This weekend, the Golden Path World Cup heads to Switzerland for the fiftieth version of probably the most famend mountain races of all time, Sierre Zinal. The race traverses 31 kilometres with 2,200 metres of ascent, and historically attracts a really steep elite subject with this yr being no exception.
Sierre Zinal is named ‘la course des cinq 4,000’ as a result of the runners get to benefit from the views of 5 peaks over 4,000m alongside the best way (Weisshorn at 4,506m, Zinalrothorn at 4,221m, Obergabelhorn at 4,073m, Matterhorn at 4,478m and Dent Blanche 4,357m). Athletes begin in Sierre at an elevation of 570 metres, and climb as much as the best level at 2,425m over the primary 24 km. The ultimate 7 km is downhill, culminating in a frantic dash via Zinal to the end line at 1,680m.
Described as a “tantalizingly runnable, quick course, which as we all know leads to some very thrilling racing” the course had new information set in each males’s and ladies’s fields in 2019, by Kilian Jornet and Maude Mathys. Mathys has subsequently lowered this once more to 2:46:03. Each Mathys and Jornet will probably be current at this yr’s occasion however received’t be racing.
In a shock to the path racing world in 2022, each of the initially declared winners of Sierre Zinal have been later disqualified. Kenyan runner Esther Chesang joined the unique male champion, fellow Kenyan Mark Kangogo, with a retroactive disqualification. The ladies’s title was awarded to Maude Mathys, who may now rejoice 4 straight wins of the occasion, whereas the lads’s title was awarded to Spain’s Andreu Blanes.
The race is a part of the Golden Path World Collection, the Golden Path Nationwide Collection, and the WMRA World Cups.
Girls’s subject
Whereas Mathys (champion in each 2021 and 2022) is out of the race, the sector remains to be filled with legendary mountain operating athletes. The ladies’s elite worldwide roster is helmed by Dutch long-distance runner Nienke Brinkman, path operating and orienteering Swiss champion Judith Wyder (runner-up in 2019), American cross-country snowboarding champion Sophia Laukli and Kenyan Philaries Kisang, final yr’s runner-up.
The U.S. has a robust ladies’s contingent, with Allie McLaughlin on the forefront (she received the Damaged Arrow Skyrace earlier this yr, and received the uphill race on the 2022 World Championships and positioned third within the up-and-down race). Fellow Individuals Allie Ostrander and Bailey Kowalczyk (fifth final yr) be a part of her.
Different notable athletes embody Emelie Forsberg (SWE), Alice Gaggi (ITA), Theresa Leboeuf (SUI).
Males’s subject
The boys’s race has Kenyan world mountain champion Patrick Kipngeno in opposition to the formidable Eritrean Petro Mamu and Gruyère’s Rémi Bonnet. Kipngeno final yr’s runner-up, is having a particularly profitable yr, successful La Montee du Nid d’Aigle, Piz Tri Vertical and the uphill race on the World Championships. Mamu was third final yr and second in 2019 within the second quickest time on this course, ever (2:26:31).
Swiss celebrity Bonnet is in superb type, having received the Mont Blanc Marathon this yr and positioned fourth at Zegama.
Different athletes to observe embody Robert Pkemoi(KEN) may even be thrilling to comply with right here, having completed sixth in 2022 and having additionally achieved a fifth place at Zegama this yr, alongside Xavier Chevrier (ITA), Eli Hemming (USA), Andrew Douglas (GBR), Francesco Puppi (ITA) and Joe Steward (GBR).
Tips on how to comply with
Sierre-Zinal will probably be offering reside monitoring by way of their web site and social media updates. The race begins at 4:55 a.m. ET.
