Caldera de Taburiente – La Palma

Posted on December 9, 2012 by talkultra

La Isla Bonita – Transvulcania La Palma

Niandi and myself have arrived on the island of La Palma – ‘La Isla Bonita’ – the home of the Transvulacania La Palma.

We are here for a working holiday. By that I mean we are here on holiday but still working as and when we feel like. We both have commitments that we need to fulfil while out on the island but we plan to be really flexible… of course I have another episode of Talk Ultra to get out. Based on how slow the wifi is here in our apartment that may be a real challenge.

Anyway, we decided NOT to to ease ourselves into this and went out for a full on 8 hours on the trail on our first day. Considering the longest run I have done in the last 17/18 weeks has been 75 min (due to dodgy knees) that was somewhat optimistic. However, I knew that this was not gong to be a run… more of a tough long hike with some jogging (mostly downhill).

The Transvulcania course starts in the south of the island and heads up the spine to the dramatic Roque de Los Muchachos at 2426m and then from here you basically have a 32-36k drop back to the sea at Tazacorte and then a run into the finish at Los Llanos.

Niandi and myself don’t have the luxury of multiple cars or drop/ pick ups so pretty much all our days out will be out and back.

Today we went from the sea at Tazacorte Port and went straight up to 2400m, had a picnic, turned around and came straight back down.

An incredible day on the trails and while friends back in the UK struggled with snow and ice we had T shirts and shorts on for the whole trek. The course offers some tough technical terrain, the views are dramatic and once above the cloud one really does feel like a ‘Skyrunner’ quite literally.

I personally had a great day. The longest on my feet for months BUT dropping from 2400m to sea level in one go DID test the knees. It wasn’t pretty at times but I am happy.

Here are some images from the day:

No warm up, from Tazacorte you go up for 18k

Caves in the rock face – once homes!

Follow the GR markers

Niandi has a break

About 1800m up, still a way to go…

Running through the cloud was incredible

Just stunning

Once through the cloud layer the views are incredible and the temp was 20+ deg

After 7 hours on the trail, with just 1 hour to go we get to see the sun disappear.

Skyrunning Calendar 2013

Posted on November 30, 2012 by talkultra

2012 saw the ISF take running above the clouds to new heights. The vision of Marino Giacometti and Lauri Van Houten was fulfilled with the first event, the Transvulcania La Palma and this set the stage for an incredible year of racing. The inclusion of ultra distance races made some of the worlds greatest runners realise that Skyrunning had something new to offer. Tough, technical and gnarly courses at altitude with incredible competition.

With a season over and a new year ahead, we have great pleasure in releasing the 2013 calendar. Certainly from an ultra perspective the inclusion of the Ronda dels Cims in Andorra will set the stage for a battle ‘royal’ at the 100 mile distance. This course is renowned for its difficulty and altitude gain at 13,000m. As a season final, we have UROC (Ultra Race of Champions) in Colorado. At 100km this will provide an incredible closure to what I am sure will be the best Skyrunning year ever!

As you will know, I have had great pleasure to be at many of the events in 2012 and this will continue in 2013. I will be bringing you news, reports, articles, images, facebook posts and tweets as an exciting year above the clouds unfolds…

2013 SKYRUNNER^®WORLD SERIES

– new races, new format

Skyrunner^® World Series celebrates 10 years!

November 30, 2012 Press release by Lauri Van Houten, ISF

It’s curtains up on the 2013 Skyrunner® World Series which celebrates ten years with some of the best and most exciting races across the world. The new Series is divided into three stand-alone circuits: Sky, Ultra and Vertical, each with their own titles and prizes – clean and simple!

The introduction of the ultra distance this year wrote a new page in skyrunning. The Series kicked off with the Transvulcania Ultramarathon on the Spanish island of La Palma, which saw probably the deepest field of world-class runners to date. The spectacular 83km course and 4,400m vertical climb will represent a major challenge to competitors in 2013 as once again the race opens the Ultra Series.

The success of the 2012 Ultra Series paved the way for our first 100-miler – the Ronda dels Cims. With a gruelling 13,000m-elevation gain, the race will take place on the longest day under the full moon crossing the entire Principality of Andorra.

The Speedgoat 50K will be back with top runners and a fast course reaching three passes at 3,400m altitude in Snowbird, Utah, USA.

Two favourite skyrunning locations from the past also make a comeback: Val d’Isère and Vail, Colorado. The Ice Trail Tarentaise, 65 km with 5,000m vertical climb, will test the best against the spectacular backdrop of the Rhône-Alpes Region, site of the ’92 Winter Olympics while Vail in Denver, Colorado, will host the Ultra Race of Champions “UROC” – the Ultra Series final. American and European legends will compete in this new 100 km race, very much at high altitude with four passes at 3,600m – a race of champions indeed.

Two of Europe’s most famous mountains feature in the Sky Series: the Mont-Blanc Marathon which will also host the KM Vertical in Chamonix the same weekend, and the new Matterhorn Ultraks, a fast, 46 km race in Zermatt, in the shadow of the world’s most famous peak will, without a doubt, attract top runners.

Spain’s long-standing testing ground of champions, the Maratòn Alpina Zegama-Aizkorri, launches the Sky Series and the popular Pikes Peak Marathon in Colorado USA, will again feature. To close, yet another new venue offers both a nocturnal Vertical and the Sky Series final: Skyrunning Xtreme, a short, steep technical race towering over Italy’s famous Lake Garda.

Russia’s Mount Elbrus Vertical Kilometer® launches the entire skyrunning season and the Vertical Series on May 7. Entirely over snow, the VK reaches an altitude of 3,450m, the world’s highest race of its kind. The Vertical Series continues with the Ribagorza Vertical Kilometer® on the site of the 2012 SkyGames® in Spain, followed by Greece’s Gerania Vertical Kilometer®, dominating the Corinthian Gulf.

See below for the full calendars in each Series.

Some numbers from the 2013 Skyrunner® World Series: nine new entries, two brand new races – 653m kilometres and 43,632 vertical climb – six races located in the world’s top ski resorts (Chamonix, Zermatt, Vallnord, Val d’Isère, Snowbird, Vail) – without a doubt some of the best places to run in summer…see you there!

SKY

1. SPAIN: Maratòn Alpina Zegama-Aizkorri – 42k, Zegama – May 26

2. FRANCE: Mont-Blanc Marathon – 42k, Chamonix – June 30

3. USA: Pikes Peak Marathon, Colorado – 42k – August 18

4. SWITZERLAND: Matterhorn Ultraks – 46k, Zermatt – August 24

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

ULTRA

1. SPAIN: Transvulcania Ultramarathon – 83k, La Palma – May 11

2. ANDORRA: Ronda dels Cims – 170k, Vallnord – June 21

3. FRANCE: Ice Trail Tarentaise – 65k, Val d’Isère – July 14

4. USA: Speedgoat – 50k, Park City, Utah – July 27

5. USA: Ultra Race of Champions “UROC” -100k, Vail, September 28

VERTICAL

1. RUSSIA: Mount Elbrus Vertical Kilometer^® – May 7

2. SPAIN: Ribagorza Vertical Kilometer^®, Barruera – May 18

3. FRANCE: KM Vertical, Chamonix – June 28

4. GREECE: Gerania Vertical Kilometer^®, Loutraki– September 8

5. ITALY: Xtreme Vertical Kilometer^®, Limone sul Garda – October 11

Information

Ranking points

The three best results in each Series are scored in ranking. Ranking points in the final races of all three Series will be increased by 20%. Ranking points breakdown: 100-88-78-72-68-66-64-62-60-58-56-54-52-50 down to 2 points to 40^th position for men and 15^th position for women.

Legend

SKY – races more than 22 km and less than 50 km long with at least 1,300m positive vertical climb (SkyRace^® and SkyMarathon^®)

ULTRA – races over 50 km long that exceed the SkyMarathon^® parameters (Ultra SkyMarathon^®)

VERTICAL – races with 1,000m positive vertical climb not exceeding 5 km distance (Vertical Kilometer^®)

Contact:

Lauri van Houten, International Skyrunning Federation

Tel +39 335 8000061 lvanhouten@skyrunning.com

Transvulcania La Palma – Running Fitness UK Oct2012

Posted on September 7, 2012 by talkultra

Some more great publicity for a very special race, the 2012 Transvulcania La Palma.

Published in RUNNING FITNESS October 2012

Part of the ISF International Skyrunning Federation ULTRA series

Ultra SkyMarathon® Series

*SPAIN:  TRANSVULCANIA ULTRA MARATHON – La Palma – May 12
USA:  Speedgoat 50K – Snowbird, Utah – July 28
ITALY:  Trofeo Kima UltraSkyMarathon® – Valmasino, Sondrio – August 26
SPAIN:  Cavalls del Vent – Cadi-Moixeró Natural Park – Pyrenees – September 29
FRANCE:  La Course des Templiers – Millau, Grands Causses – October 28

You can download the article in PDF HERE

ULTRArunning Magazine – Transvulcania

Posted on July 16, 2012 by talkultra

Really pleased today to finally get some proofs from ULTRARUNNING magazine on my article on the Transvulcania La Palma which I attended earlier this year as part of Skyrunning’s new ultra series of races.

Ultra SkyMarathon® Series

This article is in the July issue. You may download the article HERE

Please go to the website to view and subscribe to the magazine HERE

Usain Bolt’s record falls… ‘ish’

Posted on June 2, 2012 by talkultra

It only takes a few beers, the side of a volcano, some of the best ultra runners in the world and the talent of Salomon Team Manager, Greg Vollet to put Usain Bolt’s 100m record to bed! Well, sort of…

Admittedly, Greg did say after his run that he has a new respect for Usain Bolt. It is all well and good running down a vertical slope and ‘just’ breaking the record, BUT to go that fast on the flat is quite something else.

Well done Greg. It was a pleasure to see this at first hand. What a fun way to spend a few hours.

Transvulcania La Palma – The Movie

Posted on May 31, 2012 by talkultra

A hard and extreme Ultramarathon, proof that only men of iron and women of steel can overcome, many try, many want to, but only a few will achieve the goal. The body is pushed to extremes in a race that all who participate call spectacular, breathtaking, addictive, and challenging. The 2012 event included a stellar line up with athletes travelling from all over the world to take part. To reach the goal of the finish line is everybody’s dream but the reality is not an easy one… welcome to the fourth edition of the Salomon Transvulcania Nature Trail

The Gap between US & Europe…

Posted on May 26, 2012 by talkultra

Last weekend I was standing around in the pouring 45F rain in the town square of Zegama in the Basque Country of northern Spain. Montana mountain runner Mike Wolfe had just crossed the finish threshold of the Zegama-Aizkorri SkyMarathon in 14th place as the top American and was still visibly amped up about the weather, the course, his race.

“I was passing people like crazy on the climbs, and I consider myself comfortable on technical trails, but these guys just go nuts on the downhills. I’ve never seen people run downhill like that before!”

Hearing that from such an accomplished mountain athlete as Mike helped me realize the true gap that currently exists between long distance mountain races in the U.S. versus those in Europe.

Read the great post in full by Anton Krupicka HERE

Skyrunning South Africa – press release

Posted on May 25, 2012 by talkultra

South African trail running takes to the Sky official press release – 24nd May, 2012

In 1991, an Italian man by the name of Marino Giacometti (pictured left) introduced the world to a brand new concept of running. Traversing some of Europe’s highest peaks including Monta Rosa in northern Italy and Mont Blanc in France, Giacometti’s dream was to create a series of unique and challenging mountain running events that encapsulated the true meaning of “running in the clouds”. A few years later, and with the first high altitude trial hosted on the slopes of Mount Everest, Skyrunning was born.

Twenty years on, and as the interest in Skyrunning continues to grow at a rapid rate in both Europe and in North America, as well as in Asia and New Zealand, South
Africa begins a new chapter in the development of off-road running as this dynamic sport makes its way to our country’s mountain ranges.

In August 2011, the South African Skyrunning Association (SASA) was founded, becoming a voting member of the International Skyrunning Federation (ISF). As part of its mandate, SASA’s goals and objectives include helping with the ISF’s vision of growing and promoting the sport of Skyrunning on a global basis, introducing local South African runners to the idea of competing on a national Skyrunning circuit, and international runners to the opportunity of competing on South African soil.
So what is Skyrunning you ask? The ISF have introduced a unique criteria that defines a Skyrunning event. From specific cumulative altitude gain across the race route profile, to minimum and maximum elevations above sea level, Skyrunning events encompass a wide variety of mountain terrain. Comprising of events such as the Skymarathon®, Skyrace® and Vertical Kilomoeter®, as well as the newly introduced Skytrail, some 35 000 athletes world-wide enjoy National, European and World Series events. The Skygames®, which takes place every four years in the same year as the Olympics, also offers Skyrunners from around the world the opportunity to represent their country in a multi-disciplined format of mountain races.

As one of the primary objectives of SASA, its mandate includes identifying existing trail and mountain running events in South Africa that will be interested in hosting a national Skyrunning circuit event. Coupled with these existing events, the opportunity also lies in the introduction of new mountain running races as part of this national circuit, events that will continue to pioneer this new chapter in the county’s mountain running scene, all gaining recognition as official Skyrunning races. “There are many quality South African races which already exist and qualify to host a national circuit event,” says James Hallett, founder of SASA. “With a landscape that boasts some exceptional mountainous terrain, I feel that South Africa has the potential to become a world class Skyrunning destination.”

For the local runners, it’s an opportunity to join SASA as a registered Skyrunner®, allowing them to enter and compete in these various national circuit events to accumulate points, much like a Formula 1 driver would throughout a racing season, in the hopes of being crowned national Skyrunning Champion.

“We feel that the idea of competing on a national circuit will appeal to both elite athletes and regular runners alike, allowing them to challenge themselves and others each year. This will not detract from them being a regular trail runner, however with the added opportunity of being selected to represent South Africa at a Skyrunning World Series event, or even a Skygames®, it’s something that we feel will encourage runners to join, opening up many avenues for aspiring athletes wanting to perform on the world mountain running stage.” says Hallett.
South African Skyrunning Assocoiation

As part of SASA’s launch campaign, thanks to the ISF and funding from the organisers of one of Europe’s longest standing European Skyrunning Series races, the Sierre-Zinal Skymarathon®, a top South African athlete will be heading to Switzerland in August to compete in the 2011 event.

Linda Doke is one of South Africa’s most accomplished trail athletes, having performed exceptionally well at some of South Africa’s premier trail running events over the past 8 months including the 2011 Salomon Skyrun and 2012 ADDO Elephant Trail Run (victory in the women’s category for both races). Having also recently competed in her 16th Two Oceans Ultra-marathon, as well as having a solid training base behind her as she prepares for her 10th Comrades Marathon in June, SASA has selected Linda not only for her ability as a runner but also as a fitting ambassador to represent South African Skyrunning.

“I’m incredibly excited to have been selected to represent SASA at the Sierre-Zinal in August,” says Doke. “I’m sure that being a part of the Skyrunning World Series, the race will be very tough, as will all the seasoned alpine speedsters I’ll be competing against, so it’s a real privilege

to be a part of it. With the Skyrunning concept having taken Europe by storm, and through the formation of SASA, South Africa has a fantastic opportunity to showcase its most technically challenging trail and mountain races to the world.”

SASA will be hoping to announce the 2013 national Skyrunning circuit later this year, with negotiations having already begun with interested event organisers. Runners wishing to sign up as registered Skyrunners should keep their eyes on the official SASA website for more details as and when they break, including information about the events hosting the national circuit.

Should you wish to find out more about Skyrunning, please visit the SASA website or folllow our social media channels on Facebook and Twitter

You can also contact SASA by emailing skyrunningsa@gmail.com