Stage 10 of the Merrell Skyrunner® World Series delivers drama at altitude despite winds, fog and ice.
Extreme winds, thick fog and icy conditions forced organisers to shorten Stage 10 of the Merrell Skyrunner® World Series, turning Ecuador’s high-altitude challenge into a brutal 16 km test of endurance. Peru’s Jose Manuel Quispe and Sweden’s Amanda Nilsson emerged victorious at the Ibarra Skyrace, delivering commanding performances despite the mountain refusing to reveal its summit.
The Ibarra Skyrace, held in Ibarra, Ecuador, was originally planned as a 21 km route featuring 2,100 metres of elevation gain and a maximum altitude of 4,557 metres above sea level. Harsh mountain weather forced a course modification, reducing the race to 16 km, though the challenge and competitive intensity remained undiminished.
Men’s Race
From the opening climb, Jose Manuel Quispe (Team Merrell) set a relentless pace that the field could not match. Spain’s Joaquin Lopez and Daniel Izquierdo (Team OSZO) gave chase, locked in their own fierce battle for the remaining podium places throughout the race.
Quispe crossed the line in 1:57:26 to claim a commanding victory. Izquierdo secured second place, finishing four minutes behind the winner, with Lopez completing the men’s podium less than a minute later.
Men’s Final Results:
1st — Jose Manuel Quispe (Peru / Team Merrell) — 1:57:26
2nd — Daniel Izquierdo (Spain / Team OSZO) — 2:01:49
3rd — Joaquin Lopez (Spain / Team OSZO) — 2:02:44
Women’s Race
Amanda Nilsson led from the opening stages, while Blanca Llumiquinga, Rosalia Zegarra and Oihana Zubillaga remained locked together in an intense battle for the remaining podium positions. The chasing trio refused to give an inch as they pushed through the shortened but relentless course.
Nilsson completed a dominant wire-to-wire victory, finishing in 2:26:30. Ecuador’s Blanca Llumiquinga took second place, crossing the line less than four minutes behind, with Zegarra rounding out the women’s podium.
Women’s Final Results:
1st — Amanda Nilsson (Sweden) — 2:26:30
2nd — Blanca Llumiquinga — 2:30:02
3rd — Rosalia Zegarra – 2:31:01
Full results can be found HERE.
What’s Next:
The Merrell Skyrunner® World Series continues next weekend with the Cordillera Blanca Skyrace in Peru on 5 July 2025. With the series heading deeper into the Andes, competitors will once again face some of the most demanding high-altitude terrain in the world.
