Con i suoi 42km e 2472m di dislivello positivo quella di Zegama resta una delle gare più toste della stagione. Più toste e ambite visto il numero chiuso e le che iscrizioni chiudono mesi prima.Oggi, a rendere il tutto ancora più duro ci si è messo il meteo: 10 gradi in partenza con pioggia battente che lasciava il passo alla neve nei punti più alti.

Ciò non a però sconvolto i valori in campo. A confermarsi il più forte ci ha pensato il catalano del Team Salomon Kilian Jornet. Per lui successo in 3h56’06″. Seconda piazza per il connazionale alfiere del Team La Sportiva Luis Hernando 4h00’42″. Sul podio con loro è salito il britannico Tom Owen. Primo degli italiani il rientrante Fulvio Dapit 7° che, lasciatosi alle spalle un 2011 in parte condizionato da un infortunio invernale al polso, si è quindi presentato al via in forma eccellente.

Nella gara in rosa la campionessa del mondo 2011 Ohiana Kortazar ha concesso il bis uscendo vittoriosa da un mare di fango e acqua. Sul podio in rosa sono salite anche Núria Picas e Emili Forsberg. Da ricordare che I tempi da battere sono 3h54'18" (Rob Jebb 2005) e 4h38'19" (Emanuela Brizio 2009).

RANKING DI COPPA: Kilian conduce con 178 punti su Mike Wolf (102) e Dakota Jones (100). Tra le donne Nuria Picas (176), Nikki Kimbal (140) e Anna Frost (100).

TOP TEN DI GIORNATA:

1. Kilian Jornet – 3:56:06

2. Luis Hernando – 4:00:42

3. Tom Owens – 4:06:05

4. Michel Lannes – 4:06:22

5. Jokin Lizeaga – 4:09:58

6. Miguel Caballero – 4:11:50

7. Fulvi0 Dapit – 4:14:39

8. Tofol Castaner – 4:14:40

9. Jose Gutierrez – 4:14:54

10.Greg Vollet – 4:15:33

CLASSIFICA FEMMINILE

1. Oihana Kortázar – 4:52:30

2. Núria Picas – 5:01:26

3. Emelie Forsberg – 5:01:57

4. Laurent Jeska – 5:04:20

5. Oihana Azkorbebeitia – 5:08:15

ENGLISH VERSION:

KilianJornet proves his prowess as a true skyrunning champion and takes Zegama bystorm with more than a 4-minute lead ahead of Luis Hernando while Oihana Kortazar wins the women’s category.
 
Extremely strong competition, relentless rain and snow along the three summits  meant a tougher race than anticipated for many Zegama first-timers.
 
In the men’s race, reigning Skyrunner® World Series champion Luis Hernando led the field to the highest point in the race at 1,1551m followed closely by Kilian Jornet, who, despite the difficult conditions, comfortably romped to the finish in 3h56’08”, slicing 22” off last year’s winning time - still 1’50” short of Rob Jebb’s record set in 2005.
Britain’s Tom Owens, last year a close second to Jornet, was third today.
 
Standing skyrunning champion and last year’s winner, Oihana Kortazar, led from the start, closely followed by Britain’s Lauren Jeska, alternating the lead.  At 32 km Kortazar cruised past Jeska to finish in 4h52’30”. (The women’s standing record is 4h38’19“ by Italian, Emanuela Brizio in 2009).
 
Sweden’s Emilie Forsberg was in the lead pack for the whole race until Spaniard Nuria Picas who had been pacing the leaders, overtook in the final ten kilometres, accelerating to a brilliant second position in 5h’1.28”.
 
One of the favourites, American Max King, 2011 World Mountain Running Champion, held third position to the summit, but suffered the 42 km distance to finish 16th.
 
Many of the top finishers were new to skyrunning.  In competing with the world’s élite runners, they show great promise for the rest of the skyrunning season.  These include:  Frenchman, Michel Lannes, 4th, Sweden’s Emiie Forsberg, and Britain’s Lauren Jeska.
 
A number of the runners competed only a week ago in the first of the World Series Ultra races, the mammoth (83km) Transvulcania Ultra Marathon on La Palma and, with the exception of an incredible Jornet who was third there, suffered the all-too short recovery time.  
 
Americans who stayed over after Transvulcania to get a taste of the classic SkyMarathon® included Dakota Jones, the 21 year-old winner who demonstrated true sportsman’s spirit by participating in Zegama, closing in 40th position;  Mike Wolfe finishing an excellent 14th, and Joe Grant, 44th.
 
A great performance by Nikki Kimball in 8th position here, she was third at last week’s Transvulcania.
 
Other international runners that participated in Transvulcania were Swiss ski-mountaineering champion Florent Troillet, 15th, and Argentinian, Gustavo Reyes, 26th.  
 
Spain showed their dominance in skyrunning yet again, with the two reigning skyrunning champions taking first and second places in both categories and the indomitable Kilian Jornet, first yet again.
 
Major industry players were represented here with strong international teams including:
Adidas, Arc’teryx, Asics, inov-8, Montrail, New Balance, Pearl Izumi, Salomon, The North Face.
 
One of the key factors that have world-class runners coming back year after year to Zegama is the demanding 42 km course with a total of 5,472m total elevation gain and the enthusiastic participation of thousands of spectators along the course, cheering every single runner every single step along the way.
 

Skyrunner® World Series provisional ranking:
 
Men                                                  
Kilian Jornet (ESP) - Salomon Santiveri – 178 points
Mike Wolfe (USA) - The North Face – 102 points
Dakota Jones(USA) -  Montrail – 100 points
 
Women
Nuria Picas (ESP) –  FEEC - 176 points
Nikki Kimbal(USA) – The North Face -140 points
Anna Frost (NZL) – Salomon – 100 points
 

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