Skyrunning UK inaugural Peaks SkyRace August 3rd

Posted on July 31, 2014 by talkultra

The inaugural Peaks SkyRace takes place this coming weekend, August 3rd, launching the first ‘Sky’ distance race in the Skyrunner® National Series UK.

‘This course combines altitude with technical terrain and some superb views; a combination which should please the most discerning athlete,’ Craig explained, ‘a personal highlight on the course without a doubt is Ramshaw Rocks, it’s beautiful and rugged.’

Covering a distance of 29.7-miles, with a total elevation gain and loss of 2012m, the Peaks SkyRace is expected to be a real test that combines tough technical running with the addition of pace, for those who wish to push the envelope.

Skyrunning UK Sponsored by

Based on an old Peak District Challenge called the ‘Five Trigs Round’ for which there is no fixed course, just the requirement to visit five specific trig points. The route takes in some of the best of the White Peak District as well as including the highlights of the traditional round.

©mickkenyon.com

‘The Peaks may not have the raw elevation of the Lakes or Snowdonia, but it has rugged technical terrain,’ said Richard Weremiuk, race director.

Put the date in your diary, August 3rd 2014 and we look forward to seeing you all for the UK’s very first Peaks SkyRace.

Event website HERE

Skyrunning UK sponsor ROCKTAPE will be available at the event offering advice and taping. In addition, Raidlight UK will have a selection of apparel and accessories.

Skyrunning UK announce the PEAKS SKYRACE

Posted on April 2, 2014 by talkultra

Skyrunning UK is pleased to announce the first SkyRace for the Skyrunner® National Series UK calendar, the Peaks SkyRace located in the heart of the Pennines.

Covering a distance of 29.7-miles, with a total elevation gain and loss of 2012m, the Peaks SkyRace is the brainchild of experienced race director, Richard Weremiuk (Beyond Marathon), Anthony Bethell and Billy Craig. The Peaks SkyRace promises to be a great ‘opener’ for the 2014 Skyrunner® National Series calendar within the UK.

‘This course combines altitude with technical terrain and some superb views; a combination which should please the most discerning athlete,’ Craig explained, ‘A personal highlight on the course without a doubt is Ramshaw Rocks, it’s beautiful and rugged.’

Weremiuk is no stranger to race direction and he brings all his experience from ‘Beyond Marathon’ for this new departure into the Skyrunning UK calendar. ‘Features on Talk Ultra podcast have raised the profile of Skyrunning to the point where virtually most ultra runners have heard of it and I’m sure many have aspirations to run in the mountains with the superstars of the World circuit. Skyrunning coming to the UK may well give them that opportunity.’

Based on an old Peak District Challenge called the ‘Five Trigs Round’ for which there is no fixed course, just the requirement to visit five specific trig points. Weremiuk and the team have taken that concept and built a fixed course around it with Skyrunning in mind! The route takes in some of the best of the White Peak District as well as including the highlights of the traditional round.

‘The Peaks may not have the raw elevation of the Lakes or Snowdonia, but it has rugged technical terrain,’ said Weremiuk, ‘A highlight for me is the ascent of Daneblower Hollow. It is little known to most, but it’s a narrow trail alongside a brook and small waterfall, it really challenges your footwork.’

Bethell, who took part in the 2013 Skyrunner® World Series in 2013, gained a lot of experience from these events which has been invaluable in ensuring that Skyrunning principles are upheld for the Peaks SkyRace, ‘A long joyous descent on tricky terrain into Stake Clough after Shining Tor is one of those “Brakes off, Brain off” moments that one finds in all the classic Skyrunning races, UK Skyrunners® will love it,’ exclaimed Bethell.

‘It has been a priority from day one to ensure that Skyrunning UK provides courses of varying length, difficulty, elevation and terrain on some of the most iconic trails and areas of the UK,’ said Skyrunning UK Director, Ian Corless, ‘We have the V3K on the Welsh 3000’s and the 3×3 on an iconic Lakeland course. The Peaks SkyRace not only offers our first shorter ‘Sky’ race but it also offers an opportunity to race in the Pennines over technical ground. I’m really excited about this addition to the series.’

Entries for the Peaks SkyRace are now open… put the date in your diary, August 3^rd 2014 and we look forward to seeing you all for the UK’s very first SkyRace.

Course Description:

A short sharp shock to start with an ascent of Solomon’s Tower, then it’s back down to the outskirts of Buxton. Next you climb onto Axe Edge Moor, through Three Shires Head along the Ramshaw Rocks ridge and along to a Hen Cloud. The Roaches follow which will without doubt be the highlight for many. Descend into Gradbach before soon after facing the Peak District Matterhorn, Shutlingsloe. Descend then begin the long climb up past The Cat and Fiddle to the summit Shining Tor. A fun descent to the Goyt valley floor is followed with a climb onto Burbage Edge and the finish in Buxton.

Bethell states as with all SkyRaces, ‘we offer a fully marked course with chip timing, awards medal for all finishers and a trophy for male and female winners. Hopefully, the ridge runs along Ramshaw Rocks and the Roaches will live up to the Skyrunning Motto of ‘Less Cloud, More Sky’….’

Race Stats

· Distance: 29.7m

· Elevation gain: 2012m

· Elevation loss: 2012m

· Checkpoints: Two with food/ liquid.

Facilities on offer at the race

· On site car parking

· Food and drink at 2-checkpoints

· Insured race with medical support

· Shower and changing facilities at the finish

· Electronic Chip Timing from RaceTimerPro

· Comprehensive participant guide, sent 1 month before the event

· Experienced marshals and staff

Race dates and times.

3rd August, 8am start.

£45.00

Website: http://www.peakskyrace.co.uk

Entry: http://www.peakskyrace.co.uk/enter

Skyrunning UK: http://www.skyrunninguk.com

2014 SKYRUNNING WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS – Entry Guidelines

Posted on March 21, 2014 by talkultra

ENTRY GUIDELINES

2014 SKYRUNNING WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

June 27-29, 2014, Chamonix, France

The 2014 Skyrunning World Championships sold out in days! However, don’t despair. Places are available, 18 in total, across all three disciplines, VK, SKY and ULTRA based on ISF World Ranking Points or experience/ results for 2012 and 2013 in the SWS (Skyrunner World Series).

The 2014 Skyrunning World Championships will comprise three Skyrunning disciplines:

Vertical Kilometer®
SkyMarathon®
Ultra SkyMarathon®

: ©iancorless.com

OPEN ENTRY

Entry is open to individual athletes, teams and nations. As you will know, all three races are NOW FULL however, we are able to offer 6-places in each race (18-places in total)

RANKING

− Titles and medals will be awarded to individuals and nations

− Individuals will be ranked in each race

− The Combined World Champion title is based on the best results of the

Vertical Kilometer® & SkyMarathon®

− National ranking will be based on the best results of three men and one woman of each nation across all three disciplines

: ©iancorless.com

ENTRIES

− 2 entries are reserved for each ISF Member Nation

− 2 entries are reserved for 2013 National Skyrunning Champions (in countries where they exist)

− 2 entries per nation are reserved for athletes included in the top 100 of the 2013 ISF World Ranking

Skyrunninguk will allocate places to those runners who have participated in the Skyrunner World Series in 2013 and 2012 and preference will be given to athletes who appear in the ISF World Ranking available HERE

SLOTS ARE AVAILABLE (based on ISF Ranking) as follows:

ULTRA

Ian Sharman
Ricky Lightfoot
Iain Ridgway
Claire Price
Lizzie Wraith

Special consideration – Stuart Air

*Places available on merit and experience

: ©iancorless.com

SKY

Rob Simpson
Joe Symonds
Oli Johnson
Anna Lupton
Tessa Hill
Jasmin Paris

Reserves: Hector Haines, Carl Bell, Ricky Lightfoot, Karl Gray, Rob Jebb, Samuel Tosh, Emma Clayton, Angela Mudge

Robbie Simpson
Tessa Hill

*Places available based on merit and previous experience

If you would like to accept a place or enquire about an opportunity to race, please email skyrunninguk@yahoo.co.uk

Any available places will be offered based on experience and past performances in Skyrunning races/ results.

INFO:

World Championships – HERE

Race Website – HERE

Trail Running Magazine – Skyrunning

Posted on March 10, 2014 by talkultra

The new issue of Trail Running is on sale now! In selected WHSmiths,

Asda, Booths, Co-op, Martin McColls, Sainsbury¹s, Spar & all good

newsagents.

Or subscribe & save at www.greatmagazines.co.uk/tr

Robbie Britton fired up for Skyrunning debut

Posted on February 25, 2014 by talkultra

The new team inov-8 recruit has revelled in a phenomenal past 12 months and is now looking ahead to a 2014 calendar stacked with some of the world’s toughest ultra distance races.

Having smashed the course record at the recent 66-mile Pilgrims Challenge, Robbie is now preparing for his Skyrunning debut at Transvulcania La Palma the first race in the 2014 Skyrunner World Series.

In his first inov blog, 27-year-old Robbie writes:

“My 2014 season is underway and I’ve already snared two victories, including the two-day Pilgrims Challenge 66-miler on the North Downs Way. Four years ago the Pilgrims Challenge took me a total of 15 hours to complete, and the on the second day alone I was running for nine hours. This year I broke the course record, clocking a total time of 8 hrs 8 mins for the two days combined. Next up is Transvulcania, on the island of La Palma, one of the Canary Islands. This is the first race in the 2014 Skyrunner World Series calendar and all the world’s best ultra-distance mountain runners will be there. I have been to La Palma once before, taking in a few epic days in the mountains before setting off to sail the Atlantic in a boat built by a crazy old man advertising for crew on Gumtree! At 51 miles, Transvulcania is a little bit short for me but it has more ascent – there’s 2,000m in the first 11 miles – than the 24-hour stuff. I will go there, chuck myself in the mix and see what happens. I am always up for challenging myself. After that I have the World 24hr Running Championships. The target this year is a top-10 finish. I’m already feeling good about my chances as I feel fitter and stronger than I was last year. And what year would be complete without a trip to the Alps? The 103-mile TNF Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc (UTMB) was shortened due to awful weather conditions the last time I ventured to Chamonix in 2012, but the atmosphere of the race got into my blood and this year I will return. I can’t wait.”

In 2013, Robbie won the high-profile 2013 South Downs Way 100 miler in a new course record, ran at the World 24hr Running Championships and completed the gruelling 152-mile Spartathlon race in Greece.

Next month Robbie will attend inov-8’s 2014 UK and European athlete retreat, to be held in the Lake District.

Transvulcania Vertical Kilometer® – Skyrunner® World Series

Posted on January 30, 2014 by talkultra

Vertical Kilometer, Transvulcania La Palma, ≠©iancorless.com

From sea to sky, 1,000 metres high, the 2014 Skyrunner® World Series kicks off with a cracking new race on the magical island of La Palma, Spain. Transvulcania, renowned for the Ultramarathon, launches the Transvulcania Vertical Kilometer® on May 8. Starting at sea level, it ascends the steepest, most technical section of the Ultra and offers incredible views of the Atlantic coast – for those with the courage to look down.

Vertical Kilometer, Transvulcania La Palma ©iancorless.com

The course was designed to complement the SWS Transvulcania Ultramarathon (May 10) and the half and marathon distances. From the black Tazacorte beach, the 6.6 km single track course ascends the imposing cliff face with a 40% incline before settling into a “flatter” final section to finish at 1,160m altitude. The overall incline averages 30%.

The upper section of the course follows an ancient goat-herders’ path and finishes at the El Time antenna, (the last aid station of the Ultra), rewarding runners with incomparable views of the Aridane Valley and the ocean in the distance.

With the world’s top vertical specialists leading the way, entries open on Saturday, February 1^st, limited to 200 places. Not for the faint-hearted, as the race slogan says, “Get ready to meet your fate”!

See here for entry and race information.

2014 Skyrunner® World Series

Follow us on Facebook and twitter for updates

ROCKTAPE sponsor Skyrunning UK

Posted on January 30, 2014 by talkultra

Skyrunning UK is pleased to announce that ROCKTAPE will be the first sponsor to support the Skyrunner® Series UK.

Just like all our participants in the Skyrunner® Series UK, the ROCKTAPE team are avid athletes. ROCKTAPE already supports various UK based events and athletes in a variety of sports; notably Ultra runner and Lakeland 100 winner Terry Conway and Salomon International athlete, Anna Frost.

AnnaFrost_©peignee_verticale.com

TerryConway_UTLD100

No matter how carefully we prepare and train, injuries happen and unfortunately they can happen on a frequent basis, especially when pushing at the limits. ROCKTAPE is not just for the injured athlete, it can also be used to help delay fatigue and improve posture/running form.

Today, ‘Kinesiology Tape’ is widely used throughout the world to treat injuries and pain. ROCKTAPE is the only tape specifically engineered to meet the demands of elite athletes. Why is it unique? Stick and Stretch. Its unique glue means that unlike many other tapes ROCKTAPE stays on the skin come hell or high water. ROCKTAPE stretches twice as much as most kinesiology tape and is engineered to mimic human skin. The ‘stretch’ is the secret behind ROCKTAPE!

How does it work? When applied properly, ROCKTAPE lifts the skin away from the muscle, which promotes positive changes in the body’s fluid, mechanical and neurological systems. Commonly people wearing Rocktape report less pain, swelling and tightness, greater awareness of the area and later onset of fatigue.

Paul Coker, Medical Director, Rocktape UK explains, “We are really pleased to be able to support the Skyrunner® UK series in its inaugural year, we hope it’s the beginning of a long term-relationship. ROCKTAPE offers lots of great benefits to runners, this partnership is a perfect way to showcase our product and increase awareness of ROCKTAPE amongst the trail and ultra running community. As a very enthusiastic but distinctly average runner myself its also a great reason to be at Sky races and witness some of the worlds best athletes run.”

Skyrunning UK is well aware of the benefits that may be obtained both pre-exercise, during exercise and post exercise from ROCKTAPE.

“We strongly believe that our partnership is a great step forward not only for the Skyrunner® Series UK but also all our athletes who will perform in our series” explains Ian Corless, Director of Skyrunning UK “Paul and myself have had plenty of communication over the past 2-years. I have used ROCKTAPE to help recover from injuries and I have also used products in training to prevent onward injuries. I fully understand and believe in the product. It’s great to have a sponsor on board that will directly benefit every participant in a Skyrunner® Series UK event. Why is this? Well, ROCKTAPE will be present at our events and provide on hand advice, show taping techniques and directly get involved with each and every runner. It’s a really exciting prospect.”

BenAbdelnoor_inov8

The 2014 Skyrunner® Series UK is developing each and every day. Skyrunning UK has already announced two ULTRA events, the V3K in Wales for June and the 3×3 in the Lakes for October. With the imminent announcement of new events to the 2014 calendar and the sponsorship of ROCKTAPE the Skyrunner® Series UK is already proving to be one of the most exciting race series prospects for those who love to run over technical and demanding terrain with plenty of vertical gain within the UK.

Less cloud. More sky!

Skyrunning UK website – www.skyrunninguk.com

ROCKTAPE – www.rocktape.net

V3K Race Website – http://www.vegan-welsh-3000s.co.uk

3×3 Ultra Website – http://www.highterrainevents.co.uk/24.html

V3K joins the Skyrunner® Series UK – Skyrunning UK

Posted on January 22, 2014 by talkultra

It’s no easy task… 15-peaks all over 900m (3000ft) in 55-km’s. This is the challenge that awaits those who are brave enough to join the journey of the Welsh 3000’s in the V3K Ultra; the new addition to the Skyrunning UK calendar and the Skyrunner® Series UK.

Skyrunning UK embraces tough and technical challenges; the V3K with over 4000m’s of vertical gain is exactly what a Skyrunning race in the UK should be. Where earth meets sky is our ethos and the Welsh 3000’s will provide this in abundance.

Kirsch Bowker, RD for the V3K explains, “It’s an incredible and exciting opportunity. I have followed Skyrunning for the last couple of years. The launch of the Skyrunner® Series UK is a significant moment and to be involved right from the start is quite incredible for us.”

This range of mountains provides an absolute classic point-to-point race, starting with Snowdon and finishing with Foel Fras, arguably the toughest section will be Crib Goch. The route will involve scrambling, hand-on-knees climbing and it certainly isn’t a route for those who may be scared of heights.

“The route has been my life, I have covered this route time and time again. I adore it,” said Bowker “The idea for the race has been a long-term project. I undertook this with two friends; unfortunately one of those friends has now passed away so this race is a tribute. I know the mountains personally.”

Iain Ridgway, an experienced International mountain fell and ultra runner had this to say, “Superb, it’s about time the Welsh 3000’s received some serious attention, this will generate more interest in a challenge to Colin Donnelly’s record (set in 1988), which is up there with the Bob Graham as one of the all time great UK mountain records. The route has it all from fast running to really technical rough terrain. It must rank as some of the most technical terrain covered by a UK mountain race.”

“The hardest section is down Crib y Ddysgl and then the ascent of Crib Goch and traverse of its pinnacles. That’s followed by almost 2500ft descent to Nant Peris and soon after a 3000ft ascent of Elidir which is a long drag,” Iain says with an obvious excitement about the route “later on you have a steep unrelenting 2000ft descent of Tryfan followed by an immediate re-ascent of 2000ft Pen Yr Ole Wen and then fast running over the Carneddau, so those who cope with those and have good legs from then on will do well.”

The 3VK is unique as a UK route because of its successive 2-3000ft ascents and descents (plus many smaller ones). It is going to test each and every participant.

Are you up to the challenge?

Join us on the start line of the V3K Ultra, June 28^th, 2014. Enter HERE

Details:

Race date: 28^th June 2014
Distance: 55km
Elevation: 4000m +/-
Race venue: Nant Gwynant
Race website: http://www.vegan-welsh-3000s.co.uk/#/v3k/4574002192

Get involved with Skyrunning UK

Website: http://skyrunninguk.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SkyrunningUk
Twitter: @skyrunninguk
Email: skyrunninguk@yahoo.co.uk

The Independent – Skyrunning UK

Posted on January 7, 2014 by talkultra

Not often that we see our niche sport of trail, mountain, ultra or Skyrunning making the main stream newspapers, so it’s great to see Skyrunning UK getting some space in The Indpendent.

Read the article HERE

If you don’t normally purchase a newspaper in the UK, maybe today is a good day to go out of your way and go get The Independent from the shelf. Lets face it, we’d love to see more running in the daily papers.

Skyrunning UK announce the 3x3ULTRA

Posted on January 6, 2014 by talkultra

A new year and what better way to start than with the announcement of the first race in the new Skyrunning UK ‘Skyrunner® National Series’ – the ‘3x3ULTRA’ by High Terrain Events.

Over 4000m (13,000ft) of ascent await participants of the 3x3Ultra. “It’s an opportunity to cover three classic Lakeland peaks in an accumulative distance of 80km’s”, says High Terrain Events race director, Ian Mulvey.

Salomon athlete, Ricky Lightfoot (IAU World Trail Champion 2013 and Otter course record holder) has been instrumental in combining his skills and knowledge in designing a course that will bring Skyrunning UK an event that ultimately will create the perfect flagship for the Skyrunner® National Series (SNS) within the UK.

Based on the classic ‘Lakes 3000’s’ the 80km route will include Scafell Pike, Helvellyn and Skiddaw. An amazing circular route over the best mountains available within the UK, it promises to be a tough challenge.

Lauri van Houten, executive director for the International Skyrunning Federation (ISF) has been instrumental in providing the backing and support to enable Skyrunning UK to become a reality. When asked about Skyrunning in the UK, Lauri had this to say:

“Some of the world’s top athletes come from the UK! Andy Symonds, Tom Owens, Ricky Lightfoot, Robbie Simpson, Tessa Hill, Anna Lupton and past SWS (Skyrunner® World Series) Champions Angela Mudge and Rob Jebb… British races are known for being tough and challenging. Skyrunning captures the spirit and tough technical challenges runners are looking for today. That’s the ‘feel’ we’d like to bring to the UK.”

The race route combines all the elements of a classic Lakeland run with aspects of European racing. “Skyrunning UK offers a great opportunity, we already have the main ingredients; technical terrain, beautiful mountains and hills” said Tom Owens (UK based Salomon athlete) “The UK has brilliant and committed athletes who love racing. We may not have the required altitude that a Skyrunning race would require in Europe but this is compensated for with the amount and steepness of climb that we can accumulate over distance, the 3x3Ultra is a great example of this.”

No stranger to Skyrunning, Salomon International athlete, Andy Symonds has performed with the best-of-the-best all over Europe, his podium finish at Transvulcania La Palma in 2012 a particular highlight also offered his approval of the 3x3Ultra:

“Skyrunning is about running high up on rough ground. Getting up, over and along big mountains with big views. The 3x3Ultra does just that and it’s great to see it finalized on the all new Skyrunning UK calendar, it’s an exciting time”.

The Skyrunner® National Series will bring a new race series to the UK. Made up of five races in each category (Sky and Ultra), runners will accumulate ranking points by competing in at least three out of five races over the SkyRace® and Ultra SkyMarathon® distances. Respective male and female winners of the ‘SNS’ in 2015 will be rewarded with the ultimate prize; not only they will they be crowned champions of the ‘SNS’ but they will also receive the opportunity to race in the final of the Skyrunner® World Series.

Ian Corless, director for Skyrunning UK has been working for months in conjunction with the ISF Athlete Commission to bring this moment to fruition, “It’s about progression and development. Having witnessed Skyrunning from every level for the past 2-years and seen the growth, the excitement, the opportunities; to not be part of this in the UK would be a shame. The sport is growing at all levels. In time I hope we will have a series of UK based Skyrunning teams similar to the model that inov-8 have created. A Skyrunner® National Series will provide not only a great structure for the sport but it will also provide a springboard for UK athletes to race in other countries but equally, we hope to attract foreign athletes to race on home soil. The announcement of the 3x3Ultra clearly states our intentions for what a Skyrunning event should be in the UK.”

Lauri van Houten continues, “The only setback has been the difficulty in finding the right person to represent Skyrunning in the UK and bring it in line with other countries. It’s been hard to find a replacement but Ian Corless has embodied that and with his contacts and know-how we’re confident he’ll pull a great movement together.”

The stage is set for the 3x3Ultra.

Ian Mulvey, race director for the 3x3Ultra explained his thoughts and vision:

“It will showcase what we have to offer in the UK and hopefully attract international runners enabling the top UK athletes to race against the world’s best on their home terrain.”

When asked about the benefits Skyrunning will bring to the UK race circuit, Ian replied:

“Having raced in Europe I can see the potential of bringing Skyrunning to the UK. In terms of raising the profile of UK ultra running, I think this will take ultra running to the next level and give us recognition on an international scale. Now is the perfect time for this type of event, runners are looking for tougher challenges to strive for. Being part of the Skyrunning UK series I hope will raise the profile of the event & attract international athletes.”