Swiss runner Remi Bonnet and Germany’s Nina Engelhard have been crowned world champions in the Uphill race on the opening day of the World Mountain and Trail Running Championships, taking place until this Sunday in the town of Canfranc, in the Spanish Pyrenees.

In the men’s category, two-time champion Patrick Kipngeno was aiming for a third consecutive title—an especially difficult feat, as the race proved. Swiss runner Rémi Bonnet came into the event with notable confidence, on a course that perfectly suited his vertical racing strengths. He was already in the lead by a clear margin at the halfway control point.

Chasing him were Richard Omaya and Kipngeno himself.

In the end, Remi Bonnet left no room for doubt and claimed the gold in 37:50, setting a new course record. Silver went to Kenyan Richard Omaha with 39:04, and bronze to his compatriot Patrick Kipngeno, the dethroned champion, who still proved his worth with a time of 39:20 and a spot on the world Uphill podium.

At the finish line, Bonnet said:

“I’m very happy to win here. My training style—combining ski mountaineering with trail running—made me feel very confident. It’s never easy to beat the top Kenyan runners in an Uphill race, but today I managed to do it. I’m really pleased with my performance.”

Runner-up Richard Omaya commented:

“Past the halfway point, I saw that Remi had opened too big a gap, so I focused on running my own race to the finish. I’m also really happy with the excellent result achieved by our Kenyan team today.”

Former champion Patrick Kipngeno added:

“From around kilometer 2, I realized the dream of a third title wouldn’t be possible today—Remi and Richard were just too strong. As for the course, I really enjoyed it. I love these landscapes and the overall atmosphere.”

Team Results:

Gold: Kenya – 22 points

Silver: Switzerland – 34 points

Bronze: USA – 41 points

Young German athlete Nina Engelhard came in as the reigning European champion in both Uphill and Classic (2024) and once again showed her immense talent by taking a brilliant world title in 45:33, smashing the previous course record.

Silver went to Finland’s Susana Saapunki, who fought all the way to the finish, coming in at 45:59. The third spot on the podium was earned by the USA’s Anna Gibson, thanks to a gritty run that saw her finish in 46:07.

At the finish, Nina Engelhard said:

“I gave it everything I had—my legs are still destroyed. It’s been a wonderful day, with an amazing course and scenery, but I’ll need several days to recover from this effort. The course was mostly runnable, except for the final ridge, which left me barely able to breathe.”

Susana Saapunki said:

“I felt really good, although my legs were killing me in the final section. From kilometer 3, I thought maybe I could take the lead, but that final ridge made it impossible.”

Anna Gibson, who claimed the bronze, reflected:

“The final section was so tough I couldn’t even think about gaining positions. But in return, the warmth of the crowd, my friends, my teammates… it was a fantastic atmosphere. I’m especially proud of the team spirit and support among all of us.”

Team Results:

Gold: Italy – 31 points

Silver: France – 36 points

Bronze: Canada – 41 points