This weekend the best athletes from around the world will gather in the Serra d’Espadà for the ultimate battle at the most anticipated event of the year.
The SkyMasters Marató dels Dements, the grand finale of the Merrell Skyrunner® World Series 2024, will be held on Saturday, November 16th. 650 runners from around the world are ready to tackle the technical and demanding race, covering 42.5 kilometers with a challenging 3,800 meters of elevation gain.
As the final race of the season, the SkyMasters awards more points than any other race in the circuit, making Marató dels Dements SkyMasters a decisive event in the fight for the top rankings of the Merrell Skyrunner® World Series. The top 10 male and female athletes of the overall ranking will share the season’s prize pool of €93,500.
The Esteban Olivero U23 Trophy final will also be held on the following day. €6,500 in prize money will be awarded to the highest-scoring youths of this category, named in honor of Skyrunner, Esteban Olivero, the 22-year-old French athlete who tragically passed away last year in the Écrins Massif of the Hautes-Alpes.
BIG NAMES WILL BE THERE
Over one hundred elite athletes who qualified throughout the season will compete in the final of the Merrell Skyrunner® World Series. In the women’s category, prominent participants include Valencian Júlia Font (Brooks Running), Karina Carsolio of Mexico (B.Diamond/Buff Mexico), Canadian Emma Cook-Clarke (Arc’teryx), Lucille Germain of France (Sidas Matryx), Hillary Gerardi of France (B.Diamond/Scarpa), Lide Urrestarazu of Spain (Basque Selection), Anastacia Rubtsova (ranking leader), Oihana Kortazar of Spain (Salomon), Cèlia Balcells of Spain (FEEC), Olivia Magnone of France (Esclops d’Azun), Iris Pessey of France (Scott Running), and Czech runner Marcela Vasinova.
In the men’s category, top competitors include Swiss runner and current leader Roberto Delorenzi (Brooks), Lorenzo Beltrami (Scarpa) and Luca Del Pero (Scarpa) of Italy, Frenchman Frederic Tranchand (Scott Running), Manuel Merillas of Spain (New Balance), Daniel Antonioli of Italy (Scarpa), Antonio Martínez from Spain (Asics), Sebastien Poesy of France (Brooks), Japanese runner Ruy Ueda (Red Bull), Peruvian José Manuel Quispe (Merrell), Asturian Dimas Pereira (Asics), Aitor Blanco of Spain (Basque Selection), and Roger Comellas (Merrell), also of Spain.
The press conference will take place on Friday November 15 at the Hotel Intelier Bonaire (Benicasim). Top athletes such as Luca Del Pero, Roberto Delorenzi, Manu Merillas, Hillary Gerardi, Karina Carsolio, and Iris Pessey will be joined by race director Raúl Martínez and Seana Forbes representing the Merrell Skyrunner® World Series.
THE ELITE RUNNERS, READY FOR THE FINAL
One of the favorites, Antonio Martínez, shared his anticipation: “I’m looking forward to racing in Dements.It’s going to be a very tough race, with an incredibly high level of competitors, where anything can happen. I like the terrain and the distance, which is close to home, so I hope my body responds well (no cramps!), and I can do a smart race to finish this long season with a great performance”.
For her part, current second in the overall ranking, Hillary Gerardi, added, “I’m looking forward to closing out a very long season with what promises to be a very fast and competitive race. We will pour our hearts into the race and are grateful to the local community for hosting us despite the recent devastating storms in the region. As for me, after competing on the Skyrunning circuit since 2017, I’m looking forward to finishing the season and my career with a great competition before moving on to new running and mountain endurance adventures.”
Raúl Martínez, race director, stated that: “hosting an event of this magnitude in Dements is a unique opportunity for the world to discover our beautiful environment and appreciate its value. Eslida and Aín have been working for a year to prepare for the SkyMasters final, and there is great enthusiasm and excitement to celebrate and experience this incredible day. We’ve worked hard to ensure this weekend will be a memorable one for everyone. While the past few weeks have been challenging for all of us, the desire to celebrate and embrace this beautiful experience remains strong.”
“We hope that everyone who visits the Serra d’Espadà during these days will enjoy it and take home wonderful memories of our mountains, villages, people, and race. We have done everything we can to make this happen, and now there’s just one last push to see how Dements and the Serra d’Espadà make their mark around the world,”, he added.
Managing director of the Merrell Skyrunner® World Series, Etienne Rodriguez, comments: “It has been a pleasure to work with the Marató dels Dements team. The SkyMasters course in Eslida will be a test of endurance. The course is unusual in that it encompasses, from start to finish, a series of steep climbs and descents. I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see some surprises. While we are excited and expect both the SkyMasters and the Esteban Olivero Trophy to be superb, we can’t help but think of the tragic floods in Valencia. My thoughts are with all those affected.”
SKYMASTERS CLASSIFICATION
The Marató dels Dements caps off a season of 21 races around the world, which has featured intense battles as male and female athletes compete for victory in the Merrell Skyrunner® World Series circuit.
Photos: Antton Guaresti
