Champion Titles at Stake at Salomon Ultra Pirineu

Published by Mountainblog on .

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2015 Ultra Pirineu start. ©iancorless.com

The small town of Bagà in the Spanish Pyreness will yet again light up as thousands of runners gather for the now epic Salomon Ultra Pirineu on Saturday, September 24, finals of the Skyrunner® Ultra Series. Top ranked athletes have been preparing for some time to clinch the end of season title and, with 110 km and a colossal 6,800m vertical climb, the challenge is formidable.

The Champion titles will be awarded on the best results of three out of the Series’ five races with a 20% points increase.

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Cristofer Clemente, Ultra ranking leader. ©iancorless.com/SWS

Leading the men’s ranking is Spaniard Cristofer Clemente who was the Series’ runner-up last year. No doubt he’ll push hard to the finish but he can relax. His top slot can only be challenged by Frenchman Nicolas Martin who won’t be participating.

The second and third positions will be contested by no less than five men in the top ranking: Spaniard Roger Viñas, Poland’s Marcin Swierc, Nuno Silva from Portugal, from Peru, Remigio Huaman and Italian Fulvio Dapit. Russian Dmitry Mityaev, currently ranked 13th, will no doubt perform well. A line-up of strong Spaniards will be pushing the pace led by Miguel Heras, third here last year on the new course, he won the shorter distance (85 km) Cavalls del Vent in 2010 and 2011.

The race records were set by last year’s winners Kilian Jornet in 12h03’27” and Emelie Forsberg in 13h39’33”.

Anne-Lise Rousset, Ultra ranking leader. ©iancorless.com/SWS

Anne-Lise Rousset, Ultra ranking leader. ©iancorless.com/SWS

An interesting scenario unfolds in the women’s race with France’s Anne-Lise Rousset topping the ranking. She will not be racing but her standing means a podium place is guaranteed. Sweden’s Ida Nilsson has two clear victories (Transvulcania and The Rut 50K) but no points to shed. Even with a 4th place she could secure the title. Other title contenders are American Hillary Allen (currently 2nd) and Spaniard Gemma Arenas (3rd).

The Ultra Series champion title will be unattainable, but a podium slot is a possibility for the following competitors: American Kristina Pattison (ranked 5th) and a robust Spanish line-up headed by Anna Comet (6th),Elisabet Bertran (12th) and the ever-green Maite Maiora. She shines in the shorter VK and Sky disciplines (recently securing a Combined world title) and, like many top athletes, could realise her dream to excel in all three distances.

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Zaid Ait Malek in 2015 Ultra Pirineu. ©iancorless.com

Racing 110 km at the end of the season will be a test for all the runners. The demanding course links eight mountain huts and crosses high mountain passes reaching 2,531m altitude.

Join us and 1,035 athletes from 44 countries for all the action on Saturday in the spectacular Cadí Moixeró Natural Park. The weekend’s events total 2,700 competitors from 50 countries.

Alpina Watches, Official Watch of the 2016 Skyrunner® World Series will award a luxury Horological Smartwatch, the first of its kind on the market, to the Ultra Series end of season champions.

INFO: Skyrunner World Series