Frenchwoman Christel Dewalle and Italian Philip Goetsch are the 2016 Vertical Champions after setting new records at the Skyrunner® World Series finals in Italy yesterday.
Ranking leader and Vertical World Champion Dewalle was unchallenged with her only rival for the title, Laura Orgué absent. The men’s leader, Andorran Ferran Teixido, uncomfortable with the alternative course, placed 15th in the race but held on to third in the final rankings.
188 out of the 240 entrants bravely faced the elements – torrential rain and thunderstorms on a Plan B course – very different from the original highly technical 1,080m climb and 3.7 km version. Nearly double the distance at 6 km with 1,200m climb, the race took on another meaning. The new records, 43’19” for Goetsch and 50’00” for Dewalle were based on last year’s results when the alternative course adopted due to bad weather.
The men’s race was led by Norwegian Stian Angermund (Vertical World Champion) who eventually placed second. Italian Patrick Facchini closed an excellent third.
Dewalle summited alone, an incredible 3’15” ahead of Italian Valentina Belotti, second. Norwegian Hilde Aders placed third.
The extremely challenging conditions had some of the top runners, such as Orgué and Rémi Bonnet (2015 Series Champion) opt out to conserve their energy for Saturday’s SkyRace®.
The Series’ champions will be crowned at a lakeside award ceremony on Saturday evening, together with the Limone Extreme SkyRace® winners. The rankings are based on the best results of four out of seven races with an increase of 20% in the final race.
The Vertical and Sky Champions will be crowned at the lakeside prize-giving ceremony on Saturday evening. The Skyrunner® World Series end of season bonus pool awards the top three men and women of each Series with cash prizes amounting to €36,000 over the four categories.
Alpina Watches, Official Watch of the 2016 Skyrunner® World Series will award a prestigious Horological Smartwatch to each of the Vertical and Sky Series champions.
Join us for all the action on Friday and Saturday in Limone where the world’s top athletes and passionate skyrunners will light up the town during… and after the racing.
Vertical Grèste della Mughéra race results
Men
1. Philip Goetsch (ITA) – 43’19”
2. Stian Angermund (NOR) Salomon – 43’20”
3. Patrick Facchini (ITA) La Sportiva – 43’47”
4. Marco Moletto (ITA) La Sportiva– 44’18”
5. Pere Rullan (ESP) FEEC – 44’34”
Women
1. Christel Dewalle (FRA) adidas – 50’00”
2. Valentina Belotti (ITA) – 53’15”
3. Hilde Aders (NOR) Mizuno – 54’56”
4. Lina El Kott Helander (SWE) – 56’28”
5. Sanna El Kott Helander (SWE) – 56’49”
Vertical Series rankings
Men
1. Philip Goetsch (ITA)
2. Jan Margarit (ESP)
3. Ferran Teixido (AND)
4. Marco Moletto (ITA)
5. Ondrej Fejfar (CZE)
Women
1. Christel Dewalle (FRA)
2. Laura Orgué (ESP)
3. Maria Zorroza (ESP)
4. Valentina Belotti (ITA)
5. Hilde Anders (NOR)
Info Vertical Kilometer® and Limone Extreme SkyRace®
