Tag: Sierre Zinal

Laukli and Kiriago Crowned Winners at 50th Sierre Zinal

Written by Tomo Sarf on 12/08/2023. Posted in Latest News.

Over the years Sierre Zinal has provided one of the highlights of every mountain running season and every year we think it will be impossible to top the previous one. Would the 50^th edition of Sierre Zinal, the next long mountain race in this year’s Valsir Mountain Running World Cup, be a classic?

If there’s one thing you can guarantee at Sierre Zinal it’s that it will provide a plot that unfolds as the race progresses. With its long, mostly runnable uphill section all the way up to 2400m, and a final, fast downhill third which has often decided the race, it’s a race of many parts and the eventual winners rarely lead from the start. And because of its iconic reputation it attracts established runners on the world stage and newer names, so it often throws up surprises in the top 10.

Such was the depth of this year’s field that it really was anybody’s race for both the men and the women. Nine-time men’s winner, Kilian Jornet, was absent due to injury, and Maude Mathys, three-time women’s winner was also a non-starter, but we had many previous top 10 finishers, runners riding high in the World Cup this year, and some exciting newcomers.

Conditions had been warm in the valley the day before the race, with the temperature topping 30 degrees centigrade. However, race day dawned slightly cooler and more overcast, which was perfect for the runners. There are some very exposed sections on this course, mostly in the second half and so close to the hottest part of the day for the runners.

Unlike many other races the men and women start together at Sierre Zinal. The non-elites (or ‘tourists’ as they are known at the event) set off between 4.45am and 6.10am, so everybody gets to experience the finish line atmosphere. They would all take on the 31km course, with 2200m of ascent.

The men’s race

The start of the men’s race saw some runners clearly strike out for the front. There was a small group which included Philemon Ombogo Kiriago (KEN) and Patrick Kipngeno (KEN), but it seemed that others in the next group, including Eli Hemming (USA), Thibaut Baronian (FRA), Remi Bonnet (SUI) and Elhousine Elazzaoui (MAR), were content to let them go for now.

With Kipngeno in the lead the expectation was that the main ascent of the course would be very fast, and the opportunity would come for other runners on the descent, where he isn’t as strong as others. So it was something of a surprise that he got to the first timing point two minutes behind the course record pace. At Ponchette he had 34 seconds on Kiriago in second and 1.18 on Bonnet in third. Another surprise at this point was that Vataliy Shafar (UKR), a marathon runner who we haven’t seen in mountain races, was in fourth. Julius Njeri (KEN) was in fifth, with Xavier Chevrier (ITA), Roberto Delorenzi (SUI), Baronian and Elazzauoi all close behind.

Kipngeno maintained his lead through Chandolin and there was little movement among the leaders at this point, and he even stretched his lead out a little coming into Tignousa. But here we saw Kevin Kibet (KEN) begin to make his presence known. He was two minutes behind Kiriago in third, with Shafar, Njeri, Chevrier and Bonnet chasing.

Arriving at Weisshorn Kipngeno still had the lead, but Kiriago was starting to close and Njeri was starting to fade. Sylvain Cachard (FRA) had started to move up a little by this point and now lay in eighth. We knew that Kipngeno needed to begin the downhill with a decent lead to be able to hold off the stronger descenders. Had he done enough?

When Kiriago made his move it was decisive. He overtook Kipngeno with around 8km to go and he looked very strong. Kibet was still holding onto third and Cachard had by this point made his way up to fourth. Robbie Simpson (GBR) had also moved up through the field to eighth by now. We were on for a very exciting finish.

Kiriago held on to win the men’s race in 2.27.27, celebrating his 21^st birthday in style with the second fastest men’s time ever. Kipngeno held onto second place and there was an exciting spring finish for third, with Cachard passing Kibet on the descent, but then Kibet overtaking him as they hit the flat. Delorenzi was fifth and Simpson moved up to take sixth, continuing his incredible run of results here. Baronian was seventh, Chevrier eighth, Shafar hung onto ninth and Maestri came through for tenth.

The women’s race

For the women it was Philaries Kisang (KEN), who struck out into the lead from the start. We knew she would be strong on the ascent, having finished second in the uphill race at the World Championships this year. Monica Florea (ROU) sat in behind her, with Joyce Muthoni (KEN) a little further back and Nienke Brinkman (NED), the 2021 runner-up here a couple of minutes behind, perhaps a bit further back than we’d have expected her.

But while Kisang looked strong, Florea looked stronger and managed to pass her and create a buffer of 53 seconds by Ponchette. Sophia Laukli (USA), who recently won the Mont Blanc Marathon, was just behind Kisang in third at this point, with Muthoni just under a minute behind her. After a gap of another minute came Emma Pooley (SUI), ex-professional cyclist, Brinkman, then Rachel Drake (USA), Allie McLaughlin (USA), Camilla Magliano (ITA) and Alice Gaggi (ITA).

At this point the women’s race looked wide open. Kisang remained in touch with Florea, who was still leading, Laukli remained in contact with her and Muthoni was just behind them. Then there was a gap of around three minutes to Pooley in fifth. But the main question was whether Florea and Kisang had gone too hard in the early miles.

Then the women’s race really started to shake out. Laukli moved into second, Muthoni passed Kisang, then Laukli took the lead from Florea just as they came into Tignousa. But they were all close together, with Pooley five minutes further back and Brinkman leading the chasing pack. McLaughlin had moved up into seventh by this point.

Laukli maintained her lead through the next couple of timing points, managing to stretch it out to almost two minutes by Barneuza. Florea was fading and Kisang managed to regain third place, continuing to chase hard, even though the gap looked too big to close by now. But the race for the minor places was really hotting up, with Miao Yao (CHI) moving up the field, along with Gaggi.

Laukli, aged just 23, kept pushing hard and took the women’s win in 2.53.17, the third fastest women’s time ever. Muthoni took second and Kisang ran an incredibly brave race to hang onto third, Yao came through for fourth, with Gaggi finishing an impressive fifth. Brinkman was sixth, Florea seventh in the end, McLaughlin eighth and Pooley ninth. Lucy Murigi, three-time winner finished tenth.

Men’s top 5

Philemon Ombogo Kiriago (KEN) – 2.27.27
Patrick Kipngeno (KEN) – 2.28.50
Kevin Kibet (KEN) – 2.34.16
Sylvain Cachard (FRA) – 2.34.22
Roberto Delorenzi (SUI) – 2.35.17

Women’s top 5

Sophia Laukli (USA) – 2.53.17
Joyce Muthoni (KEN) – 2.57.19
Philaries Kisang (KEN) – 3.01.06
Miao Yao (CHI) – 3.04.05
Alice Gaggi (ITA) – 3.05.38

Find full results here: DS live (datasport.com)

Valsir Mountain Running World Cup

It was fantastic to see so many athletes riding high in this year’s World Cup achieving such strong results here. It shows how the World Cup is showcasing some of the best athletes in the sport. In the men’s race Kiriago and Kipngeno are first and second in the current rankings and will extend their leads here. Cachard, currently in tenth in this year’s competition will add important points and Hemming will also move up the rankings.

In the women’s World Cup rankings Muthoni is our current leader and will extend that lead here. Kisang is in third but will now move into second. Murigi, McLaughlin and Florea will add to their tally, and Saapunki and Magliano will also move up the table.

Next World Cup races

The next stop for the Valsir Mountain Running World Cup is Vertical Nasego on September 2^nd and Trofeo Nasego on September 3^rd. Find out more about the races here: Trofeo Nasego Corsa in Montagna – Pucia la Nasego!

Sierre Zinal celebrates 50th year with incredible elite fields

Written by Tomo Sarf on 08/08/2023. Posted in Latest News.

After a break of a few weeks this weekend the Valsir Mountain Running World Cup heads to Switzerland for perhaps the most famous mountain race of them all, Sierre-Zinal!

This is our next long distance mountain race, at 31km with 2200m of ascent, and it traditionally attracts the most competitive field of all the World Cup races. This year is no exception. We take a look at the history of this event, which is celebrating its 50^th edition this year, and preview the elite fields this year.

Sierre Zinal is an iconic race in so many ways. It was first run in 1974 and men and women have always raced over the same distance here. Over the years it has seen some epics duels between the greats of the sport, with the list of winners reading like an international who’s who of mountain running. But perhaps the most iconic aspect of all is the route.

Sierre Zinal is known as ‘la course des cinq 4000’ because the runners get to enjoy views of 5 peaks over 4000m along the way (Weisshorn (4506m), Zinalrothorn (4221m), Obergabelhorn (4073m) Matterhorn (4478m) and Dent Blanche (4357m)). Athletes start in Sierre at 570m and then climb up to the highest point at 2425m at Nava over the course of 24km. Then the final 7km is downhill, culminating in a frantic sprint through Zinal to the finish line at 1680m. It’s a tantalisingly runnable, fast course, which as we know results in some very exciting racing.

Famously in 2019 both the men’s and women’s records fell, with Kilian Jornet setting a new mark of 2.25.35 and Maude Mathys 2.49.20. Mathys has subsequently lowered this again to 2.46.03. Unfortunately neither Mathys nor Jornet will be on the start line this year, but there’s an incredible amount of depth to both fields, including some very exciting athletes we haven’t seen at Sierre Zinal before.

Women’s race

We may not have Mathys but we will have the athletes who finished in second place to her in 2021 and 2022. Nienke Brinkman (NED) had an incredible run here in 2021, and combines great climbing ability (she won Zegama in 2022) with speed on the flat (her marathon PB is 2.22). Our runner-up from last year, Philaries Kisang (KEN) is having a great season with a second place in the uphill race at the World Championships, a second at La Montee du Nid d’Aigle and a third place at Fletta Trail. The runner-up from 2019, Judith Wyder (SUI), will also be on the start line, having recently won Dolomyths.

There’s an exciting contingent of athletes from the US this year. Sophie Laukli won the Mont Blanc Marathon this year and finished second to Wyder at Dolomyths. Allie McLaughlin memorably won the snowy Broken Arrow Skyrace this year, as well as winning the uphill race at the 2022 World Championships and coming third at the up and down race. Bailey Kowalczyk was 5^th here last year and could improve on that this year. Other notable US women include Tabor Hemming (3^rd at Broken Arrow Skyrace, 10^th at Mont Blanc Marathon this year), Anna Gibson (winner of the Broken Arrow VK, second at the Skyrace) and Allie Ostrander.

Sarah McCormack (IRL) was 4^th here last year and Lucy Murigi (KEN) was 6^th. Murigi is a three-time former winner (2015, 2017, 2018). Nuria Gil (ESP) finished 7^th last year and 8^th in 2021. Could she improve on that again this year?

From the veterans to the newcomers, it will be exciting to see how Joyce Njeru (KEN) gets on in her first Sierre Zinal. With wins at La Montee du Nid d’Aigle and Fletta Trail and a 3^rd place at the World Championships classic race this year, her debut should be interesting. Another debut to watch will be Daniela Oemus (GER), who won Zegama this year and finished 6^th at the Mont Blanc Marathon.

Other notable athletes on the start line include Emelie Forsberg (SWE), Susanna Saapunki (FIN), Alice Gaggi (ITA), Theresa Leboeuf (SUI), Caitlin Fielder (NZ) and Emma Pooley (SUI).

Men’s race

Last year’s men’s winner, Andreu Blanes, will not return this year, nor will the nine-time winner Kilian Jornet, but the rest of last year’s podium will be there. Patrick Kipngeno (KEN), last year’s runner-up, is having an extremely successful year, winning La Montee du Nid d’Aigle, Piz Tri Vertical and the uphill race at the World Championships. Petro Mamu (ERI) was third last year and second in 2019 in the second fastest time on this course, ever (2.26.31).

Philemon Kiriago (KEN) was 5^th here last year and is having a very successful year, with a win at Fletta Trail and 2^nd places at La Montee du Nid d’Aigle, Piz Tri Vertical and the classic race at the World Championships. Likewise Remi Bonnet (SUI) is in form, having won the Mont Blanc Marathon this year and placed 4^th at Zegama. He was 8^th here in 2022. Davide Magnini (ITA) was 5^th at his last attempt at Sierre Zinal in 2021 and he’s had 2^nd places at Mont Blanc and Zegama in the meantime, so could well be one to watch. Robert Pkemoi (KEN) will also be exciting to follow here, having finished 6^th in 2022 and having also achieved a 5^th place at Zegama this year.

Robbie Simpson (GBR) has a lot of history with this race, having finished 2^nd an incredible 4 times (2016, 2017, 2018, and 2021), as well as finishing 5^th in 2019 and 9^th in 2022. He will always be in contention here. Cesare Maestri (ITA) has achieved a 3^rd place here in 2021 and he’s recently won Giir di Mont and a 3^rd place at Fletta Trail.

We will also see some exciting debuts in the men’s race. Elazzoui Elhousine (MAR) won Dolomyths this year and was 2^nd at Zegama. What can he do here? Matthias Kyburz (SUI) is a highly decorated orienteering champion with great flat speed and will be interesting to watch.

Other notable athletes on the start line include Xavier Chevrier (ITA), Eli Hemming (USA), Andrew Douglas (GBR), Francesco Puppi (ITA) and Joe Steward (GBR).

World Cup standings

With so many athletes riding high in the 2023 World Cup taking part this weekend, we could easily see some big changes in the rankings. 6 out of the current top 10 for both the women (Njeru, Kisang, Gibson, Murigi, McLaughlin, Saapunki) and the men (Kiriago, Kipngeno, Aymonod, Steward, Hemming, Cachard) will be taking part, so this could really shake up this year’s competition. See the latest classification here: World_Cup_Current_Classification.pdf (wmra.info)

How to follow

Sierre Zinal will be providing live tracking via their website and we will bring you the latest news via our social media channels. The race starts at 10.55am CET.

Mathys and Jornet Triumph Again At Sierre-Zinal

Written by Tomo Sarf on 07/08/2021. Posted in Latest News.

As far as our mountain running goes, by anybody’s metrics Sierre-Zinal is among the most revered races in the world. In terms of the competition it attracts each year, there’s no doubt about the quality and depth of the field. This year was no different. We had an 8-time winner (Kilian Jornet), a 3-time winner (Lucy Murigi), both record holders (Maude Mathys and Kilian), and both leaders of the current world rankings (Murigi and Henri Aymonod). Throw in a huge number of men and women who regularly appear on podiums for mountain and trail races all over the world every week and the race was definitely on.

Conditions were somewhat cooler than we see some years, so we knew we could be on for a fast time. Another early indicator was that the camera operators weren’t able to stay in touch with the leading men or women on the first climb, so we quickly lost visuals on the faster runners! The race set the women off 15 minutes ahead of the men and this meant that we got to see the women on the start line, the coverage throughout the race was equal, and crucially the first few women and men arrived at the finish line at roughly the same time, again leading to equal coverage.

It wasn’t until the first timing point at Ponchette, at around 7.5k, that we found out who was leading both races. It was no surprise to see defending champion Maude Mathys (SUI) emerge first, but it was something of a surprise to see Nienke Brinkman (NED) in second place. But her recent win at the Zermatt Marathon showed her class, even if she wasn’t among the known pre-race favourites here. Anais Sabrie (FRA) was next to reach Ponchette, completing the women’s top three.

In the early stages of the men’s race Kilian was biding his time, sitting in behind Remi Bonnet (SUI) and Petro Mamu (ERI) on the first climb. By the time they reached Ponchette Mamu, Kilian and Bonnet had struck out and were all together and this continued to Chandolin (12km). At this point Kilian decided that he was going to have to put some distance between himself and Mamu, so he dropped the hammer. In true Kilian style, even while hammering it downhill he was still smiling and chatting with the ebike riders manning the video cameras. He succeeded in striking out alone, opening a small gap, and Mamu was left in his wake, falling back a few places.

Meanwhile, in the women’s race Mathys maintained a small lead of just over a minute at Chandolin, while Brinkman continued to chase and maintain a good gap of 4 minutes on third-placed Sabrie. Behind Sabrie, Blandine L’Hirondel (FRA) was about a minute behind.

Behind Kilian the men’s race was definitely a race of two halves. Bonnet had fallen off the pace a little and our Grossglockner Berglauf winner, Lengen Lolkurraru (KEN), was now chasing Kilian hard in second. Thibault Baronian (FRA) and Cesare Maestri (ITA) were lurking in fourth and fifth place, within striking distance of the podium places and Robbie Simpson (GBR), who has three second place finishes to his name here, had moved up to seventh.

Mathys continued to push hard and was absolutely dominating the women’s race. She laid down an unbelievably fast 1.55 split at Hotel Weisshorn, giving her a four minute lead over Nienke Brinkman. Sabrie was now five minutes behind Brinkman, but as the commentators kept telling us on the live coverage, both Brinkman and Sabrie may be faster on the descent than Mathys, so that last 7k of downhill could still make all the difference!

By the next timing point in Barneuza, which is at 26k and well into the start of the descent it was all happening in the men’s race. Kilian was still in the lead and he now had about 90 seconds on second-placed Lolkurraru, but now Simpson was just behind in third and Maestri was on his heels. The men’s race was all coming down to who was the best descender and who had the legs when they hit the concrete.

The same was true in the women’s race. Mathys was taking the steep switchbacks carefully and Brinkman was gaining a little, but the gap was just too big and Mathys hit the finishing straight over three minutes ahead, with so much buffer that she decided to walk some of the final metres on her hands! It was a third victory in a row for Mathys, who looked elated.

Shortly afterwards Kilian rounded the corner to take his ninth victory! It was a great touch that he was greeted by Mathys and they could celebrate together. Just 42 seconds after Kilian, Simpson claimed second place in the men’s race, his fourth runner-up spot here, but he proclaimed it his “best second” in his post-race interview. Brinkman claimed a huge second place in the women’s race too. A fantastic result and we’re excited about seeing her in more mountain races in the future. Sabrie and Maestri completed the men’s and women’s podiums.

Top 5 women

Maude Mathys (SUI) 2.46.03
Nienke Brinkman (NED) 2.48.58
Anais Sabrie (FRA) 2.55.23
Blandine L’Hirondel (FRA) 2.59.08
Kwamboka Omosa Teresiah (KEN) 2.59.28

Top 5 men

Kilian Jornet (SPA) 2.31.44
Robbie Simpson (GBR) 2.32.26
Cesare Maestri (ITA) 2.33.51
Lengen Lolkurraru (KEN) 2.34.28
Davide Magnini (ITA) 2.34.38

See full results at: https://www.datasport.com/live/ranking?racenr=23138&kat=11

Next stop for the World Cup is Krkonossky Half Marathon on August 15^th in the Czech Republic. Find more information here: http://krkonosskypulmaraton.maratonstav.cz/krkonossky-pulmaraton-eng/

World Cup Stage Five: Sierre-Zinal

Written by Tomo Sarf on 04/08/2021. Posted in Latest News.

This weekend the World Cup heads to Switzerland for the biggest mountain race of them all, Sierre-Zinal! This is our next long distance mountain race, at 31km with 2200m of ascent, and it traditionally attracts the most competitive field of all the World Cup races. This year is no exception. We take a look at the history of this event and preview the elite fields this year.

So what makes Sierre-Zinal such an iconic race? Most mountain races have a lot of history behind them but this is the 48^th edition of this race. Since its creation in 1974 men and women have raced over the same distance here, and as we’ll see the results list reads like an international who’s who of mountain running.

The route itself is iconic. It’s known as ‘la course des cinq 4000’ because the runners get to enjoy views including 5 peaks over 4000m along the way (Weisshorn (4506m), Zinalrothorn (4221m), Obergabelhorn (4073m) Matterhorn (4478m) and Dent Blanche (4357m)). Athletes start in Sierre at 570m and then climb up, up, up to the highest point at 2425m at Nava over the course of 24km. Then the final 7km is downhill, culminating in a frantic sprint through Zinal to the finish line at 1680m. It’s a tantalisingly runnable, fast course, which as we know results in some very exciting racing.

SZ profil course small

This race draws top international runners back year after year, in pursuit of one of the biggest accolades in mountain running. From 1979 to 1982 Pablo Vigil (USA) won 4 in a row. In the women’s race Veronique Marot (GBR) won 3 out of 4 between 1984 and 1987, then Isabella Crettenand-Moretti (SUI) was unbeaten between 1995 and 1997. In 2001 Ricardo Mejia (MEX) won his first of 3 races, but his dominance was interrupted by Jonathan Wyatt (NZL) in 2002 and 2003, who set the record of 2.29.12 which was unbeaten for 16 years. In 2006 Anna Pichrtova (CZE) began her 4 year reign, setting the women’s record of 2.54.26 in the process. This record would also endure for 11 years.

SZ Kilian small But by far the most dominant male athlete here has of course been Kilian Jornet (ESP) who has won an incredible 8 times. He finally beat the record set by Jonathan Wyatt at an unbelievably exciting 2019 race, running 2.25.35. Lucy Wambui (KEN) has won 3 times in recent years (2015, 2017, 2018) but it was Maude Mathys (SUI) who finally smashed Anna Pichrtova’s record with a stunning run of 2.49.20, also in 2019. Will these records stand after Saturday’s race? Let’s take a look at the fields.

Elite women

(Please note that the elite start lists may be subject to change due to the travel situation)

As the winner in 2019 and 2020 Maude Mathys (SUI) has to be the favourite. In 2019 she broke the course record which had stood for 16 years. She has won the Mont Blanc Marathon and Olla de Nuria this year and she was also the winner of the 2019 European Mountain Running Championships. She’s 4^th in the current World Ranking. SZ Mathys small web

Lucy Murigi (KEN) is our current leader in the women’s World Ranking. World Champion in 2017, 2^nd in World Cup 2019 final standings, she’s won La Montee du Nid d’Aigle and been 3^rd at Grossglockner this year. She has won here 3 times – in 2015, 2017 and 2018 – so has to be one to watch.

Judith Wyder (SUI) was 2^nd here in 2019 and also went under the long-standing course record. She is a two-time winner of DoloMyths, most recently this year, and will definitely be another ‘local’ to keep an eye on, as will Simone Troxler, 3^rd here in 2018.

Anaïs Sabrié (FRA) was 2^nd in last year’s more low-key event and 5^th in 2019. She recently came 3^rd at La Montee du Nid d’Aigle and 2^nd at the Marathon du Mont Blanc a couple of weeks before that. Compatriots Blandine L’Hirondel and Elise Poncet could also do well. L’Hirondel was 3^rd at this year’s Marathon du Mont Blanc, won the 2020 French Mountain Running Championships and was 3^rd at the World Long Distance Mountain Running Championships in 2019. Poncet was 6^th at La Montee du Nid d’Aigle this year, 3^rd at Trofeo Vanoni in 2020 and 2019 and 2^nd in the World Championships 2019.

Vasinova credit adriankasniar ralpuofficial 4 We’ve seen a number of the runners taking part already do well in World Cup races in the last couple of months. Charlotte Morgan (GBR), our current World Cup leader, who was 11^th here in 2019 will be taking part and is clearly in form. Marcela Vasinova (CZE), 2^nd in our current World Ranking, was our winner at the recent Tatra SkyMarathon and was 2^nd at this year’s DoloMyths race. Lorenza Beccaria (ITA) was 5^th at Grossglockner and 4^th at Tatra Race Run. She was also 2^nd at FlettaTRAIL 2020 and 10^th at the weekend’s Piz Tri Vertikal. Alice Gaggi (ITA) finished 2^nd at Tatra Race Run and 7^th at Grossglockner Berglauf and has finished in the top 10 of most top Italian races during last couple of years. She’s lying 6^th in our current World Ranking. Lucie Marsanova (CZE) has taken part in 3 out of 4 World Cup races this year, with a best result of 5^th at Tatra Race Run. She was 5^th in the 2019 World Cup final standings. Lastly, Timea Merenyi (HUN) has also taken part in 3 out of 4 of this year’s World Cup races, with a consistent showing of 10^th, 11^th and 12^th. She was 10^th in the final World Cup standings in 2019.

Our current women’s World Cup reigning champion, Sarah McCormack (IRE), will be starting a World Cup race for the first time this year. She was 13^th here in 2019 and will be looking to build on that. Other runners to watch include British runners Holly Page, who is always a strong performer at any distance and was 8^th here in 2019, and Emma Pooley, 3^rd at last year’s race and former elite cyclist, turned runner, duathlete and triathlete. There are some strong runners from the USA including Katie Schide, who has won the Mont Blanc 90k, and been runner up at the CCC, and Brittany Charboneau, winner of Pikes Peak 2020 with a marathon PB of 2.33. From Spain we have Oihana Kortazar, a former Skyrunning European Champion and World Series winner who won Canfranc Marathon and Marathon Pirineu last year, and Sara Alonso, 2^nd at Canfranc Skyrace 2020. Julia Bleasdale (GER) was 4^th at last year’s Sierre-Zinal and Julia Combe (FRA) 8^th at this year’s La Montee du Nid d’Aigle.

Elite men

(Please note that the elite start lists may be subject to change due to the travel situation) 48511291402 82660717db c

8-time winner and record holder Kilian Jornet (ESP) returns and must be the men’s favourite. But he will face significant competition from a very deep field.

There are many returning runners who have already performed well here. Petro Mamu was 2^nd here in the highly competitive 2019 race and he just showed that he’s in form by winning FlettaTRAIL last weekend. Juan Carlos Carera (MEX) was 4^th here in that 2019 race, in a time that would have won it many years. Andrew Douglas (GBR), our reigning World Cup men’s champion (from 2019), was 6^th here in 2019 and will be looking to improve on that. Fellow Brit Robbie Simpson is always one to watch here, having finished 2^nd in 2018 and 5^th in 2019, as well as coming 3^rd in the World Championships in 2015 and 2^nd in the European Championships in 2014, showing real consistency.

Marc Lauenstein (SUI) is a former winner (from 2013) and this distance suits the strong uphill runner. He won Pikes Peak in 2014, Marathon du Mont Blanc in 2015, and showed his versatility by winning the 3 Peaks Race, Giir du Mont and Matterhorn Ultraks in 2016. He’s also won 4 consecutive Trail de Ventoux races. Can he regain that form this year? Davide Magnini (ITA) was winner of this year’s Italian National Mountain Running Championships (Up and Down) and was also 2^nd at Mont Blanc Marathon. Has been 4^th at Sierre-Zinal in 2020 and 10^th in 2019. Rémi Bonnet (SUI) achieved a 3^rd place here in 2020 and an 8^th place in 2019. He was recently 4^th at Marathon du Mont Blanc. Stephan Wenk (SUI) was 5^th last year and 13^th in 2019.

As ever, there is a very strong contingent of runners from Italy in both the men’s and women’s races. Henri Aymonod is our current leader of the men’s World Ranking and the World Cup standings, having finished 3^rd at La Montee du Nid d’Aigle and 3^rd at Tatra Race Run. He was the winner of last weekend’s Piz Tri Vertikal (and many other vertical races during the last couple of years). Francesco Puppi is fresh from a 2^nd place at La Montee du Nid d’Aigle and currently lies 2^nd in the World Ranking. Our runner up in the 2019 Long Distance Championships will be looking to improve on his 16^th place in 2019, after having finished 4^th in 2018. We know that Xavier Chevrier is in form because he won La Montee du Nid d’Aigle a few weeks ago. He’s also been 9^th at the World Championships in 2019 and 3^rd in the European Championships. Cesare Maestri was 5^th at this year’s Grossglockner Berglauf, 2^nd in our World Championships in 2019 and men’s winner of Challenge Stellina in 2020. In addition, Alex Baldaccini was 7^th at Grossglockner Berglauf and 3^rd at the Italian National Mountain Running Up and Down Championships. Italy could well feature on the men’s podium.

There are some strong French runners on the start line too. Sylvain Cachard had a very successful 2020 with wins at Smarna Gora and Trofeo Nasego and 2^nd places at Challenge Stellina and FlettaTRAIL, putting him 4^th in the current World Ranking. Thibaut Baronian won Canfranc Marathon in 2020 and other results include a 6^th place at this year’s Marathon du Mont Blanc and a 3^rd at Zegama in 2019 and Julien Rancon finished 4^th at the recent La Montee du Nid d’Aigle. Lastly, Germain Grangier could surprise people here. He is better known for longer races (he won Madeira 85k Ultra in 2018 and Annecy MaXi Race in 2018 and 2019) but he’s fast over technical ground and came 4^th in a very competitive Speedgoat 50k in 2019.

As in the women’s race, it’s great to see some great runners from the US on the start list, particularly after Jim Walmsley had such a great race in 2019. Hayden Hawks finished 6^th at the 2019 World Long Distance Championships and he’s been winner of the 52k race at Broken Arrow (and many others at the 50k – 100k distance). Compatriot Andy Wacker was 3^rd at Pike’s Peak last year and was the NACAC National Champion in 2019 and has achieved top 10 finishes at Mont Blanc Marathon and Zegama in 2019. They should both be really interesting to watch.

Other runners to watch will include Lengen Lolkurraru (KEN), winner of this year’s Grossglockner Berglauf, William Rodriguez Herrera (COL), 2^nd here in 2015, Jacob Adkin (GBR), 10^th in 2018 and European Champion in 2019, and Zak Hanna (IRE). This will be Hanna’s debut at Sierre Zinal but he’s had a string of top 10s at races like Grossglockner, Trofeo Vanoni, Chiavenna Lagunc and last weekend’s Piz Tri Vertikal.

Start times

Women’s elite race 10.30am

Men’s elite race 10.45am

Race website

https://www.sierre-zinal.com/

The Athletes’ View of 2020

Written by Tomo Sarf on 31/12/2020. Posted in Latest News.

Normally at this time of year we’d be looking back at race highlights from the year, remembering the World and European Championships and World Cup winners. However, there was little normal about 2020. Some of the classic mountain races did take place in the second half of the year, much to the excitement of athletes, but opportunities to stand on a start line were limited. It was a year of adaptation for everybody – athletes, race organisers and the WMRA.

We spoke to the runners on our athletes’ commission about their experiences of 2020, the highlights (if there were any), the positives they can take away from it, and what their hopes are for 2021.

Loss of freedom

Julien Rancon of France, where the lockdown was more restrictive than many, voiced the thoughts of many runners by saying “2020 will obviously be a year that will go down in history. The first thing that comes to my mind, apart from the fact that the sport’s movement has almost been in standby, is that this virus largely deprived us of the freedom to run in our mountains or restricted this practice.” Julien also had an injury that prevented him from running for a while once his lockdown was over, but all of this made the freedom to run again in the mountain so much sweeter when it was possible. “In the autumn, I had great pleasure to run and above all to meet my friends to share good moments in training camps, and in the French Championship and in the Trofeo Nasego and Trofeo Vanoni. These will remain for me the highlights of the season, because living your own passion remains an essential thing.”

Taking the positives

Trofeo Nasego and Trofeo Vanoni were also highlights of the year for Andrew Douglas from Scotland. But these were two of very few races he was able to compete in in 2020. As he says, this was “a complete contrast to 2019 when I took a sabbatical from work and I was regularly racing most weekends.” But being a positive kind of person he was able to take some good things away from this strange year too: “the thing I’m most positive about was that I was finally able to set some time aside to run in different places around Scotland that I had never been to before. A particular highlight was heading up to the north west Highlands and spending a few days there running up and down some glorious Munros with some friends.”

Joseph Gray won our men’s WMRA GOAT (greatest mountain runner of all time) vote in 2020

Over in the US, Joseph Gray could also appreciate some positives from the year, saying “it was great in terms of being able to spend bonus time with the family and kiddos”, but he was also disappointed by the lack of opportunity for travel and competition. But 2020 was a huge year for FKTs and Joseph made the most of his fitness where possible: “I only had a few races but highlights would be winning my first USA National title in Snowshoe racing, setting the Boulder Skyline FKT and Enchantments Alpine Lakes FKT!”

Furloughed from his job (earning him the nickname of ‘the furlough pro’ in his native Ireland), Zak Hanna definitely made the most of the additional time he had to train. He says “2020 turned out to be a great year for me, which to many may sound silly but I made a point of enjoying it rather than listening to all the negativity that has surrounded this year. Since the lockdown started I managed to compete in 10 races, one at home here in Ireland, eight over in Italy and last week I finished the year off with a five mile road race. Piz Tri Vertikal, Fletta Trail, Vertikal Nasego and Trofeo Vanoni stand out as highlights for me, as I left these races really happy with my performances and it has left me wanting more for 2021.”

Zak Hanna

A chance for a reset

But for some, 2020 ended up being less about racing and more about resetting. For Sarah Tunstall it provided an opportunity to address an injury issue. “I finished last season pretty decrepit and I wanted a break to get on top of injury issues and refresh myself. 2020 has been tough for all kinds of reasons, however, having no pressure of races has greatly helped me focus on the long-term health of my heels. I’ve also enjoyed exploring lots of new areas within the UK’s Lake District.”

Sarah Tunstall

Sandor Szabo of Hungary used 2020 as an opportunity to focus on his mental and physical health. “Unfortunately covid was only the start of my problems (injuries, family bereavements, money problems, etc.) but by the end of 2020, I can say, I got stronger mentally. I did not run a lot races this year – mostly because I couldn’t – but I’m not sad about it. I needed this year to be well prepared what’s coming next.”

Adapting

Fujio Miyachi of Japan did race, but the atmosphere made it feel more like training: “I participated in a race that runs around an old temple in Japan. Some temples in Japan have a history of running and training in the mountains. I ran on that old road. Although it was a race, my feelings were calm as I ran silently in the mountains like training.”

Fujio Miyachi

Francesco Puppi of Italy achieved some good success in races, winning the Fletta Trail and Dolimitenmann, setting impressive PBs at 10k and half marathon, and coming 7^th in the Golden Trails Azores, but he too felt that “it was the right year to focus on training rather than racing. I am proud to have had the chance and the willingness to adapt to circumstances and find different ways to stay fit and build something useful for me and for our future. Because it’s not just me, among my goals I want to leave a legacy to this sport and I’m actively working for that.”

Looking to 2021

And what are our athletes’ hopes for 2021? Obviously they were unanimous in hoping for some sort of return to ‘normality’, and a safe return to racing. Many expressed a lot of excitement for the World Cup and its exciting line-up of races next year. Sandor Szabo says “in this new system, it will be interesting to compete in the World Cup. I would like to finish higher in the top 10, and I’ll do everything I can to do my best. I’m looking forward mostly to Broken Arrow, which was my favourite World Cup race in 2019, and Sierre-Zinal”.

Sandor Szabo

Francesco Puppi is eager to take part in a race which is new to the World Cup for 2021: “I am looking forward to running La Montée du Nid d’Aigle, organized by my friend Elise Poncet”

One newly-announced championship which our athletes are particularly enthusiastic about is the first ever World Mountain and Trail Championships, which will take place in Chiang Mai, Thailand in November. Andrew Douglas calls it “the mouth-watering prospect of competing in Thailand at the newly combined World Trail and Mountain Running Championships!”

Andrew Douglas

Francesco Puppi says “The first world mountain and trail running championship is obviously a main target and it will be a turning point for our sport: the joint efforts of WMRA and ITRA with the direct support of World Athletics will finally take effect. The fact that the WMTRC will take place every other year will give it more credibility and visibility, while allowing athletes to focus on other races and projects.”

Francesco Puppi

Undoubtedly 2021 will still have significant challenges for athletes and race organisers. One short-term problem could be different travel restrictions in different countries. Joseph Gray says “I just hope for a safe return for us all to racing high level races once again. Really hoping all athletes have equal access to major events again as well so as to keep the level competitive as in past years.”

It’s unlikely that many of us will move forward into 2021 without our attitudes to running and racing being changed in some way. For Andrew Douglas “having missed racing and the social side of mountain running, there’s going to be a much deeper appreciation to being involved in the sport”, a sentiment that was echoed by others.

Everybody is undoubtedly eager to get back racing more regularly again, but, having been through this year that has had such an impact on so many people, that may look slightly different. As Francesco Puppi puts it: “I just hope we can take the best we’ve learned from this pandemic and leave the rest, keep moving forward, finding new, sustainable ways for our future.”

Sierre-Zinal Announce Plans for 2021

Written by Tomo Sarf on 30/11/2020. Posted in Latest News.

In 2020, faced with unprecedented circumstances, the Sierre-Zinal organising committee maintained its resolve to keep the race flame going, crafting a different version of the event. It was held as a free form month-long event, abiding by the restrictions imposed by the health situation.

However, the organisers recognise that a month-long event in no way creates the same thrills and euphoria for the runners as the iconic one day race. Which is why the organisers want to resume the regular Sierre-Zinal format as soon as the situation allows. As the public health situation remains unpredictable, they are announcing a project that will enable all mountain race fans to live as exciting a Sierre-Zinal experience as possible in 2021. As it’s going to be part of the 2021 World Cup we’re keen to see an exciting race too!

The Covid 19 pandemic and its ramifications have sadly become part and parcel of our lives. As such, the organisers assume that participants in the 2021 race can equally adapt to the evolving health situation and go along with a race format that is also liable to change.

THE CONCEPT

From the organisers:

Registrants to the 48th edition of Sierre-Zinal must be fully conscious of the fact that the race format is liable to change:

A one-day race is our priority: Sierre-Zinal will be held on August 7th 2021.
New: Please note that Sierre-Zinal is taking place on a Saturday (a small departure from the traditional second Sunday in August).
A free form month-long event will be organized if and only if the health situation is such that large gatherings are not permitted. This event would take place from Wednesday 2 August to Sunday 12 September 2021. The organising committee will make a decision by June 30th 2021.

FEES AND REFUND

Should the committee change the race’s classic format into a month-long event, registrants may expect partial entry fee refunds. However, a format change does not warrant a full refund.

REGISTRATION CALENDAR

For runners who opt for hotel and training clinic packages (4%) registration opens on Monday 1 February at 12:00 pm (midday).
For Sierre and Anniviers residents (8%) registration opens on Sunday 14 February at 12:00 pm (midday).
For all other entrants (88%) registration opens on Friday 2 April at 12:00 pm (midday). TBD. Registration details will be published in due time.

They explain it all in this video:

Keep checking their website for more information.

Quarter Final Voting Is Open!

Written by Tomo Sarf on 23/06/2020. Posted in Latest News.

We’ve reached the quarter final stage of our fun contest to find your greatest mountain race of all time. 8 races remain, 4 long distance, 4 classic distance, all extremely special in their own way. But here’s where it gets ruthless as we reach the knockout stage of the competition! Vote at the bottom of this page.

Now the long distance races you voted for go head-to-head to find the greatest, and the classic distance (definition of under half marathon here) do the same. We’ve got:

Sierre Zinal vs K42 Argentina

Canfranc Canfranc vs Three Peaks Race

Smarna Gora vs Mount Washington Road Race

Grossglockner Berglauf vs Snowdon Race

Then we’ll have a semi-final and final to find your greatest mountain race.

Voting is now open on the form below! The deadline is Saturday 27th June.

Greatest Mountain Runners of All Time: The Men

Written by Tomo Sarf on 26/05/2020. Posted in Latest News.

Over the last couple of weeks we’ve been taking a look back at some of the greatest mountain runners of all time. We did a recap on the women yesterday , so here’s the men’s list. Soon we’ll ask you to vote for your all-time greatest mountain runners, male and female. Which runners will be crowned WMRAGOAT? VOTE HERE!

Obviously these sorts of lists are never perfect and they can be subjective. We’ve based our selection of the top six on results achieved but also on contribution to the sport. To help you make your mind up about who to vote for, we’ve included the opinions of well-respected runners at the bottom of the article.

Here are our six men:

Marco de Gasperi

In any other era Marco de Gasperi would probably have dominated, but he was unfortunately running in the same era as Jonathan Wyatt! He still won 5 world championship golds between 1997 and 2007 (competing in a record 15 world champs), he won the world cup in 2001 and also 8 medals at the European champs. He won Sierre Zinal twice, among many other race wins and accolades.

Jonathan Wyatt

Certainly the most decorated male athlete in mountain running, Jonathan Wyatt won the WMRA Grand Prix Series (now the World Cup) an unprecedented 8 times and the world championships 6 times. Coming from a track background he also competed in two Olympic Games over the 5000m and marathon. He also competed for NZL in cross country, showing his diverse background.

Joseph Gray

Joseph Gray’s hard work and consistency over the years can be best illustrated by the fact that he is an 18 time national champion. He won the world mountain running championships in 2016 and 2019, he’s the US record holder for the Mount Washington Road Race, he’s won the Pikes Peak Ascent, has an impressive collection of FKTs and he’s come second at Sierre Zinal. He’s also an incredibly adaptable athlete, having run cross country and track at a college level and he also has a long list of snowshoe accolades. He is also known for being a passionate advocate for giving back to the sport, particularly with his Project Inspire Diversity grassroots programme aimed at seeing inspiration and motivation among young minority distance runners.

Bernard Dematteis

With his twin brother Martin, Bernard has been a hugely popular runner on the mountain running circuit for the last 15 years. The ultimate team player, Bernard has won 10 team medals with Italy in the World Championships, as well as an individual silver, and 14 medals at the European Championships, including 3 individual gold medals. A very strong performer in the World Cup, he has finished 4th for the last 3 years.

Antonio Molinari

Italian Antonio Molinari put together an incredible string of results over more than 30 years. He competed in the World Championships an incredible 12 times, winning individual gold once and team gold 12 times. He also won the World Cup in 1998 and 2000, he won 3 European golds and 5 national titles. The statistics on his website say that between 1982 and 2016 he competed in an incredible 946 races and he won 428 of them and finished on the podium 684 times. The depth of his achievements in mountain running are surely unbeatable.

Kilian Jornet

When you think of Kilian, you think of mountains. Whether he is running, mountaineering, climbing or doing skimo, he’s moving fast in the mountains. He also excels at every distance, from VKs to 100 miles. For the purposes of our feature let’s consider his record in mountain running – he’s won Sierre Zinal 7 times, finally taking the record in 2019, he’s won Zegama 9 times and he’s a multiple winner of the Skyrunner World Series. Unfortunately we haven’t had the excitement of seeing Kilian compete at a World Mountain Running Championships, but there’s plenty of time for that!

Here’s what other athletes said about our top six men:

Francesco Puppi on Jonathan Wyatt: “He achieved so much in mountain running and set incredible records (many stand still today…Jungfrau marathon, Hochfellnberglauf, Challenge Stellina, Mount Washington road race..). Also, for me it is very important that he always kept the focus on running fast on any surface. The fact that he competed in two Olympic Games over 5000m (Atlanta) and the marathon (Athens) is astonishing, besides winning 6 world mountain running championships (the only ever athlete to with both on uphill and up and down course) and having amazing track and road personal bests. He’s inspiring because he did so much for the sport and continues to promote it in humble yet effective way.”

Sarah Tunstall on Jonathan Wyatt (and Andrea Mayr): “there’s no real doubt in my mind that Andrea and Jono are the greatest mountain runners of all time. Their longevity, Championship victories, race records and Olympic Games appearances, for me, stand head and shoulders above any of the other “greats”.“

Francesco Nicola on Marco de Gasperi: “Marco de Gasperi is the greatest because of his ability to run fast across a whole range of courses and distances. His 5 world championships and all the records he set speak for themselves.”

Andrew Douglas on Bernard Dematteis: “Bernie is one of the most genuine and humble athletes on the circuit, and along with his twin brother Martin, are fantastic ambassadors for mountain running. I’ve spent many a race in awe of his ability to bound his way so effortlessly up the mountain, and then absolutely hammer it down the descent; although usually I wouldn’t see him on the descent as he’d be so far ahead! In each of the first 3 up and down championships I competed in (2014 & 2016 Europeans, 2015 Worlds) he was virtually untouchable to his fellow Europeans, such a fantastic racer. But not only that, he always makes time to chat with his fellow competitors and is someone I’ve always looked up to in terms of the way he conducts himself.”

Other runners who could have made the list:

Helmut Schmuck

Austrian Helmut Schmuck was dominant during the 90s, winning the World Championships in 1992 and 1994 and the European Championships in 1995 and 1997. He also competed in the marathon in the 1992 Olympics.

Marco Gaiardo

Italian Marco Gaiardo won the European championships in 2003 and 2006 and world championship bronze in 2003

Younger runners who’ve made a big impact

Andrew Douglas

After bursting onto the scene and winning the World Cup in 2015, Andrew Douglas then became frustrated with a string of results where he finished second. So, having taken a year’s sabbatical from his job in 2019 he set about regaining the world cup and it paid off. Has achieved a number of top 10 finishes in both the European and World Championships

Sandor Szabo on Andrew Douglas: “I vote for Andrew because we are the beasts who race all the races we can in the World Cup, and he cheers me up every time we talk. He’s really motivating to me, just like Andrea (Mayr) also!”

Fujio Miyachi on Andrew Douglas: “His performance last year was very good all year round, and he was a deserving World Cup champion.”

Jacob Adkin on Andrew Douglas: “an incredibly genuine guy. His attention to the details of training, life-balance and getting the best out of oneself is truly motivating.”

Sarah Tunstall on Andrew Douglas: “Andy is a racing machine! To watch him race is amazing as he can dig so deep. I’d love to see him get a medal as he’s been at the top of his game for so long but even a bit of silverware wouldn’t quite do justice to how versatile he is as a mountain runner.”

Francesco Puppi

Still a young athlete (at 28) with his best yet to come, Francesco Puppi has already won the world long distance mountain running championships in 2017 and finished second after an epic duel with Jim Walmsley at the 2019 championships. He also finished 3^rd in the long distance championships in 2015 and has won 2 bronze medals in the Europeans.

Jacob Adkin on Francesco Puppi: “inspirational for his will-power and determination to achieve goals and not scared to dream, always with a smile.”

Robbie Simpson

Robbie Simpson has achieved a huge amount in mountain (and road) running over the last decade, so it’s hard to believe he is still only 29. He finished 3rd at the 2011 long distance championships, won a silver in the 2014 Europeans and a bronze in the 2015 World Championships. He has also had considerable success on the road, most notably winning a bronze in the 2018 Commonwealth Games. He’s won the Jungfrau Marathon twice and he’s finished in the top 5 at Sierre Zinal an incredible 7 years in a row, including three 2nd places.

Sarah Tunstall on Robbie Simpson: “I’ve met very few people with Robbie’s work ethic in training. I think he must rank as GB’s best male mountain runner ever in terms of medals and performances on the big stage. Many of his race results over the past five years or so are incredible and, maybe with less questionable competition, I think we would be talking about him in relation to Jono.”

Voting will open very soon, so get thinking about who your male greatest mountain runner of all time is!

‘It’s Just You Against The Elements’ – Interview With Angela Mudge

Written by Tomo Sarf on 18/05/2020. Posted in Latest News.

If you’ve been following our ‘greatest mountain runners of all time’ (#WMRAGOAT) series on our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, you’ll have seen that Angela Mudge has been a very popular nomination on that list. Living in Scotland and starting out in hill running and fell running, Angela proved a very tough competitor in mountain running. She achieved 3 World Cup victories, won the 2000 World Championships and came 2nd in 2003, as well as notching up a large number of victories in mountain races around the globe. Since then she has given a huge amount back to the sport and is currently the National Lead for Hill and Mountain Running in Scotland. We spoke to her to find out more about her career highlights and what her future running plans are.

What have the highlights of your mountain running career been? Do any races stand out in your memory?

I raced and trained in so many places it’s difficult to pick out single highlights, it’s often the people and the weather that make the experience.

I have special memories of winning Sierre-Zinal in 2000. I’d never experienced such an electric atmosphere in a race where I just got sucked along to a fast time. It’s not so fast now… I was the first woman to break the 3 hour barrier, running 2.56, and I’ve watched the times get much faster ever since!

I competed in the Skyrunning Series for a few years and one of my favourite races is Dolomyths run, Canazei. It’s such a spectacular mountain with an amazing scree slope.

Closer to home the one race that stands apart is the Isle of Jura fell race, it’s a magic place, very rough terrain and you never know what the weather will throw at you. Blazing sunshine one year then mist and high winds the next. It’s just you against the elements.

What have your proudest achievements in running been?

Winning the World Trophy in 2000. It was my first stint at altitude training so I had no idea how fit I was and it was a bit of a surprise to find myself leading the field.

In 2003 the Scottish women won the team event, this was special as all three of us competed for the same club – Carnethy Hill Runners in Scotland. There’s not many clubs that can claim to be World Champions!

Out of hill/mountain running winning the Intercounties Cross Country Championships in 1999 stands out, none of the XC runners knew who I was and even the commentator had to scramble around to find out who the Scot was who was leading the field.

Angela in a more recent cross country race (copyright Scottish Athletics)

We saw your recent foray into the currently popular sport of stair climbing for the 3 Peaks Challenge! How did you find it?

Extremely boring! I only completed the challenge because I’d met one of the organisers at an event and it was for a charity who were raising funds for a college to produce PPE. My stairs are very narrow, so running up and down them was never an option. It took a very long time and I definitely wasn’t being competitive. The aim was to finish injury free which sounds simple but when you have 3 dogs trying to join in, is quite an achievement.

Scottish athletes have been enjoying great success in mountain running in recent years with athletes like Robbie Simpson, Charlotte Morgan, Andrew Douglas, Jacob Adkin, and many others. Is it an exciting time for Scottish mountain/hill running? Are there a lot of juniors being inspired by this success?

It’s a brilliant time for Scottish endurance running across the board with so many athletes doing so well in numerous endurance events. I just hope we can continue. I’m the National Lead for Hill and Mountain running so am keeping my fingers crossed that juniors are being inspired by their success. With Andy and Jacob in the headlines the sport receives much more publicity than previously, so juniors are more aware of the discipline and hopefully tempted to have a go.

(copyright Scottish Athletics)

Having raced all over the world are there any races that you never had the chance to do, but would still love to run?

There are new races popping up all over the place which seem to be getting longer and more extreme each year. I always had my eye on the UTMB but as it’s got more commercial I’ve shied away from it. I now prefer low key races which offer an adventure but have smaller fields and no hype. I love the simplicity of our sport in the UK which you just race and then disappear off down the pub at the finish. At the moment I just want to complete the Lakeland Classics and races on my doorstep which I missed during my international career.

Once this current public health crisis has passed and it’s ok to go out and run in the hills again, where will you head to and why?

I’m lucky as through the crisis I can run up the hills on my doorstep. The hill above my village is only 400m but a lovely little peak. However, I am missing the Highlands, particularly the west coast. I’ll probably pick an obscure peak where I’ll have views of the islands and the hill to myself. The munros are going to be busy when this is over.

Any Surface Available: Interview With Francesco Puppi

Written by Tomo Sarf on 13/02/2020. Posted in Latest News.

He won gold in the 2017 World Long Distance Mountain Running Championships and his epic duel with Jim Walmsley in the 2019 race was one of the highlights of the event. But Francesco Puppi is just as happy to take on a vertical uphill race or a 5k on the road. We learn more about this incredibly versatile Italian athlete.

Can you tell us a little about how you first got into running when you were young?

My story is really much alike that of any kid that gets into running at a young age. I was six years old when my parents signed me up at the local track and field club. I joined because my older cousin Martina was enjoying it and I thought I might give it a try. It was pretty much all about having fun and playing around, running as fast as I could.

I remember watching the IAAF World Athletics Championship of Sevilla 1999 on TV and that’s when the fire was kindled: Haile Gebrselassie, Hicham El Guerrouj, Michael Johnson, Cathy Freeman, Maurice Green were my early heroes.

During my childhood I liked jumping hurdles and I thought I might become a 400m hurdler. Then I soon developed a passion for distance running. I was not particularly good at it, I never won a race at a young age, but its magnetic attraction was telling me that this was my road to follow.

Who were the runners that really inspired you when you were younger?

When I was very young I was really inspired by Paul Tergat. I liked his stride and his style of running, from the track to the marathon. One day I got to see him training in Iseo, in Northern Italy, where his training camp was based. A few months later I even got a chance to speak to him over the phone! My dream was to follow his footsteps and to become a marathoner.

I was also inspired by Stefano Baldini’s Olympic gold in the marathon in Athens 2004. I started reading about training and athletic preparation after his achievement: I looked for magazines and books to learn about professional runners and read their training logs.

Closer to me, I remember there was a group of older guys who used to train at the same track where I went to practice, doing workouts I thought I’d never be able to do. It was just cool to watch them and to look up to them, wondering if in a few years I might reach them.

You love to run on ‘any surface available’! In the past most runners have specialized in one area. There seems to be a new generation of runners (particularly in America, thinking of the Olympic marathon trials) who are taking the same approach as you. Do you think this will happen more and more?

Yes, I think a great performance in mountain running comes from running fast on any surface. A mountain runner must be able to perform well on the flat, from the roads to cross country. Several of my teammates have pretty fast PRs on 10k or half marathon. That doesn’t mean they are not specialized in mountain running, but that they are able to produce quality performance on any surface.

I spend more time training on the track than in the mountains, both in the winter and in the mountain running season. I also train on a 5km (almost) flat road loop that I use to prepare virtually any race, from half marathon to classic mountain running.

It’s great to see more and more mountain runners (especially in the US, where the track background of an athlete is usually more important and comes from college) switching from the mountains to the roads and putting themselves on a challenge on any surface. I would like to see the opposite too, which probably happens less often.

I think it’s really interesting to follow what Jim Walmsley is doing to prepare the Olympic Trials. Apart from causing a Letsrun.com forum meltdown he’s really brave and inspiring for me. I wish him all the best for the trials.

As a runner I really like your blog and your Instagram because you are so honest! There are no excuses and you are clear about whether you’ve put in enough hard work to get the result you want. Do you think your training as a physicist makes you quite scientific about your running training?

Thank you! I think trail and mountain runners in general need to realize that, as part of athletics, our sport is about running fast on the trails. It’s that simple, but really not always clear to everyone. There are no shortcuts to that.

I think my scientific background has an influence on the way I approach sport and life in general. Physics seeks an explanation to natural phenomena and is based on a few, simple yet very powerful ideas. To uncover the meaning behind the nature of things is its goal, and that’s what made me love it and why I decided to study it at university. Running, though, is different for me, it has a more artistic expression and sometimes escapes the explanation of reason. I see it as a part of my personality and a moment of creative energy. Of course, I try to have a rational/scientific approach to training and racing, but the romanticism and feelings that running gives me cannot always be explained in these terms. It’s the genius and the harmony of a primordial form of locomotion, of the most spontaneous action a man can do that are just beautiful.

At the World Long Distance Mountain Running Championships in Patagonia in 2019 you had an epic duel with Jim Walmsley. It was an incredible race to watch. Is that where you are at your happiest – duelling with one of the greatest long distance runners in the world?

Yes, I think the rivalry that some competitions feature really is the spice of our sport. What’s the point of competing then? I always try to find a story and a meaning behind each target race. It’s important for me to live it in a very personal and emotional way. That’s why I was at my happiest running with Jim. My motivation to compete at the World Championships in Patagonia grew when I learned that he would be there. We created something inspiring and enthralling for at least three hours, I believe. His talent stood out and I was the best I could possibly be in that particular day.

You and Jim Walmsley seem to have a great respect for each other. Do you speak to each other about your training?

We had a few exchanges of thoughts in Argentina. And we spy on each other training sessions on Strava [Ed: here’s Francesco’s and here’s Jim’s]. What always strikes me is how much quality volume he’s able to withstand. Of course he’s a professional runner, while I try to balance working as a high school teacher with my semi-pro activity, so I cannot really compare to him. But there’s always a lot to learn from great, more experienced athletes. I have great respect and admiration for him.

Take his result at Sierre-Zinal (3rd place in 2h31’) last year for example: it might (comprehensibly) have been eclipsed by Kilian’s performance but it was a huge, huge achievement, only six weeks after setting Western States 100 mile record. His versatility is impressive, it’ll be interesting to see what he can do in Atlanta in a couple of weeks.

What key races are you targeting this year?

The main target will be Sierre-Zinal, a race that inspires me unlike any other in the world. I hope to get in peak shape for August 9th and to fight for the win. I also want to run well at Pikes Peak Marathon because I really liked the course and the experience last year, and because Peter Maksimow would be proud of me! The American atmosphere is cool and Colorado’s trails are amazing. I’m also planning to compete in shorter races in the WMRA World Cup.

You have shown us you can do any distance on any surface! What are the races or adventures you would love to do in the future?

I’d love to have more time for training and racing. There’s nothing else I could ask for right now. I think the biggest margin of improvement would come if I had more time to rest properly and train with enough time, instead of having to squeeze a workout between work hours or a recovery run during lunch break.

In the future I’d love to explore a few places in a self-propelled way: Alaska and Patagonia above all. It’d be cool to plan an adventure there, running and cycling without having an impact on the environment. But that’s something I will do after I achieve my full potential as an athlete, so I really don’t know when and if it’ll happen!

WORLD MOUNTAIN RUNNING ASSOCIATION