Trail Commentary

This is also published at the Trail Commentary blog.

The results are in. At least from a few revealing events that have transpired over the last couple of weeks. Let’s start with what our burrowing Euro Bureau correspondent has to report. The Skyrunner Series is officially finito. The European Skyrunning Championships took place in Alicante, Spain on Saturday, November 5th with the Vertical Kilometer® del Puig Campana. Talk about earning your post-race beverages: the course amounts to one thousand metres elevation gain over 3.650 km distance with inclines that reach 35.5%. The race starts at 380m in Finestrat, ascending to the summit of Puig Campana at 1,408m, which stands overlooking the Costa Blanca. The 8 km descent is done at what we would assume a much more leisurely pace.

Individual and team titles were at stake. The European final is combined with the Swiss International SkyRace® which took place on June 12. Points are added from both races for the combined title.

Ranking after the first leg in Switzerland on June 12:

1 SPAIN – 326 points
2 ITALY – 298
3 SWITZERLAND – 170
4 RUSSIA - 152
5 ANDORRA – 142
6 GERMANY - 92
7 FRANCE – 86
8 GREAT BRITAIN – 80
9 SLOVAKIA – 74

The men’s race was dominated by the Italians, smothering the podium with Urban Zemmer, Marco De Gasperi and Nicola Golinelli going 1^st 2^nd 3^rd. Zemmer set a course record, covering the 3.6k and 1k vert gain in 35:43.

A course record occurred in the women’s race, as well, as Spain’s “new skyrunning promise” Laura Orgue went 44:01. Oihana Kortazar and Corine Favre, women’s Skyrunning regulars (Kortazar the 2011 women’s series champion) finished 2^nd and 3^rd.

Ranking after the European Skyrunning Championships del Puig Campana:

1 ITALY – 630 points
2 SPAIN - 628
3 FRANCE – 314
4 ANDORRA - 312
5 RUSSIA – 238
6 SWITZERLAND - 150
7 GERMANY – 88
8 GREAT BRITAIN – 82
9 SLOVAKIA – 80

Italy and Spain certainly have asserted their dominance in this style of racing. The battle among Kilian Jornet, De Gasperi and 2011 Skyrunning Series Champ Luis Hernando at the recent Mt. Kinabalu Climbathon/Skyrunner SuperCup, along with the scuffles at Giir di Mont and Sierre Zinal between Jornet and De Gasperi, remind us of this year long supremacy. As the European cold sets-in, allow us to tip our hat to the magnificent racing that took place in this epic series and look forward to 2012. Stay tuned!

Now just a few quick remarks about some of the domestic professional trail: For the foreseeable future I see Max King and Dakota Jones dominating their respective schedules. No need to explain my King hypothesis. He is the U.S. and mountain running world champ, and owns his USATF “jurisdiction.” I’m interested to see how he’ll fair in more ultra events and whether or not he’ll take a few deeper cuts at races on the Skyrunning calendar, going head-to-head with those guys, and even getting to the start of Pikes Peak with some timely fitness. This guy is young and has barrels of talent.

That last sentence can also be used to describe Dakota Jones. Here’s another guy, like Nick Pedatella, for whom I could make a case for UROY. He ends-up a little light on the typical criteria, but I say, what the hell: if the award is truly up for grabs, then let’s say he has a shot and that TNFEC San Francisco championship has much to say about that recognition.

Look at this Ultra Sign-up card for a glance at this 20 year-old’s 2011 results. To make a long story short, he was 2^nd at the disturbingly difficult 2011 HR100, beat some stiff competition at both Moab’s Red Hot 50, and the Pocatello 50, and was 17^th at Sierre Zinal. That last one (definitely not an ultra) is really impressive, in my humble opinion, in terms of this guy’s potential.

Of course he just beat Mackey’s R2R2R FKT. His write-up is great. I think it gives a nod to the entire sport of ultra running in that IF more and more talented runners entire the fray, records (FKT) will drop accordingly.

I will have more to say about Jones in an upcoming column that previews the San Francisco ultra mayhem. With his GC exploits, Jones is a clear favorite (recall he was off the front for much of the race last year before being swallowed-up by some of the sport’s bests). But I will leave you with a reminder to keep an eye on Mr. Geoff Roes’ blog. There is a direct correlation between his writing and running. He is loving life, if you ask me. Which could be terrifying for any ultra running peloton.