The Dolomites Skyrace in Italy was part of the Skyrunner World Series, and the Kendall Mountain Run in Colorado was part of the U.S. Skyrunning Series. Both races take top standing in this week’s column, and we also preview next weekend’s Speedgoat 50k.
Dolomites Skyrace – Canazei, Italy
Typically big, the Dolomites Skyrace had some 1,000 runners from around the world. Unfortunately the Skyrunner World Series Sky Classic race was marred by foul weather, so bad that the start was delayed and the course was shortened to 22k, though still with 1,710 meters (5,610 feet) of elevation gain.
Men
Taking the lead just 2k from the finish, Jan Margarit (Spain)–all of 19 years old–scored a signature win. He finished in 2:06, 22 seconds better than Davide Magnini (Italy). Third-place Marco De Gasperi (Italy) ran 2:07, only 45 seconds back of the race winner.
Just a few days after his Salomon TV video dropped, Rémi Bonnet (Switzerland) reached the course high point in first. The uphill ace however was quickly run down and would finish fourth in 2:07.
Other notable finishers included:
- Martin Anthamatten (Switzerland) – 5th, 2:07
- Tadei Pivk (Italy) – 7th, 2:09
- Ruy Ueda (Japan) – 9th, 2:11
Aritz Egea (Spain) continues to lead the Skyrunner World Series Sky Classic division.
The 2017 Dolomites Skyrace men’s podium. Photo: Skyrunner World Series
Already the course-record holder thanks to her run at last year’s race, Laura Orguè (Spain) won for the second-straight year, and third time ever. Start to finish, she was in the lead on her way to a 2:36 winning time. Hillary Gerardi (USA, living in France) was second in 2:37, and Hilde Aders (Norway) was third in 2:39.
Although just seventh, Oihana Azkorbebeitia (Spain) gained enough points to leap to the Skyrunner World Series Sky Classic lead.
Other notable finishers included:
- Silvia Rampazzo (Italy) – 4th, 2:41
- Stephanie Jimenez (Italy) – 8th, 2:45
- Anna Comet (Spain) – 13th, 2:58
The next Skyrunner World Series race is the July 30 Skyrace Comapedrosa in Andorra. Like the Dolomites Skyrace, it too is a Sky Classic race.
The 2017 Dolomites Skyrace women’s podium. Photo: Skyrunner World Series
Kendall Mountain Run – Silverton, Colorado
Colorado’s Kendall Mountain Run turned 40! The race was again part of the U.S. Skyrunning Series, specifically it was race #2 in the Sky Classic division.
Men
Jim Walmsley deserves applause for this one. Walmsley covered the 12-mile track up and above 13,000 feet and back down in 1:31. It was a new course record–over three minutes better than Joe Gray‘s previous best from 2014.
David Sinclair–thought to be a new name to this column–was second in 1:38, and Timmy Parr was third in 1:42. It was Parr’s second straight third-place finish.
The 2017 Kendall Mountain Run men’s podium. Photo: Aravaipa Running
The women didn’t score a new course record, but each of the top three now hold the race’s second-, third-, and fourth-fastest marks all time. Only Stevie Kremer’s 2015 1:55 is out of reach.
Kathryn Ross, just eighth here a year ago, was the leading lady with a 1:57 winning time. She was 13 seconds better than Broken Arrow Skyrace winner Kelly Wolf. Third-place Brandy Erholtz ran 1:58. Just 49 seconds separated the top-three women.
Full results (when available).
The next U.S. Skyrunning Series event is the August 5 and 6 Power of 4 races in Aspen, Colorado.
The 2017 Kendall Mountain Run women’s podium. Photo: Aravaipa Running
Other Races
Under Armour Mountain Running Series
The first of three Under Armour Mountain Series races took place at Oregon’s Mt. Bachelor. In the premier 50k, Mario Mendoza and Cody Reed went for the tie, and would split the first- and second-place $1,500 and $750. Camelia Mayfield won the women’s race. The next Under Armour Mountain Running Series race is August 18 in Vermont. Full results (when available).
Never Summer 100k
The third-annual Never Summer 100k (well, actually 103-plus-kilometer), put on by the Gnar Runners, took place out of Gould, Colorado. Tyler Fox set a new course record in the men’s race at 12:11.
Tyler Fox (right), 2017 Never Summer 100k champion, with second-place Clark Messman (left). Photo: Erin Bibeau
Alyson Kirk, 2017 Never Summer 100k champion. Photo: Erin Bibeau
Outside of Ashland, Oregon, Blake Zufall and Molly Schmelzle won the Siskiyou Out Back 50-mile race in 7:12 and 8:15, respectively. And in the 50k, it was Eric Ghelfi–for the second-straight year–and Heather Johnson out front in 3:38 and 4:27. Full results.
Buckin’ Hell 50k
The Coast Mountain Trail Series Buckin’ Hell 50k packs a wallop, some 2,600 meters (9,000 feet) of elevation gain are on course outside of North Vancouver, British Columbia. Race winners were Glenn Jasechko and Darbykai Standrick in 5:12 and 5:37, respectively. Full results.
Table Rock 30k
The San Francisco Bay Area Table Rock 30k saw Scott Trummer out front in 2:23, beating Patrick Parsel’s 2:27 and Alex Varner’s 2:32. It was a new course record for Trummer. In the women’s race, Ivana Jourdon edged Alissa Hood, winning by less than a minute in 3:27. Makiko Yamashita was third in 3:32. Gary Gellin and Sally Kallet won the accompanying half-marathon race in 1:48 and 2:16, with Gellin’s time also being a new course best. Full results.
San Francisco Marathon
Off the trails and onto the roads, Jorge Maravilla won the 40th annual San Francisco Marathon in 2:28. Anthony Kunkel was fifth in 2:34. Devin McMahon was the women’s winner in 2:52. Full results.
Endless Summer 6-hour Race
Temperatures in the mid 90s Fahrenheit made Maryland’s Endless Summer 6-Hour Race particularly challenging. Mary Beth Strickler was the overall winner with 40 miles total. Taylor Maltz won the men’s race with 39.4 miles. Full results.
Next Weekend – Speedgoat 50k – Snowbird Resort, Utah
With 11,800 feet of climbing, the Speedgoat 50k is the real deal when it comes to mountain running in the U.S.
Men
- David Ayala – 1st at 2017 River of No Return 108k
- Dylan Bowman – 1st at 2017 100 Miles of Istria
- Sage Canaday – 1st at 2015, 2014, and 2013 Speedgoat 50k
- Anthony Famiglietti – 2008 and 2004 Olympian in 3,000-meter steeplechase
- Christian Gering – 4th at 2016 Speedgoat 50k
- Levi Hawks – Little brother of Hayden Hawks
- Lars Kjerengtroen – 1st at 2017 Logan Peak Trail Run 28 Mile
- Tim Tollefson – 1st at 2017 Ultra-Trail Australia 100k
- Jim Walmsley – RD Karl Meltzer says he’s a late add, going back to where ultrarunning nearly started for him three years ago
Canaday has had a lot of success here, but Tollefson has looked good over the last two years. And Bowman has been training at altitude for this year’s UTMB. Look for these three in the lead.
Women
- Jenn Benna – 1st at 2017 Silver State 50k
- Anna Mae Flynn – 3rd at 2017 Broken Arrow Skyrace
- Patricia Franco – 4th at 2016 Speedgoat 50k
- Marianne Hogan – 1st at 2017 Quad Rock 50 Mile
- Sarah Keyes – Winner 2016 U.S. Skyrunning Series Ultra division
- Christy Marvin – 3rd at 2017 Mount Marathon Race
- Sandi Nypaver – 6th at 2017 Broken Arrow Skyrace
- Kelly Wolf – 1st at 2017 Broken Arrow Skyrace
Wolf was the surprise winner at the Broken Arrow Skyrace. Hogan was the surprise winner at the Quad Rock 50 Mile. Will there be another surprise here?
Call for Comments
For a U.S. summer weekend, there wasn’t that much racing. Or was there? Fill us in on more races in the comments field below.
