Cristofer Clemente and Gemma Arenas are the 2016 Skyrunner® Ultra Series champions, crowned Sunday at the Salomon Ultra Pirineu, the finals, held in the Spanish Pyrenees, Saturday, September 24.
The race winners were Miguel Heras and Gemma Arenas heading a strong Spanish representation with no less than three men and two women on the podium. Overall, 870 runners from 44 countries toed the start-line in the early morning darkness of the small medieval town of Bagà. The 110 km course with a colossal 6,800m of vertical climb was the formidable challenge ahead, together with an unfavourable weather forecast.
The “Less cloud. More sky” gods were kind however and, for most of the day and across the course, the rain was scarce.
It was Heras’ race from the start. Winner here in 2010 and 2011 on the shorter course (85 km), he placed third last year behind Kilian Jornet who set the standing record (12h03’27”). Heras was injured earlier in the year and now completely recovered, like the other seven times he’s entered, has made it his main focus. He came close to the record with an excellent 12h05’55”.
While he held the lead throughout, he was accompanied by two Peruvians, Emerson Trujillo and Remigio Huaman (ranked 6th) who danced between second and third in the lead pack tailed by Spaniard Jessed Hernandez, Russian Dmitry Mityaev and Cristofer Clemente.
At the 74K CP Huaman dropped, together with his champion title hopes, as did Poland’s Marcin Swierc (ranked 4th). Ranking leader Clemente closed in third, but the Ultra Series title was already his (based on the best results of three out of the Series’ five races with a 20% points increase in the final race). Frenchman Nicolas Martin, ranked second, did not race, but held on to his points. Spaniard Roger Viñas placed third in the final rankings.
The women’s field also had a clear leader and race winner in Gemma Arenas. From her third place ranking position, the win guaranteed her the Series title. With four of the Series’ top six women competing, any forecast would have been redundant. The punishing distance and vertical climb would be the deciders and as it turned out, Arenas started off as she meant to go on – leading from start to finish.
Sweden’s Ida Nilsson turned up with an unresolved injury after her win at The Rut, but the quality of the women’s field was tops, even with ranking leader Anne-Lise Rousset not racing. American Hillary Allen ran a strong race holding second position throughout to finish third on the Ultra Series ranking after Rousset. Spain’s Anna Comet, after a modest start, climbed to an excellent third place in the race (to rank 4th). Russian Ekaterina Mityaev, a Vertical and Sky specialist, joined her husband Dmitry Mityaev in her first Ultra and proved her potential by placing 4th in the race.
“At the moment I don’t believe it. It’s just my second year in this kind of race and distance so it’s new for me. I’m very happy. Arenas commented. “From the start I felt fresh and was running well. Piece by piece I gained advantage – more than 15’ over Hillary.
After 90 km, on the last downhill I didn’t know how far I was from the second runner behind me. I was tired but I knew she couldn’t catch me!”
Racing 110 km with 6,800m climb at the end of the season was in fact a test for all the runners, the last crossing the line after nearly 30 hours on the course. The weekend’s events over different distances counted 2,200 competitors from 55 countries.
Salomon Ultra Pirineu race director, David Prieto, commented, “This year the weather forecast was complicated but most of the runners finished the race safely after complying with the compulsory equipment rules. There was no risk of electric storms. In some points it was raining, in some, sun – crazy but not dangerous.” He added, “We’re very satisfied for the many nationalities which increase year after year, also thanks to the Skyrunner® World Series.”
Concluding the festivities, Alpina Watches, Official Watch of the 2016 Skyrunner® World Series awarded a prestigious Alpina Horological Smartwatch to the Ultra Series’ end of season champions, Gemma Arenas and Cristofer Clemente.
Ultra Pirineu race results
Men
1. Miguel Heras (ESP) Salomon – 12h05’51”
2. Jessed Hernandez (ESP) Inverse – 12h40’15”
3. Cristofer Clemente (ESP) Race Land – 12h47’19”
4. Emerson Trujillo (PER) – 12h47’41”
5. Ernest Ausiro (ESP) – 12h48’01”
Women
1. Gemma Arenas (ESP) Dynafit – 15h37’47”
2. Hillary Allen (USA) The North Face – 15h49’46”
3. Anna Comet (ESP) Dynafit – 15h49’46”
4. Ekaterina Mityaeva (RUS) adidas – 15h5938”
5. Kristina Pattison (USA) La Sportiva – 17h12’58”
Full results
2016 Skyrunner® Ultra Series ranking
Men
1. Cristofer Clemente (ESP) – 294 points
2. Nicolas Martín (FRA) – 188 points
3. Roger Viñas (ESP) – 180 points
4. Dmitry Mityaev (RUS) – 155 points
5. Nuno Silva (POR) – 141 points
Women
1. Gemma Arenas (ESP) – 290 points
2. Anne-Lise Rousset (FRA) – 276 points
3. Hillary Allen (USA) – 272 points
4. Anna Comet (ESP) – 234 points
5. Kristina Pattison (USA) – 214 points
Skyrunner® Ultra Series ranking
Tying up the 2016 Skyrunner® World Series will be the Vertical and Sky finals in Limone sul Garda, Italy, on October 14 and 15.
Thanks to the support of our Partner Migu Xempower, Sponsor Alpina Watches and Official Pool Suppliers, Scott Running, Compressport and Salomon.
INFO: Skyrunner World Serie
