Tag Archives: Rai Purnimaya

Everest Trail Race 2018 Tengboche to Lukla #ETR2018

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Day 6 Everest Trail Race #ETR2018

Leaving Tengboche the race retraces stage-5 to Phakding via a diversion at Sensa to the amazing Kumjung Valley where the runners would normally have an incredible backdrop of Everest, Lohtse and Ama Dablam. Today, the cloud came in blocking all views and keeping temperatures very cold throughout the stage.  Arriving at Namche Bazaar the ETR then re-traces stage 5 all the way to Phakding and then as the trail heads back to Kharikhola, a left turn leads to the final climb and the swinish line in Lukla.and then branch left to climb to Lukla and the finish of the 2017 ETR.

On paper, the stage is mostly downhill with 3183m of descent in comparison to 2105m of ascent over the 29.5km course. It’s a tough way to finish a race, but the rewards are worth it!

Today Jordi Gamito eased back and ran with Manuela Vilaseca, overall victory was guaranteed and he enjoyed the day. This allowed Joan Soler to finally achieve a stage victory, well deserved after racing hard all week! Sergio Arias has been a consistent 3rd all week but today he slipped to 4th opening a podium place for Pasang Sherpa.

Purnimaya Rai  despite being guaranteed overall victory, did not ease up today and she pushed ahead to secure another stage victory. Manuela Vilaseca and Becks Ferry finished 2nd and 3rd showing great consistency.

OVERALL GC

  1. Jordi Gamito
  2. Sergio Arias
  3. Joan Soler

OVERALL GC

  1. Purnimaya Rai
  2. Manuela Vilaseca
  3. Becks Ferry

Everest Trail Race 2018 Phakding to Tengboche #ETR2018

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Day 5 Everest Trail Race #ETR2018

Phakding to Tengboche is one of the most beautiful trails in the world – the views are constantly incredible, the trails challenging and when one leaves Namche Bazaar, the views of AMA Dablam and Everest as one winds along a narrow path are beyond impressive. When the runner’s arrive at the monastery, the ETR place a finish arch that frames Everest, Lhotse and Ama Dablam perfectly, It’s quite the picture postcard and the perfect finish line for the ETR.

2124m of positive incline and 20km are the stats for stage 5. Each year, it is considered to be an ‘easy’ day but it never is…

Departing Phakding (2700m), Namche Bazar (3600m) is the first port of call then Kumjung and Cp2 and Phungi Tenga (3300m) before the tough and steep ascent to Tengboche at 3900m.

The finish line at Tengboche is arguably one of THE most amazing finishing lines of any race and this was reflected in some of the emotions shown as runners crossed the line today. It’s a mix of laughter, tears and elation – at times, all three. The view alone is enough to make one cry.

Today, Jordi Gamito and Rai Purnimaya clinched stage victories and almost certainly the title, Everest Trail Race 2018 champions. Jordi has dominated the race winning every stage and Rai appears to have become stronger as the race progressed.

Manuela Vilaseca and Becks Ferry once again placed 2nd and 3rd and will likely finish in these positions on GC at the end of tomorrow’s 6th and final stage.

For the men, Joan Soler finished 2nd running a strong 5th stage and Sergio Arias was 3rd.

Tomorrow is the final day of the ETR 2018 and the runners run back to Lukla via Namche Bazaar.

Everest Trail Race 2018 Kharikhola to Phakding #ETR2018

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Day 4 Everest Trail Race #ETR2018

Kharikola to Phakding is very much a transition stage. The first 3-days have been quiet with an occasional glimpse of life. From here on in, the experience changes, the trails become busier – mules and yaks are seen regularly and they must be respected… It can be a confusion for a runner, as they force a slower pace and one must wait for the correct time to pass. In addition, Porters are seen regularly, these people are the hub of this area of Nepal, without them, supplies would not reach the lodges and shops. 

The diversity is incredible. Children play, parents work and the runners navigate a way through this section to finish at what many consider to be the gateway to Everest, Phakding.

At just under 30km’s, stage 4 of the ETR is arguably the most runnable. Leaving the monastery, a short twisting descent leads to the river and a long climb to aid station one at Kari La. It is here that the first real glimpse of the high peaks becomes real. They are no longer distant specs but now feel very real and surprisingly close.

The descent to Surke (Cp2) is a 17km rollercoaster series of switchbacks of technical trail with occasional short climbs to sap the legs and lungs.

From Surke, the trail now flattens a little, with a series of small climbs and descents that lead all the way to the finish at Phakding. 

Today was once again all about Jordi Gamito and Rai Purnimaya, the duo led from the front and were untouchable, they crossed the line in 3:34 and 4:25 respectively and now have strong leads for overall victory with two stages to go.

Joan Soler and Sergio Arias once again were 2nd and 3rd, 3:52 and 3:58 for the men and Manuela Vilaseca was 2nd in 4:49 ahead of Becks Ferry in 5:31 who picked up and injury on stage 3.

Tomorrow, stage-5 is a short day of just 20km’s and 2124m of vertical gain. It culminates at the monastery at Tyengboche with Everest, Lhotse and Ama Dablam providing arguably the most impressive finish line of any race!

Everest Trail Race 2018 Jase Bhanjyang to Kharikhola #ETR2018

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Day 3 Everest Trail Race #ETR2018

After yesterday relentless uphill struggle today, day-3 of the Everest Trail Race was all downhill, well, sort of. Starting in Jase Bhanjyang runners passed through Jumbesi, Phurteng, Salung, Taksindu and then from Jubhing the race finishes with a tough climb to the stunning monastery at Kharikhola. At 37.4km in length the total descent is a quad busting 4110m in contrast to 2512m of ascent.

While many talk about day 2 of the ETR being the most demanding, I personally over the years have found day 3 very challenging! The terrain is more technical and in all honesty, 4110m of descent is tough on ones legs and knees… Give me the climbing any day! The final push to the line is long, steep and comes when everyone is very tired, the final steps to the monastery at Kharikhola are relentless.

Jordi Gamito was unstoppable today setting a blistering pace that nobody could match. He now has a lead that almost certainly guarantees victory in the 2018 edition of the race, barring an accident. Joan Soler and Sergio Arias worked together today and finished together consolidating 2nd and 3rd places.

For the women, Nepali Rai Purnimaya worked hard and took victory ahead of Manuela Vilaseca in 2nd – these two have a real battle ahead. Becks Ferry was once again 3rd.

The trails and route for the ETR from Kharikhola to Tengboche and back to Lukla are now on the main trekking route of this area of Nepal. In particular, from Lukla, many trekkers are making slow and steady process to Everest Base Camp. The experience over stage 4 really does change for the participants, the more kilometres one covers, the more people one sees. The arrival in Bhandar next to the river is a welcome one.

Everest Trail Race 2018 Bhandar to Jase Bhanjyang #ETR2018

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Day 2 Everest Trail Race #ETR2018

Starting in Bhandar runners have the pleasure of running downhill along some twisting and technical trail before crossing a suspension bridge that stretches over Kinja Khola River. It’s a day when the true Nepal starts to reveal itself. The occasional glimpse of the high peaks in the distance pulling the runners along the course. 

From the river, it’s relentless climbing to Golla at just over 3000m. Here an aid station provides a little respite and some flat trails. But flat does not last long, the climbing starts again firstly to Ngaur and then onward to the highest point of the ETR; Pikey Peak at 4063m. The summit at Pikey Peak on a clear day offers an amazing Himalayan vista with the first glimpse of Everest possible in the distance.

From the peak, a tough technical descent for several kilometres winds its way down to a lodge and then a tough short climb is the sting in the tail to the arrival at Jase Bhanjyang at 3600m.

Day 2 of the Everest Trail Race is the toughest of the race: fact! It’s a brutal exercise in climbing and one that takes place at attitude stretching each and every participant to the limit. In 2017, Luis Alberto Hernando dare I say, made this stage look easy! He smashed the old course record and in the process set a new time of 3:35.

It was another strong day for Jordi Gamito. He forged ahead running close to the 2017 time of Luis Alberto Hernando. “I am much stronger than last year and feel really good,” said Jordi at the finish. Today Joan Soler, running his 4th ETR pushed for 2nd ahead of Sergio Arias.

For the women, it was much closer today with Manuela Vilaseca and Rai Purnimaya running close together, the duo now only separated by minutes on general classification. Becks Ferry was a solid 3rd and 3rd on GC.

Day 3 is brutal day that is a stark opposite to day-2, at 37.4km it has more descending (4110m) than ascending (2512m). Starting in Jase Bhanjyang runners will pass through Jumbesi, Phurteng, Salung, Taksindu and then from Jubhing the race finishes with a tough climb to the stunning monastery at Kharikhola.