Tromsø VK – Forsberg and Angermund climb to victory

Emelie Forsberg’s role as organiser didn’t last long at the Blåmann VK in Tromsø, Norway, Friday. After making sure the athletes all got to the start on time, she warmed up on the course with them, donned a bib, raced the race…and won. It was a photo finish however, as she crossed the summit with local runner Hilde Aders just one second behind. It was Emelie’s first international race since her injury and her second win here.

Norwegian Stian Angermund-Vik, 2015 winner and recently crowned Vertical World Champion powered to victory, although both winners were over their previous record times.

“The plan was to be first up the narrow path. Then to try to build a gap,” Angermund said. “It cost a lot. It was quite heavy all the way. I was tired along the last part and was struggling to find the quickest way but people cheering along the course motivated me a lot.”

Andorran Ferran Teixido pushed hard but half a minute separated them at the summit. He continues to lead the Vertical rankings. Third was Frenchman David Thibaud.

Some dashed hopes prevailed in the women’s race with favourite Laura Orguè taking 4^th.  After a silver medal at the recent World Championships, a double win in the Dolomites VK and SkyRace^® and the win at Comapedrosa just last week, ultimately she’s feeling the strain of so much top class racing.

Norwegian Yngvild Kaspersen who, like Hilde Aders, is a local, had been aiming for the top of the podium after placing 2^nd last year and admitted disappointment for her third place. She chose a quick recovery with a very refreshing swim in the Arctic sea.

The 2015 race records remain at 35’20” by Stian Angermund-Vik and 43’41” by Emelie Forsberg.

The “sea to sky” Blåmann Vertical is a mere 2.7 km and climbs to the summit of Store Blåmann at 1,044m, the highest mountain on Kvaløya island in Tromsø.

The weekend’s events include the launch of the first Skyrunner® Extreme Series races, the Hamperokken SkyRace^®. The Extreme Series is presented by Alpina Watches awarding the male and female winners of each race with an Alpina Horological Smartwatch.

Both races are capped at 200 participants for safety and environmental reasons and are ecologically sustainable.

Blåmann Vertical Kilometer® results
Men

1. Stian Angermund-Vik (NOR) 37’00”
2. Ferran Teixido (AND) 37’31”
3. David Thibaud (FRA) 39’50”
4. Tobias Geiser (ITA) 40’41”
5. Sven-Are Paulsen (NOR) 41’20”

Women

1. Emelie Forsberg (SWE) 44’49”
2. Hilde Aders (NOR) 44’49”
3. Yngvild Kaspersen (NOR) 44’56”
4. Laura Orgué (ESP) 47’34”
5. Therese Sjursen (NOR) 48’00”

Race results

Vertical Series rankings
Men

1. Ferran Teixido (AND)– 287 points
2. Philip Goetsch (ITA) – 200 points
3. Marco Moletto (ITA) – 180 points
4. Hannes Perkmann (ITA) – 166 points
5. Jan Margarit (ESP) – 166 points

Women

1. Christel Dewalle (FRA)– 288 points
2. Laura Orgué (ESP) – 258 points
3. Emily Collinge (GBR) – 178 points
4. Francesca Rossi (ITA) – 156 points
5. Serena Vittori (ITA) – 146 points

Vertical Series rankings

Race website

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