The dramatic landscape of the Mourne Mountains provided a fitting backdrop for a day of record-breaking performances as Spain’s Naiara Irigoyen and Manuel Merillas claimed emphatic victories at the Mourne Skyline®, the 20th stage of the 2025 Merrell Skyrunner® World Series.
Covering 35 kilometres of relentless climbs, rocky descents, and unpredictable autumn weather, both athletes delivered commanding performances to outpace a world-class field and secure their places among the elite of international skyrunning.
Featuring iconic peaks such as Slieve Bearnagh, Slieve Meelmore, and Slieve Donard, the route challenged runners with over 2,700 metres of vertical gain along the rugged Mourne Wall. Early forecasts promised mild, dry conditions—welcome relief on a course known for its brutality—but the competition remained as fierce as ever, with elite athletes from the UK, Ireland, Spain, France, New Zealand, and beyond on the start line.
THIRD WIN AND COURSE RECORD FOR IRIGOYEN
Spain’s Naiara Irigoyen (Open Team) delivered another outstanding performance, claiming her third victory of the season and setting a new course record of 4:13:15. Tipped as a pre-race favourite, Irigoyen lived up to expectations, chasing fellow Spaniard Marta Martínez (La Sportiva) up the first major climb before overtaking her at the summit of Slieve Bearnagh — a lead she never relinquished.
Irigoyen comments: “Today was a good race but it was not easy and I suffered. The race was beautiful. It had a lot of ups and downs, which is different to what I am used to – normally one big climb and one big descent – but I was able to adapt and I’m really happy to have this third win and looking forward to the SkyMasters next month, where I hope to finish my season in a very high position in the overall ranking.”
After a spirited duel with the UK’s Natalie Beadle, Martínez held strong to secure second place, crossing the line six minutes behind Irigoyen. Beadle completed the podium less than a minute later, rounding off the most competitive women’s race in recent Mourne Skyline history.
MERILLAS DOMINATES MEN’S FIELD WITH RECORD TIME
In the men’s race, Manuel Merillas (New Balance) was in a class of his own, controlling the pace from the opening climb and never faltering as he stormed to victory in a new course record time of 3:23:36.
Merillas comments: “I saw this event and I thought it looks like my home so I have to come and race here in the Mournes. The race was tough and of course, it’s always difficult when you hear that people get lost. For me this was an important race and so I gave it my and this paid off.”
With Merillas untouchable out front, the battle for the remaining podium spots became the race to watch. After a navigation error forced a leading trio—Jackson Cole (New Zealand, La Sportiva), Gontzal Murgoitio (Basque EMF), and Alain Santamaria (Open Team)—off course, the door opened for Damien Humbert (France, New Balance) and Oier Zubeldia (Basque Country). Zubeldia ultimately secured second place, finishing 13 minutes behind Merillas, with Humbert close behind in third.
Despite their setback, Santamaria, Murgoitio and Cole fought back impressively to finish inside the top ten, showcasing remarkable resilience and form.
CORRAL AND LARREA TRIUMPH IN U23 TROFEO ESTEBAN OLIVERO
The Mourne SkyTrail, running alongside the main event, served as the penultimate round of the 2025 MSWS U23 Trofeo Esteban Olivero, drawing a strong field of emerging young talent eager to secure crucial points before the series finale.
In the men’s race, Tom Spencer (UK, Inov-8) led from the start but was dramatically overtaken in the final 100 metres by Ibai Larrea (Basque Country), who surged past to win by just three seconds. Finlay Grant (UK, Scarpa) completed the men’s podium, seven minutes behind.
In the women’s U23 competition, Claudia Corral (Spain, Scarpa) dominated from the outset, finishing ten minutes ahead of Carodilla Cabestre (Spain, Open Team), with the UK’s Louise Mitchell taking third place, twelve minutes behind.
This edition of the Mourne Skyline® not only awarded individual glory, but also played a decisive role in the standings of the Merrell Skyrunner® World Series and the U23 Trefeo Esteban Olivero. With today’s results, all four winners strengthen their positions in the rankings and collect critical World Series points.
Full results HERE.
