The Coastal Challenge 2019 – #TCC2019 – Day 6

Posted on February 15, 2019 by talkultra

The 2019 The Coastal Challenge today came to an end on the stunning beaches of Drake Bay on the Osa Peninsula.

Pere Aurell and Ida Nilsson are the champions after a masterclass of multi-day running. The duo ran amazing races and Ida obliterated the 2018 record of Ragna Debats and in the process set 4 female stage records and placed 2nd overall. Holly Page set two stage records also.

The 22km final day is a stunning day, starting and finishing on Bahia Drake, the loop is like a mini Coastal Challenge all compressed into one stage. Waterfalls, rainforest, plantations, dusty fire trail, water crossings, beaches, coves and the stunning Pacific as a backdrop as the runners make the way to the finish.

The dynamic of the day was the staggered start for the top-6 after the mass start at 0700.

They were released as follows:

6. Ragna Debats 07:01:00

5. Holly Page 07:03:00

4. Jorge Paniagua 07:06:00

3. Marcus Scotney 07:10:00

2. Ida Nillson 07:15:00

1. Pere Aurell 07:21:00

The race was on between Jorge and Marcus and in the early stages, Jorge opened a gap on the technical trail. However, as soon as the trail became more runnable, Marcus unleashed his natural fast pace and secured his 3rd overall on GC.

After a tough stage 5, Pere was keen to make sure he won the 2019 TCC and by the waterfall, he had caught Ida for the 6-minute time gap. He then ran to the line and secured his victory ahead of the incredible Ida, who placed 2nd overall and dominated the women’s race.

Ida won 4-stage CR bonus’ worth $250 each and $2500 for a new CR – That is $3500 for her week in Costa Rica.

Holly Page was the first to cross the line holding off the top-5 runners and catching all those before her – in the process she set a new stage CR and in addition to her female CR on stage 4, she netted $500. On timing, Pere was the stage winner just missing Tom Evans 2018 stage-6 record. Marcus was 2nd and Holly 3rd.

The finish-line was full of emotion as an epic journey has come to an end. The 2019 TCC will go down in history for the incredible performances of all the runners, but the truly inspiring story his how the top-3 women placed in the top-6 overall, with Ida 2nd on the podium – truly epic!

For now though, it’s all about Pere and Ida celebrating victory. This evening, the awards will take place on the beach with a roaring camp fire. 2020 will see the 16th edition of the race and I am sure we can expect another spectacular race.

PURA VIDA

Stage Results:

Pere Aurell 2:00:00
Marcus Scotney 2:06:32
Holly Page 2:07:04
Ida Nilsson 2:08:12
Sebastian Jones 2:13:55

Overall standings, male/ female after 6-stages:

Pere Aurell 23:10:23
Marcus Scotney 24:01:03
Jorge Paniagua 24:17:21

Ida Nilsson 23:36:03
Holly Page 24:50:38
Ragna Debats 26:16:06

General Classification:

Pere Aurell 23:10:23
Ida Nilsen 23:36:03
Marcus Scotney 24:01:03

Full results at www.webscorer.com

Follow the action as the race unfolds #TCC2018

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The Coastal Challenge 2019 – #TCC2019 – Day 5

Posted on February 14, 2019 by talkultra

It was the longest day of the 2018 The Coastal Challenge and what a day! At 49km, it was only 2km more than day 3 but coming at this stage in the race, it is always a tough one.

Runners departed camp via bus for a short bus ride to the Sierpe river and then a ferry across to the other side with the arrival of daylight. At 6:15am, they were released.

Much of todays race is very runnable on wide gravel roads and much of that chat pre-stage was that it was ideal for Ida and Marcus. It’s great if you can run, but for many it’s a tough day. Technical forest sections break up the distance and then at 2/3rd of the race covered, the runners turn right on a loop around the peninsula, running through forest trails before finally dropping to the beach and taking a small boat from one side to the other. Once across the estuary, it is 9km’s to the line with the final sections on the beach to the stunning Drake Bay, a Unesco Heritage Site

It was a day of drama, with the main podium contenders all running close together to checkpoint. Notably, Jorge was running side-by-side with Pere at the head of the race. Ida chased and then Marcus. Just before the right turn for the loop around the peninsula, Pere made his move and pulled away from Jorge.

Behind, Ida chased and Marcus was looking strong and gaining time.

Holly Page was some way back but looking relaxed and comfortable in the intense heat.

At the peninsula. Pere was first in the boat and crossed with no sign of any other runners. Jorge and Ida arrived together and shared a boat. Minutes later, Marcus arrived. It was all going to come down to the final 9-km’s!

What happened next, could not have been predicted. Pere struggled with exhaustion, the heat and sickness from a restless night before. He was reduced to a walk. Ida on the other hand went from strength-to-strength.

Ida left Jorge, pursued Pere, passed him and once again won the stage outright obliterating the previous female stage CR set by Ester Alves by almost 45-minutes – it was an incredible performance.

Marcus bided his time. Closed on Jorge and the duo fought an epic battle to the line. Marcus was 2nd just over 30-seconds ahead of the Costa Rican runner.

Pere finally arrived 20-minutes after Ida – he looked broken!

With the final stage tomorrow, an epic battle will unfold between Jorge and Marcus for the final podium spot on GC. Also, Pere and Ida have a potential fight. Pere has a lead of 17-minutes, one would normally say that is more than enough. However, after today, anything can happen…!

Holly Page finished 2nd woman and Ragna Debats lost time in the closing miles due to a navigation error, however, she did finish 3rd on the stage.

Tomorrow’s stage is a loop of Drake Bay – it’s a stunning day that manages to encompass all the previous 5 days in one loop. The top 6-runners will depart after the main group.

The starting times will be:

Mass start 07:30:00

6. Ragna Debats 07:31:00

5. Holly Page 07:33:00

4. Jorge Paniagua 07:36:00

3. Marcus Scotney 07:40:00

2. Ida Nilsson 07:45:00

1. Pere Aurell 07:51:00

Overall standings, male/ female after 5-stages:

Pere Aurell 21:10:22
Marcus Scotney 21:54:30
Jorge Paniagua 22:00:49

Ida Nilsson 21:27:51
Holly Page 22:43:34
Ragna Debats 23:54:00

General Classification:

Pere Aurell 21:10:23
Ida Nilsson 21:27:51
Marcus Scotney 21:54:30

Full results at www.webscorer.com

Follow the action as the race unfolds #TCC2018

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Holly Page to join the The Coastal Challenge 2019 #TCC2019

Posted on December 3, 2018 by talkultra

The Coastal Challenge reaches new heights in 2019 celebrating 15-years of amazing racing.

The 14th edition completed in February 2018 at the stunning Drake Bay on the Osa Peninsula, was a record breaker! Yes, course records were broken daily and Tom Evans and Ragna Debats elevated the overall CR’s to a new level obliterating the 2017 records set by the UK’s Tom Owens and New Zealand’s Anna Frost.

Time never stands still and to make the 15th edition of TCC extra special, race director’s Rodrigo Carazo and Sergio Sanchez have confirmed a new incentive for the 2019 edition of the race.

A reward purse totalling $8000 will be up for grabs as the race gets underway from the stunning beaches of Quepos, Costa Rica.

Each day, $250 will be up for grabs should the stage course records be broken by the fastest male or female. For example, in 2018, Tom Evans broke every stage record, that would have been rewarded with a $1500 payout!

Should the overall course record set in 2018 by Tom Evans or Ragna Debats be broken in 2019, $2500 will be on offer. Should the male and female record go, that is a payout of $5000.

Feel like a fast start to 2019? It comes no faster than the 15th edition of The Coastal Challenge!

TCC as it is affectionately known is a multi-day race starting in the southern coastal town of Quepos, Costa Rica and finishing at the stunning Drake Bay on the Osa Peninsula. It is an ultimate multi-day running experience that offers a new challenge even to the most experienced runner. Taking place over 6-days, the race hugs the coastline of Costa Rica, travelling in and out of the stunning Talamanca mountain range. Even the strongest competitors are reduced to exhausted shells by the arrival of the finish line due to the combination of technical trails, dense forest, river crossings, waterfalls, long stretches of golden beach, dusty access roads, high ridges and open expansive plains.

An already stellar line-up of women have been announced for #TCC2019 – Lucy Bartholomew here, Ida Nilsson here, the El Kott Twins here and now Holly Page. Holly has been on fire in 2018, starting her season in China with victory and then concluding with a win at The Otter in South Africa. Between, she has excelled over multiple distances and terrains. For sure, Holly is one of the new stars of the skyrunning calendar – the terrain of Costa Rica will suit her!

What attracts you to Costa Rica?

Although I’ve travelled quite a lot in South America I’ve never had the opportunity to visit Central America. I speak fluent spanish and have heard great things about Costa Rica’s spectacularly diverse natural environment so am really keen to explore.

This is the 15th edition of the TCC, a special one – what do you know about the race?

My friend Tom won the race in 2017 and I remember calling him when he was there and being super jealous as I sat in meetings with government in Tanzania and he chilled in a hammock eating mangoes and running through waterfalls. I’ve heard that the terrain is very mixed, with some fast running but also some technical sections, and the occasional swim! I just did well at the Otter Race in South Africa and I get the feeling that it is a similar profile but just that the TCC will be 30 degrees hotter, and like doing the Otter every day for 6 days….

Heat and humidity will play a major factor in the race, how do you plan to adapt?

Coming from the UK, I’m not really accustomed to sweating it out through the jungle – running across misty hills in the freezing is what I grew up doing… everyone says when it’s raining at a race “Oh you’re British you will enjoy this”…. that’s definitely not true – I don’t know too many people who would rather but running through a blizzard than a sunny Costa Rican beach 😀I’m really lucky in that with my current contract at work I am able to be based remotely so hopefully I’ll be able to travel out before the race and get used to the heat whilst still carrying on with my normal job!

Ragna Debats and Tom Evans set incredible course records in 2017. There is prize money available for a new CR in 2019 – does that motivate you? Can you break the record?

I’m motivated by new experiences rather than prize money – I would never like to go into a race thinking that I am there to win money. I also tend to have a fairly pessimistic (or perhaps realistic!!) view of my own abilities so I am usually on the startline presuming that I won’t do very well… and then it’s always a lovely surprise if I do! It looks like there’s an incredible line-up of women, all of whom have much more experience than I do of racing consistently long distances… but then again, I’ve got used to racing multi-hour races every weekend on knackered legs so maybe my overenthusiastic racing schedule has all been an unintentional build-up to this.

Multi-day racing brings many different challenges to a single-stage race – what are you most looking forward to? What are you most fearful of?

I am really looking forward to the atmosphere of the race – there’s something special about sharing so much time in the company of the people you’re racing against – I think it’ll be a really great week and hopefully an opportunity to meet even more friendly runners from across the world!

I have a horrendous fear of snakes – I can’t even look at a photo of a snake without crying – I think the probability of stumbling across a snake during my time in Costa Rica is pretty high but I don’t want it to stop me going so I’ll just have to get over it and keep plodding along if one does rear its ugly slithery head!

The elite line-up is incredible for 2019, you will need to be in the best shape, does that excite you?

It’s always exciting to have competitive fields at races and especially over so many km a lot can change. I think I know all of the elite women’s field and they’re all really nice ladies so it will also be great to spend time with them – that’s what is so great about running these races – even though we fight it out on the trails, everyone is super encouraging and wants the best for each other!

February is early in the season, what will your winter training look like, so you will be ready for February?

This year has been pretty long and I’ve raced pretty much every weekend since April. I’m going to have a bit of a break in October and November and then hopefully motivate myself to do some strength work – my legs will need to be pretty strong to hold up to the test of this TCC course!

I am sure you have looked at past editions of the race, viewed the stages, the profile – it is a tough race that suits a rounded athlete. You need to be able to climb, descend, handle technical trail and run on the flat – where will your strengths be?

I’m usually pretty good on the technical parts and the descents, but I’d say that I’m usually less good at the bits you have to actually be fit for…. flat running and running up hills!!

What experience do you have of multi-day racing?

I did a three day stage race when I lived in South Africa in 2017 but other than that I’ve never done anything which equates to this in terms of distance and number of days.

Racing starts very early in Costa Rica, with the sun! An early finish allows for relaxation on the beach, you can even have a beer – combining racing and relaxation is a key of TCC. It is a ‘Pura Vida’ race – tell us about your hopes and desires for the 2019 edition.

A combination of racing and relaxation is my kind of dream! It will be super fun to get the morning’s racing done early on and then be able to chill with all of the other runners, chatting through our experiences of the day’s stage, eating lovely tropical fruits and refuelling, psyching ourselves up for the next stage!!

What three music choices would sum up your racing style?

Erm…never been asked that one before… hmmm…. given that I tend to get through races on determination rather than any physical talent, I’ll have to go for…

REM: Everybody Hurts

AC/DC: Highway to Hell

And one especially for the TCC…

The Merrymen: Feelin’ Hot Hot Hot

Tell us about your nutrition and hydrations strategies for the race?

Given how hot it will be during the race and the amount I’ll be sweating I’ll be very focused on making sure I stay very hydrated throughout. It’s a lot of running on consecutive days so I think that if you don’t fuel enough in the early stages you’re likely to suffer the knock-on effects later in the week. My favourite pastime is probably eating… so I will be sure to eat plenty between each stage… using “refuelling” as an excuse to eat large quantities of lovely food 😀

Tell us about key equipment such as shoes and apparel that you will use?

TBC when I have confirmed whether I have a sponsor for next year!

Tell us about your greatest achievement/ result in 2018?

Racing so much whilst also working a normal job, hitch-hiking / camping and tramping like a complete nomad was quite an achievement I guess! I won the Skyrunning World Series with wins in three of the races, and I also came 3^rdin the Golden Trail Series and won the Grand Finale of that series out in South Africa in October.

Please list a summary of your career highlights for 2017 and 2018:

Lots of races – a few too many to mention!! These are some where I was in the top 3…

SWS: Yading, China: 1st

SWS: Buff Epic, Spain: 1st

SWS: The Rut, USA: 1st

SWS: Overall Ranking Classic Series: 1^st

Monte Rosa Skyrace, Italy: 1^st(team race with Hillary Gerardi)

World Trail Running Champs, Spain: 9^th(and 1^stBritish athlete)

Golden Trail Series / Skyrunning World Champs, Ring of Steall, UK: 3rd

Golden Trail Series, Grand Finale- Otter Trail, South Africa: 1st

Golden Trail Series, Overall Ranking: 3^rd

Trail do Porto Moniz, Madeira: 1^st

Alanya Ultra Trail, Turkey: 1^st

Omu Peak Race, Romania: 1^st

Trail du Nivolet Classic, France: 1^st

Petit Trail des Aiguilles Rouges, France: 1^st

To conclude, please provide a general quote that summaries your thoughts and anticipation for the 2019 TCC:

Having followed previous editions of the raceI am really excited to have the opportunity to come to Costa Rica in February and experience this prestigious event for myself.

*****

You can read and view images from the 2017 edition HERE and the the 2018 edition HERE

Follow in 2019 #TCC2019

Twitter @talkultra

Instagram @iancorlessphotography

facebook.com/iancorlessphotography

The Coastal Challenge

Facebook HERE

Website (UK) HERE

Website (Global) HERE

#tcc2019 #thecoastalchallenge #tcc19

IG – https://www.instagram.com/thecoastalchallenge/

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/thecoastalchallenge/

Twitter – @tcccostarica

Ida Nilsson to join The Coastal Challenge 2019 #TCC2019

Posted on November 5, 2018 by talkultra

The Coastal Challenge reaches new heights in 2019 celebrating 15-years of amazing racing.

The 14th edition completed in February 2018 at the stunning Drake Bay on the Osa Peninsula, was a record breaker! Yes, course records were broken daily and Tom Evans and Ragna Debatselevated the overall CR’s to a new level obliterating the 2017 records set by the UK’s Tom Owens and New Zealand’s Anna Frost.

Time never stands still and to make the 15th edition of TCC extra special, race director’s Rodrigo Carazo and Sergio Sanchez have confirmed a new incentive for the 2019 edition of the race.

A reward purse totaling $8000will be up for grabs as the race gets underway from the stunning beaches of Quepos, Costa Rica.

Should the overall course record set in 2018 by Tom Evans or Ragna Debats be broken in 2019, $2500 will be on offer. Should the male and female record go, that is a payout of $5000.

Feel like a fast start to 2019? It comes no faster than the 15th edition of The Coastal Challenge!

Following on from the announcement of Lucy Bartholomew (HERE), we now announce the incredible Ida Nilsson to the line-up of the 2019 TCC. Ida is the two-time champion and course record holder of the iconic Transvulcania on the island of La Palma.

Ida’s ability to run fast over mixed terrain is a huge advantage and is what sets her apart from the competition. Costa Rica and the TCC will be a challenge though… This is the first multi-day race on foot and coming from a snow/ cold climate, the adaptation to heat will be a challenge.

One thing is for sure, when the terrain is flat and fast, Ida will push the pace making the other runners suffer as they try to keep up!

Over the coming days and weeks, we will introduce you the elite runners that will toe the line of the 2019 TCC by asking them the same fifteen questions:

What attracts you to Costa Rica?

I have never been to Central America and Cost Rica has always been a dream because it’s amazing nature.

This is the 15th edition of the TCC, a special one – what do you know about the race?

I have mainly just seen pictures from people who previous ran the race. I know it’s a stage race along the coast with variation of flatter to more technical terrain with elevation.

Heat and humidity will play a major factor in the race, how do you plan to adapt?

My strategy will be to do it quickly once I arrive. I will come straight from Norwegian winter and unfortunately, I don’t have a sauna, otherwise that could have been an option.

Ragna Debats and Tom Evans set incredible course records in 2017. There is prize money available for a new CR in 2019 – does that motivate you? Can you break the record?

Yes, I feel that the record and the stage records are motivating, but this year there are so many of us who could win a stage and the whole race, so I feel that the competition in itself is more motivating than the times from previous year.

Multi-day racing brings many different challenges to a single-stage race – what are you most looking forward to? What are you most fearful of?

This will be my first stage race, so that will be interesting! I think that all the others have done something similar before, so I look forward to finding out how I will handle six days in a row. I think it’s really nice to have the opportunity to arrive to a different camp site each night. What I fear most is to get some kind of injury during the race.

The elite line-up is incredible for 2019, you will need to be in the best shape, does that excite you?

Yes, it will be tough since I never do much running in the winter, but hopefully, I will be in good shape from skiing and exited to run in shorts again!

February is early in the season, what will your winter training look like, so you will be ready for February?

Mainly skiing, but I will throw in some runs as well to have my running legs prepared.

TCC is a tough race that suits a rounded athlete. You need to be able to climb, descend, handle technical trail and run on the flat – where will your strengths be?

Compared to the others I think my strengths will be on the flatter parts of the race.

What experience do you have of multi-day racing?

None in running. Pierra Menta in skiing (4-days) which is an iconic race.

Yes, that’s the best of everything I like to do. Exploring and racing for some hours in the morning and then swimming, eating fruits and drinking beer in the afternoon.

What three music choices would sum up your racing style?

Wow, I have never thought of that! I don’t even know if I have a racing style? But two songs I listen to before Transvulcania are ‘The Dreamer’ from The Tallest Man on Earth and ‘Piece of My Heart’ by Janis Joplin. And I feel they work well for me and resonance with my feelings.

Tell us about your nutrition and hydrations strategies for the race?

Yes, hydration is probably the key and then to fill up with food after each day to have energy for the whole week.

Tell us about key equipment such as shoes and apparel that you will use?

I think I will use the Salomon Amphibia for this race, which is developed for swim runs and still works very well if it’s wet and muddy. Other running apparel I haven’t really planned yet!

Feel free to tell us something, anything!

I’m very happy I got invited to the 2019 TCC.

Tell us about your greatest achievements?

1) Zegama 2018

2) Transvulcania 2017

3) Ultravasan 2017

4) Lidingöloppet 2018

5) Transvulcania 2018

6) TNF 2017

7) Swedish x-country 4 km 2018

8) Swiss Alpine 2017

I really look forward to this opportunity to discover a new country with stunning nature and trails. I also look forward to the stage race experience and share it with the other participants.

*****

You can read and view images from the 2017 edition HEREand the 2018 edition HERE

Follow in 2019 #TCC2019

Twitter @talkultra

Instagram @iancorlessphotography

facebook.com/iancorlessphotography

The Coastal Challenge

Facebook HERE

Website (UK) HERE

Website (Global) HERE

#tcc2019 #thecoastalchallenge #tcc19

IG – https://www.instagram.com/thecoastalchallenge/

Facebook– https://www.facebook.com/thecoastalchallenge/

Twitter– @tcccostarica

The Coastal Challenge 2018 #TCC2018 – Stage 5

Posted on February 16, 2018 by talkultra

It was the longest day of the 2018 The Coastal Challenge and what a day! At 49km, it was only 2km more than day 3 but coming at this stage in the race, it is always a tough one.

Runners departed camp via bus for a short bus ride to the Sierpe river and ferry across to the other side. At 6am, they were released.

Much of today’s race is very runnable on wide gravel roads. It’s great if you can run, but for many it’s a tough day. Technical forest sections break up the distance and then at 2/3rd of the race covered, the runners turn right on a loop around the peninsula, running through forest trails before finally dropping to the beach and taking a small boat from one side to the other.

Once across the estuary, it is 10km’s to the line with the final sections on the beach to the stunning Drake Bay.

It was a day of drama, Tom Evans and Hayden Hawks pushed all day, but they are so matched – Tom the obvious stronger runner who is marking Hawks to ensure he retains his winning margin. To watch these two has been seriously impressive, the pace mind-blowing and the old course record is being obliterated. With the finish in sight, Hawks lifted the pace, Evans was having none of it and they started a 400m sprint… Evans pulled away winning by 4 seconds, 4:32:14 to 4:32:18. It’s fair to say, that Tom Evans will be the 2018 TCC champion with a new course record!

Ragna Debats, just like Evans and Hawks has been an unstoppable force, not only in the ladies’ race but the men’s. She has pushed and pushed, obliterated all previous times and in the process has smiled all the way to each line. Today she went through a bad patch, rallied and then crossed the line 7th in 5:34:55.

The big news of the day, unfortunately, saw Marcus Scotney and Jorge Paniagua (3rd and 4th on yesterday’s stage) disqualified from the race after missing a key right turn and missing many challenging kilometers. They were told to turnaround and retrace; they chose not to. I will provide more information on this when I have spoken to Marcus and Jose. In simple terms they were out of water and would have needed to run another 20km before reaching an aid station, in this heat, that would have been reckless. Needless to say, both are devastated with the mistake!

This mistake has opened up the general classification and of course the first place for Costa Rican runners.

Erick Aguero seized the opportunity finishing 3rd on the stage in 5:11 and Michael Wardian 4th in 5:16. Neruda Cespedes was 5th in 5:19.

Suzanna Guadarrama has been a revolution as the days have passed and she has become stronger. Yesterday she finished with Ester Alves, today, she pulled away and finished 2nd lady in 6:01. Ester Alves, ever the fighter, pushed hard and finished 3rd, just over 20 minuses later in 6:22. Josephine Adams had a great day finishing 4th and that will certainly move her up the rankings!

Tomorrow’s stage is a loop of Drake Bay – it’s a stunning day that manages to encompass all the previous 5 days in one loop.