, the number of athletes taking part is extensive and at this stage, we may well have some late additions. Below are many of the key runners who I anticipate to do well:

VK – For the short and steep specialists, the BUFF® EPIC TRAIL VK is 2.8 km long with 1,030m positive climb. The average incline is 30.7% and reaches a mean 50.4% at the steepest point. It is capped at 250.

©iancorless.com_Rut2015-5210

Ferran Teixido from Andorra is currently ranked highly on the SWS2016 and we can expect strong competition from Saul Antonio Padua, Andrej Fejfar, Augusti Roc, Jan Margarit, Alexis Sevennec and Pascal Egli.

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Laura Orgue just did the ‘double’ in the Dolomites winning both VK and SKY and will be hot favourite on home soil. However, Christel Dewalle will have other ideas and the race may well be a head-to-head between the two. Vanessa Ortega, Yngvild Kaspersen, Therese Sjursen and Ekaterina Mityaeva.

SKY – The rugged BUFF® EPIC TRAIL 42KM is a point to point with 3,200m positive vertical climb. Again, a highly challenging extremely technical race with a nine-hour time limit capped at 500.

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Is going to be fast and furious and the lineup is stunning with Tom Owens, Blake Hose, Manuel Merillas, Pascal Egli and Marcin Swierc pushing for the top slot. But strong competition will also come from Marc and Oscar Casal Mir, Pablo Villa, Jessed Hernandez, Alexis Sevennec, Dai Matsumoto and Artem Rostovstev.

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Elisa Desco, Yngvild Kaspersen, Azara Garcia and Maite Maiora form a stunning quad of talent but Oihana Kortazar, Ida Nilsson, Marta Molist, Ragna Debats and Katrine Villumsen will make sure that the run for the line is not an easy one. Dark horse is the UK’s Jasmin Paris – watch out.

ULTRA – The BUFF® EPIC TRAIL 105KM, with a grueling 8,000m elevation gain and a maximum gradient of 56%, is as tough as they come. Strict qualification standards will be enforced for participants, which are capped at 250.

The ultra is the big one and I have to say the talent is what one would expect when a world title is at stake. Luis Alberto Hernando may well be the one to beat on home soil but Andy Symonds after recent success in Lavaredo will push him. As will Franco Colle, Majell Backhausen, Zaid Ait Malek, Cristofer Clemente and Ben Duffs. Miguel Heras is also toeing the line and if in form, watch out! Fulvio Dapit, Leonardo Diogo, Nuno Silva, Jan Bartas and Pau Bartolo are also strong contenders.

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The ladies race is equally editing with Caroline Chaverot being the lady to beat. She has been on fire this year! Ruth Croft made the podium at Transvulcania but arguably local lady, Nuria Picas is the one to upset the apple cart. A strong fight will come from Fernanda Maciel, Anna Strakova, Gemma Arenas, Hillary Allen, Ester Alves, Kristina Pattison, Soto Ogawa and let’s not forget Mira Rai who is returning from injury.

****

World titles and medals will be awarded, crowning the champions of the Ultra, Sky and Vertical disciplines together with combined titles and country ranking. A total of twenty-seven medals and a €20,000 prize purse await the champions of these prestigious competitions.

Alpina Watches, 2016 Skyrunning World Championships Official Timekeeper, will award six prestigious Alpina Horological Smartwatches to the male and female champions of each category, Vertical, Sky and Ultra.

The Vall de Boí will also host the 2016 ISF General Assembly on July 22, which will be attended by members from far and near.

Check out details of the three World Championship courses here.

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Ultra Trail Aldeias do Xisto #UTAX 2016 – Race Images and Summary

Posted on March 19, 2016 by talkultra

The Aldeias do Xisto Ultra Trail, offers a series of races that is all encompassing with six races on offer: Da Inclusivo, Kids, Mini-Trail Do Xisto, Trail Do Xisto, TSL and the main event, the UTAX (the largest event in the territories of the Shist Villages) which is 110km’s in length, has 5300m of vertical gain and a 26-hour cut-off time for the participants.

Go Outdoor are embracing the rise and demand in the sport of trail and the Astral®series reflect this!

A breakdown of the events is as follows:

▪UTAX – 110 Km

▪TSL – 50 Km

▪TX – 22 Km

▪MTX – 10 Km

▪Axtrail Kids – For kids with 6 to 16 years old

▪Axtrail Inclusion – For people with reduced mobility.

This year the UTAX race started in Miranda do Corvo, in the Plaza José Falcão, this was also the logistical centre of the race too and due to the inclement weather, it was tested to the maximum. From the ticking of the midnight bell, the rain was already falling and although the occasional dry patch provided a welcome break, it was going to be a race of rain, rain and rain.

Gondramaz, welcomed the front runners after approximately just one hour of running – the runners ‘enjoyed’ a beautiful single-track that was hard and technical; only made more challenging by the falling rain. Lousã followed and it here in that stunning Hotal Palacio da Lousã is located.

Candal is a small typical Schist Village and here the runners winded up narrow streets as the rain continued to pour. It was now 0300 for the front runners and the temperatures were dropping well below 5deg and with the slight wind and constant wt, this will have felt like zero or colder.

Cerdeira offers panoramic views of the mountains and is a place of peace and tranquility but on the night of the UTAX, no views were visible; just darkness and the glow of a head-torch. The Schist Villages are magical places and key feature of the UTAX race, it is what make this race so unique. But don’t be fooled, the villages where time passes more slowly are hidden between rock and lush vegetation, this is what must be navigated to completee the UTAX.

From Pena a climb followed to the highest point of the race, for the front runners, the early signs of dawn were making an appearance, not that anyone would know… a shroud of mist and a cold blowing wind made a deceiving blanket that would fool the runners.

Castanheira de Pera then northwest for Ameal, a fantastic single-track rises up and winds to a farm at the top of Lousã, continuing on in the direction of the House of the Forest Guard the trail then descended to the villages of Catarredor and Vaqueirinho, and follows to the Schist Villages Talasnal and Casal Novo.

Casal Novo’s trails of mud, rock, trees and slippery ground provided one of the last key challenges before the arrival back to the Square José Falcão in Miranda do Corvo for the finish.

The race was full of drama, Jêrome Rodrigues, the pre-race favourite unfortunately had to drop from the race with injury and for the ladies, Ester Alves who recently won The Coastal Challenge in Costa Rica was forced to retire with fatigue and cold after 4-5 hours. No surprise really, 40-degrees and high humidity to zero degrees and torrential rain would force the most hardy competitor to crumble.

The withdrawal of two hot favourites opened the door for Luis Duarte, a previous winner of the mens race and Sofia Lopes Roquette finished the race as she started, from the front!

Nuno Silva ran to a strong and consistent 2nd place ahead of Bruno Coelho, but it was some way off the dominating performance of Duarte. Duarte finished the race in a sprint and looked extremely fresh on the line; something that many looked on, me included, and failed to understand. The UTAX is a seriously tough, challenging race, only made considerably harder with weather but Duarte dominated it!

Equally, Sofia Lopes Roquette used her skills, strength of mind and her ability to endure the long run and take out victory over Fernanda Verde with Raquel Campos taking the 3rd spot.

More information and interviews will follow.

Luis Duarte 12:25:36
Nuno Silva 12:50:24
Bruno Coelho 12:57:26

Sofia Roquette 16:20:40
Fernanda Verde 16:57:42
Raquel Campos 20:09:36

Aldeias do Xisto Ultra Trail race coverage would not be possible without the support ofAXtrail® Go Outdoor and many thanks to Centro de Portugal Touristic Office www.centerofportugal.com. Special thanks to to ADXTUR – Schist Villages.

Ultra Trail Aldeias do Xisto #UTAX, Portugal – Race Preview

Posted on March 11, 2016 by talkultra

UTAX

Ultra, trail, mountain and Skyrunning is booming in Portugal. In recent years the sport has grown from strength-to-strength and now a plethora of races are available. Most certainly, Carlos Sa paved the way for this new breed of runner and recently, runners like Ester Alves have kept that momentum flowing. Ester in particular has just recently won The Coastal Challenge multi-day race in Costa Rica.

Go Outdoor are embracing the rise and demand in the sport and in March 2016 (18th to 20th) they will host a series of races, the AXtrail®series.

The Aldeias do Xisto Ultra Trail, offers a series of races that is all encompassing with six races on offer: Da Inclusivo, Kids, Mini-Trail Do Xisto, Trail Do Xisto, TSL and the main event, the UTAX (the largest event in the territories of the Shist Villages) which is 110km’s in length, has 5300m of vertical gain and a 26-hour cut-off time for the participants.

A breakdown of the events is as follows:

UTAX – 110 Km
TSL – 50 Km
TX – 22 Km
MTX – 10 Km
Axtrail Kids – For kids with 6 to 16 years old
Axtrail Inclusion – For people with reduced mobility.

It’s this foresight and ell encompassing attitude that has seen Portugal rise as key influencer in the sport of trail and mountain running. Of course, trail running brings tourism and this is an important element in any growing race series. The natural conditions of the region combined with the hospitality of the local population ensures that visitors to Portugal are extremely happy with their stay, whether participating in one of the six event, or in relation to the destination where an event takes place.

As the event race director says:

“The AXtrail®series is an event for everyone, with a comprehensive character. Children, youth, adults, experienced athletes, sports teams or families, everyone is welcome and will find a place!”

The UTAX is the main event of the weekend and first took place in 2013 with shortened course, Salomon Portugal athlete, Armando Teixeira won in a time of 7:44:29. The first lady was Ester Alves, her time of 10:03:48 reflecting the reduced distance. Alves won again in 2014 but this time it took 16:53:49 for victory and in the men’s race, Luis Duarte recorded a time of 13:06:46. Current course records were set in 2015 by Jérôme Rodrigues and Sofia Lopes Roquete, their respective times of 12:49:57 and 16:12:53 set the benchmark for the 2016 edition.

Alves was missing in 2015 but returns in 2016 and no doubt she will be looking not only for victory but maybe setting a new fas time for the UTAX course. Her recent growth in the sport with top results at UTMB, Transvulcania and recent victory in Costa Rica certainly bodes well. A big question mark will come in regard to Alves’s recovery, The Coastal Challenge was only four weeks ago! Sofia Lopes Roquette, 2015 champion will return to defend her crown.

In the men’s race, the battle for the front to f the race may well come down to Jêrome Rodrigues who ran 12:49 in 2015 and Luis Duarte who ran 13:06 in 2014. However, it may not be that simple? Anything can happen in 110km’s and Nuno Silva along with Ricardo Silva will look to mix things up at the front of the race.

Other names to watch and look out for are: Amândio Antunes, Rui Luz, Luis Mota (veteran), Guilherme Lourenço, Rui Seixo, Raquel Campos, André Rodrigues, Cláudio Quelhas, Juan Delgado (veteran), Nádia Pasteleiro, and Júlia Conceição. A full list of all participants in UTAX ( 230) – HERE

UTAX 110 km – 5300 D+

This year the UTAX race will start and finish in Miranda do Corvo, in the Plaza José Falcão, this will be the logistical center of the race. The first village to be visited will be Gondramaz, allowing athletes enjoy a beautiful single-track but the opening limiters are hard and technical. Lousã follows and here the most anticipated moment of the race will come as this local location is known as the “Amazon.” After Candal runners only travel about 3 km to the village of Cerdeira which offers panoramic views of the mountains and is a place of peace and tranquility. The Schist Villages are magical places where time passes more slowly and the villages are hidden between rock and lush vegetation – Góis, Aigra Nova, Comareira and Pena. From Pena a climb starts to the highest point of the race and then down to Castanheira de Pera. Following a northwest direction for Ameal, a fantastic single-track rises up and winds to a farm at the top of Lousã, the trail continues in the direction of the House of the Forest Guard. It is then that begins the descent to the villages of Catarredor and Vaqueirinho, and follows to the Schist Villages Talasnal and Casal Novo. Following the route for the “Terreiro Halloween”, runners go up to the Vila Nova which is in the Miranda Municipality of Corvo. The end is now getting close, Fluvial Beach Louçainha (Municipality of Penela), Vila Nova and then heading back to the Square José Falcão in Miranda do Corvo for the finish.

It is a weekend party where everyone without exception can practice and enjoy the wonderful sport to trail and mountain running.

You can follow the race in words and images on this website, iancorless.com and on my other media channels: Facebook HERE, Twitter HERE and Instagram HERE.

The race website is available HERE

You can download a PDF race information document HERE

Aldeias do Xisto Ultra Trail race coverage would not be possible without the support of AXtrail® Go Outdoor and many thanks to Centro de Portugal Touristic Office www.centerofportugal.com.