This Sunday, the Skyrunner® World Series shall reach its highest point yet. High-altitude Peruvian race, Cordillera Blanca Skyrace, gears up to welcome 22 nationalities, including South America’s finest and a handful of red-hot European skyrunners, to Huaraz.
For the first time in history, a stage of the Skyrunner® World Series shall be held in Peru. Cordillera Blanca Skyrace is part of the UTCB event, located in the Callejón de Huaylas, the highest tropical mountain range in the world with the most imposing snow-capped mountain range in the country.
This year, the event has supported around 30 elite athletes, local and foreign, and the race will be broadcast live around the world. Since joining the circuit for the first time this year the event has already seen a rise in the number of International and female participants. Andres Olivera, UTCB Race Director comments:
“The eighth edition of the Civa Cordillera Blanca Skyrace appears as a consolidated race at a national and regional level. This year we expect about 30% of foreign runners from 22 nationalities, a fact that surprises us is that almost 40% of those registered are women, which is outstanding for a mountain race.
With additional efforts from the event, this year, we have provided additional support to be able to have racing the best exponents of Latin America in terms of short distance.
We hope that together with the Skyrunner® World Series, Peru will be the epicenter of skyrunning in Latin America and with the efforts of the authorities, sponsors and the organization we can continue seeking to organize a world-class event. We still have a long way to go and this is just beginning.”
The incredible 26 km course, with 2,000 meters of elevation gain, starts near Huaraz city at 3,300 meters above sea level. The route follows a trail that crosses the local community of Unchus in the direction to Pitek, where things start to get a bit more serious. Via ferrata and ropes lead to the highest part of the course at 4,500 meters where skyrunners will be able to appreciate the turquoise lagoon and the snow-capped Churup. The technical descent leading back down, followed by a fast stretch to the finish line is where the race will be defined.
The current record to beat is 2h37′ for the men and 3h28′ for the women.
Swedish skyrunning twins Lina and Sanna El Kott Helander (team Merrell) will be up against many acclimatised athletes from Peru including Cynthia Arribasplata Sanchez (team Salomon), Yasmin Lopez Guzman (team Salomon), Lucy Mejia Campo (team Saucony) and Grace Arribasplata Sanchez (team Fitpoint). Sofia Cofre Saphier of Chile (team Adidas Terrex) is also a main contender for the title as well as Ana Maria Pineda Rubiano and Paola Morales Pulido (team Novasport), both of Colombia.
In the men’s field, Nico Molina of Spain (team La Sportiva), the winner of the 2022 overall ranking, will take on Peruvian athletes including Civa team mates: Huber Huaman Villanueva, Jose Quispe Mallma and Octavio Choir Chamana. From Colombia will be Gustavo Buitrago Arevalo (team Scarpa) and Saul Padua Rodriguez. From Ecuador, Oscar Basantes Guanuna (team Petzl) and from Mexico, Abraham Hernandez Cruz (team Black Diamond).
As a SkyRace, different to a Premier SkyRace, less points shall be awarded to the top 20 male and females of the race. A breakdown of the points can be found on the Skyrunner® World Series website.
Prize money shall also be awarded equally to the top 10 males and females.
The top 10 will also qualify for the 2023 SkyMasters, the final race of the season. This is only as long as they complete a further 2 races of the season and the SkyMasters. More information on the rules can be found on the Skyrunner® World Series website.
The race starts this Sunday at 07:45 am (local time).
Overall ranking
Rules
SkyMasters qualification
Race website
