The Yading Skyrace, the ninth race of the 2026 Merrell Skyrunner® World Series, pushed every athlete to their limits high on the Tibetan Plateau.
Starting at 5am on the 20th of June in Shangri-La, China, athletes launched into the darkness under the glow of head torches, charging into the sacred mountains of Daocheng Yading. The challenge: 30km of relentless racing, climbing to a staggering 4,735m above sea level on one of the highest and most punishing courses in the series.
DUO FUELLED BY HOME-SOIL CONFIDENCE
From the gun, China’s Ji Duo (HOKA) made a statement. Fuelled by home-soil confidence and altitude advantage he surged ahead early, carving out a decisive lead. By Five Color Lake, Duo had stretched the gap to five minutes, leaving Spain’s Oier Zubeldia (Basque EMF) in pursuit with no margin for error.
Unstoppable in the thin air, Duo powered to victory in Yading in 3:32:34, igniting the home crowd with a dominant performance. Zubeldia crossed the line six minutes later to secure second, while China’s Kaijin Shi (Kailas Fuga) completed the men’s podium.
NURMUKHAMETOVA CONQUERS THE COURSE AND THE CONDITIONS
In the women’s race, Svetlana Nurmukhametova took control. Taking the lead from the outset, she dictated the pace and steadily widened the gap on Japan’s Takako Takamura (Nike ACG). Behind them, a fierce battle unfolded for the remaining podium spots, with Ainara Alcuaz (Basque EMF) and Vanja Cnops (T8) pushing hard in the unforgiving altitude.
But on this day, Nurmukhametova was untouchable. She crossed the finish line in 4:25:24, conquering both the course and the conditions. Takamura followed in second, later describing Yading as “the hardest race of my life.”
From oxygen-deprived climbs to unforgettable performances, the Yading Skyrace was once again, a perfect MSWS host.
Full results HERE.
The Merrell Skyrunner® World Series now moves to South America, with the next showdown set for June 28 at the Ibarra Skyrace in Ecuador.
Watch the live here:
