The Epic 360 Cavalls Camí already thinking about 2017 after a highly successful edition

Press Release / 27.09.2016

Menorca (26/09/2016).- The 100 teams that have taken part of the Camí de Cavalls Epic 360º family during this last three days started to head to their respective homes on Sunday evening. They take with them a experience that all share as unique and positive, not only because of the discovering  of great landscapes that this island, reserve of the biosphere by UNESCO, offers, but the fact of the fellowship that was created and the framework of a perfect organization, Camí de Cavalls 360º.

On the sports side of things, Germans Julia Böttger y Tomm Claude Zechmeister (Team La Sportiva) stood out, and dominated with ease the Epic 360º category and covered the three stages with over 150 km in total  in 16:26:54 hours. Also, there were other clear winners in their category – Dualtrail, which alternated two stages on foot and one on MTB. These were the spaniards Marc Coll and Lluís Borràs (Team CEM El Papiol).

With regards to the shorter challenge ( 30 km per stage ) – Experience category, Kiko Sintes and Jordi Riutort (Aplacados Menorca) kept the victory in the island de jaron el triunfo en casa con su victoria en la categoría Experience. Lastly, it was the Dualtrail Experience category the most fought for  and it was only 1:05 minutes of difference that gave the victory to Eneko Hernández  and Iván San Miguel (Kimua Taldea) ahead of locals Jaume Bagur and Biel Cardona (Ecològica de Menorca).

Stage 1: Ciutadella - Son Bou (50,1 km / 525 m ascent)
23/09/2016- Storm lightning threatened in the sea at short distance from Ciutadella staging a dramatic backdrop to an exciting start.  The over 80 teams who took part of the longest and most demanding race categories  ( Epic 360º for the entire 50km race on foot  and Dualtrail Epic for those who will take on the second stage on MTB ) set out following the coastline heading south.
Weather conditions did help the runners, with cloudy skies and not much heat, whilst the cover the flat but technical terrain with sharp stones until Cap d'Artrutx. The first teams have ran together for most part of this area, and it wasn't until the second CP  when they split up, in Son Saura, where most part of the White Sandy beaches characterise the South of the Island.
From this point on, and as the beaches and coves like Cala Turqueta, Macarella, Cala Galdana or Binigaus followed one another, positions started to clarify,  with the Spanish as stage leaders Lluís Borras and Marc Coll (Dualtrai Epic), followed by the Germans  Julia Böttger and Tomm Claude Zechmeister.
The hellish path begun to open up and turn into pine tree forests. Despite the fact that the stage is mainly flat with gentle slopes, the constant ups and downs begun to take  its toll,  and past the three hours mark  the participants had to cope with a beating sun and a lot of heat. For many, it was just about when facing the last section of the stage, where most of the vertical drop concentrated there, at the ascent from Sant Tomàs to the Son Bou camping area, where the finish line was.
The stragglers of the Epic 360, as well as the majority of the participants of the Experience 360º category had an extra obstacle with an intense rain but for a short period of time.
Winners, Lluís Borras and Marc Coll, said that the stage was very beautiful which made the length of the stage shorter than what they expected.”  We've enjoyed it a lot and the scenery has been amazing".

Stage 2: La Mola de Maó - Platges de Fornells
The organization did hold a little surprise for the beginning of the stage, in the shape of 5km of the course inside the Maó fortress, an enormous military complex built in the XIX century to protect the entrance of the Maó port,  anecdotally being the easternmost spot of Spanish soil. The cyclists (both from the Dualtrail and Dualtrail Experience categories) have started first, at about 8:00 in the morning,  and 5 minutes after it was the  Epic 360º category participants turn. They discovered inner courtyards, ditches and tunnels making the start as something special to remember.
Thereupon the race  headed north, towards the Parque Natural de S'Albufera des Grau, through Sa Mesquida. On that first section, the leading team of the Dualtrail category, Lluís Borras and Marc Coll, had a mechanical problem having to change one of their bikes and being relegated to the last spot whilst trying to sort it all out. They reached the first CP where they could change one of their bikes and stay in the race.
From there on, with a section full of uphills  and downhills to coves and beaches, they reached Es Grau CP, climbing positions until they regained the lead, position they would keep until the finish line.
From behind, the participants of the Epic 360º category cleared the standings, always with the germans Julia Böttger and Tomm Claude Zechmeister in the  first place and followed by the spanish  Gema González and  Elías Linares. In Es Grau, the runners and bikers crossed the Parque Natural de S'Albufera des Grau,  a spectacular wetland and a crucial biotype for its rich wildlife. They also covered other remarkable beaches like  Es Grau, la Cala de Sa Torreta or la Platja d'en Tortuga, already with the Favàritx lighthouse as backdrop. The dune systems took them to Addaia with its port and Arenal d'en Castell.
The last section of the stage  took the Epic 360º family to  Platges de Fornells, where the finish line was. Climate conditions have been favourable and respected the runners for most part of the day, partly cloudy  and not too hot until midday when rain showed up  to add more epic to the stage.

Stage 3: Platges de Fornells – Ciutadella
After two days of clouds and some rain on the two first stages, finally the sorely missed balearic sun showed up and stayed for the entire final stage, bringing out the best and most spectacular areas from the North of Menorca with  wild and virgin landscapes  sculptured in rocks and water, but also with forests, farmland and a myriad of magic hidden corners.
Todays menu was, from Platges de Fornells to  Ciutadella, with 50,8 km  and 1.098 m of ascent.  Julia Böttger and Tomm Claude Zechmeister took the lead right from the start. Minutes later, and keeping the pulse , Spaniards lluís Borràs and Marc Coll followed. The first kilometers of this stage have impressed everyone with spots like Cala Tirant, Cavalleria, Binimel·là or the isolated zone of Ets Alocs and Cala del Pilar. Along the race, the Epic 360º participants meet the start of the  Experience 360º in Ets Alocs with a course of 32,2km and 524 m of ascent until Ciutadella.
All of them had to cope with a new example of the menorcan chameleonic nature. The precious coves and marine landscape gave way to forest  and mountains separating the course from the coastline towards la Vall and Algaiarens. There, it changes again reserving a technic and endurable terrain with almost no shade or tree right until the end of the stage.
The relentless sun was hard for the participants  as they approached Cala Morell and Punta Nati, where the cliffs provide a dramatic end before reaching Pont d´en Gil and almost Ciutadella. All had to make the most of their pride and fellowship to reach Ciutadella and celebrate their condition of finishers.

2017 News
The Camí de Cavalls Epic 360º organization has practically ready the third edition which carries lots of news. For starters, the date will change completely and it will take place in March instead of September. On the other hand, there will be the possibility to take on the whole course on foot or on MBT, instead of just one stage. Registration will open very soon to those who wish to live “ one island, three stages, an epic adventure” . Always in teams of two and with a spirit open to live an experience full of harmony and companionship.

Final standings

Epic 360º Category
1. TEAM LA SPORTIVA (Julia Böttger / Tomm Claude Zechmeister): 16:26:54
2. TORTU TEAM (Elías Linares / Gema González): 17:42:11
3. CRISTIAN Y SONIA GR-33 (Sonia Mundina / Cristian Andreu): 17:47:15
4. ROLLING (Germán García / Olga García): 18:20:01
5. LO QUE VULGUIS!! (Jaume Pons / Joan Galmes): 18:39:57

Dualtrail Epic Category
1. EQUIP CEM EL PAPIOL (Lluís Borras / Marc Coll): 14:54:07
2. DIMONIS DE BDN (Dídac Sánchez / Raúl Gallego): 17:19:08
3. MAASAI-VO2 (Laia Cuevas / Marçal Juan): 17:48:16

Experience 360º Category
1. APLACADOS MENORCA (Jordi Riutort / Kiko Sintes): 8:52:03
2. CLUB DE MUNTANYA ELS XORIGUERS (Margarita Adrover / Santos Santos): 9:34:09
3. HOQUEYTEAM (Joan Escala / Jordi Baldrich): 9:34:54

Dualtrail Experience Category
1. KIMUA TALDEA (Eneko Hernández / Iván San Miguel): 10:27:55
2. ECOLÒGICA DE MENORCA (Jaume Bagur / Biel Cardona): 10:29:00
3. ANIMALO (Felipe Selva / Enric Borràs): 11:07:54

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