A Contest of Skyrunning Champions in Zegama

News Release / 22.05.2009

The newly revamped Skyrunning World Series, which brings together the worlds best mountain runners for 16 races across 14 countries, will be hosting its first European race this coming weekend in Spain.

The first race has already taken place in Mexico and the second is hosted on May 24th by one of the sport’s favourite venues, the Maratòn Alpina Zegama-Aizkorri in Spain’s Basque Country, renowned as a contest where champions rise and fall.

This immensely popular race with both runners and spectators boasts 453 athletes on Sunday’s start line, including an array of world champions including Spain’s Kilian Jornet and Agustí Roc, and Mexico’s Ricardo Mejia. Joining the line-up are Britain’s top female endurance and ultra runner, Lizzy Hawker and Italy’s national skyrunning champions, Emanuela Brizio and Paolo Larger.

The women’s field is open to speculation with the participation of Lizzy Hawker in her first skyrunning event up against experienced runners like Stefanie Jiminez, from Andorra and Emanuela Brizio who currently heads the ranking.

Standing skyrunning world champion, Kilian Jornet, after a winter of successful ski-mountaineering competition, is back in the Series to defend his title. Mejia, who heads the ranking after the first race in Costa Rica, seems to have recovered his 2007 form, while Roc (three times world champion) is always hot on Jornet’s heels. Italians Fulvio Dapit, among the world’s top runners, and Larger, challenge Spaniards, Raul Garcia, Tofol Castanyer and Jessed Hernandez. British runners Rob Hope and Ricky Lightfoot (Saab Salomon Team) will test their skyrunning skills in this very competitive international field.

The gruelling course over four of Euskadi’s highest peaks is very demanding due to the numerous ascents and descents amounting to a total 2,736 metres over the full marathon distance. The course record stands at 3h54’18”. The race represents a high note for both participants and public in the quiet Aratz-Aizkorri Natural Park where each year thousands of spectators line the course to applaud and encourage the world’s top skyrunners to victory.

Under the auspices of the new International Skyrunning Federation, the 2009 Skyrunner® World Series, partnered by Vibram®, world leader in technical footwear soles, promises another season of racing thrills and breathtaking locations across the world’s mountain ranges.

2009 Skyrunner® World Series Race Calendar;

COSTA RICA:Irazu SkyRace - Rancho Redondo, April 18
SPAIN: Maratòn Alpina Zegama-Aizkorri - Basque Country, May 24
ANDORRA:Vallnord SkyRace - La Massana, June 28
ITALY: Giir di Mont SkyMarathon - Premana, Lecco, July 26
USA: Pikes Peak Marathon - Colorado, August 16
UK: The Ben Nevis Race, Fort William, Scotland, September 5
MALAYSIA: Mount Kinabalu International Climbathon - October 24-25

2009 Skyrunner® World Series’ Trials
MEXICO: SkyRace Mexiquense - Volcan Nevado de Toluca, March 8
PORTUGAL: Circuito dos 3 Cântaros SkyRace - Parque Nat. da Serra da Estrela, May 31
SWITZERLAND: International SkyRace - Valposchiavo, June 7
SLOVENIA: Alpine Marathon - Petrovo Brdo, June 20
ITALY: Monterosa SkyRace - Alagna Valsesia, July 12
FRANCE: Chaberton Marathon - Montgènevre, August 2
VENEZUELA: Ávila SkyRace, Caracas, August 9
JAPAN: Mt Ontake SkyRace - Nagano, August 30
SPAIN: Puyada a Oturia - Sabiñánigo, September 27

*The SKYRUNNER® WORLD SERIES is a circuit of races open to individual skyrunners and sponsored teams based on the sum of the best three World Series’ results and one World Series Trial. (Double points are awarded at the final to the top 15 ranked men and top 8 women). Final Prizes: € 10.000 (3000-1500-500 M/F).

See www.skyrunning.com for further information.