May 14

TRANSVULCANIA 2017 GOES TO TIM FREDRIKS AND IDA NILSSON (CR). RACE REPORT, RESULTS AND PHOTOS.

Posted by mayayo oxigeno on May 14, 2017 in Carreras de montaña, ida nilsson, skyrunner world series, skyrunner world series 2017, trail running, trail running canaries, trail running spain, transvulcania, transvulcania 2017, transvulcania ultramarathon, Ultra Trail, ultra trail canaries | Leave a comment

Timothy Lee Freriks and Ida Nilsson win the 2017 Transvulcania Ultramarathon, over 74km Freriks completed the route with a time of 07:02:03 and Nilsson achieved a time of 08:04:17 setting a new record versus the previous 8.14 by Anna Frost. We covered the rce live from the island of La Palma, from start to finish. See below the race report, results and videos, including this first one from the night start of the race by the sea at the Fuencaliente lighthouse.

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TRANSVULCANIA 2017 . RACE REPORT AND PHOTOS BY MAYAYO

With 2,000 participants from 45 countries lining up on the spectacular pre-dawn start line on the Atlantic ocean, yet again, the Transvulcania Ultramarathon has proved it’s iconic status on the international running scene after joining the Skyrunner® World Series in 2012. The course climbs a daunting 4,350m vertical climb over a 74 km course to the Roques de las Muchachas at 2,462m altitude before descending again to sea level and finishing with a punishing 5 km ascent to the town of Los Llanos where thousands of animated spectators greet the runners.
Together with a VK, marathon and half marathon course, the events attracted some 3,600 runners from no less than 60 countries.

Timothy Lee Freriks and Ida Nilsson have won the ninth edition of the Transvulcania Ultramaratón, completing the route with times of 07:02:03 and 08:04:17, respectively, conquering the most difficult race of the 2017 Naviera Armas Transvulcania Ultramarathon, and leading the 2,000 runners who took part in the race.
In the men’s race, Ludovic Pommeret achieved second place, reaching the finishing line in Los Llanos de Aridane with a time of 07:18:15, in front of Zaid Ait Malek, who completed the 74.3 kilometres in 7 hours, 26 minutes and 31 seconds. The women who climbed the podium with the winner, Ida Nilsson, were Anne Lise Rousset, who crossed the finishing line after 8 hours, 32 minutes and 15 seconds of running, and Hillary Allen, in third place with a time of 08:03:27.

Freriks is an ultrarunner based at Flagstaff, Arizona, USA who does train ocasionally with the likes of Hayden Hawkes and Jim Walmsley and had put forward some great performances recently in the states, yet he came out to the island of La Palma almost by chance, as he told the Skyrunning organistatio.

“I was training in the US with Jim Walmsley and Hayden Hawks. Jim just pitched an idea to come out here. It all happened very quick, just a couple of weeks ago actually. He encouraged me to go as training was going really well. He thought this would be the perfect event to come out to.” It couldn’t have been a better match. Completely surprised by his victory, he added, “It feels great. Just unbelievable – the fans here are incredible, everything about the atmosphere here is just amazing”

See below the checkpoint of Refugio El PIlar with the elite runners passing by an refueling in different styles each, from Pau Capell to Xavier Thevenard, Hyaden Hawkes, Ragna Debats and more.

Without three-time winner and record holder, Spaniard Luis Alberto Hernando who was racing in the shorter distances here, the men’s field was left wide open. Out of the blue, Freriks powered confidently all along the course to victory taking the win in 7h02’03”, 9’ short of Hernando’s 6h52’39” 2015 record. UTMB winner, Ludovic Pommeret took second place in 7h18’15” and Moroccan Zaid Ait Malek placed third in 7h26’31”.

In the women’s race, again Nilsson triumphed, this time with the record: 8h04’17”, crushing Anna Frost’s 2014 record of 8h10’41”. An ecstatic Nilsson held the lead comfortably from start to finish. For Frenchwoman Anne-Lise Rousset it was a repeat performance, closing second, 8h32’15” while American Hillary Allen bettered her 2016 fifth position to close third in 8h38’46”.

The President of the Island Council, Anselmo Pestana, the Island’s Minister for Youth and Sports, Ascensión Rodríguez, and the Mayor of Los Llanos de Aridane, Noelia García, were there to congratulate the winners and to praise all the Ultramarathon runners. The race is very difficult, due to its long distance and major ascents and descents.

Anselmo Pestana underlined “The undoubtable effort made by all the participants, both professionals and amateurs in trail running who have spent such a long time training for this race which presents various professional and personal challenges. Additionally, for another year, we have an outstanding side benefits which Transvulcania produces. Each year the race grows and attracts not only friends and family of the runners, but also the general public who want to experience this event from close up, something which is certainly positive for La Palma.”

Ascención Rodríguez thanked “the warmth of the Palmeran public towards all the participants who year after year follow the race at different points along the route and who are, without doubt, an added attraction to this difficult race, which 2,000 runners faced this year. Without doubt it has been an edition with many novelties, and in which, once again, has counted on the presence of elite runners of national and international level as well as our own Canarian and Palmeran athletes who never miss this trail running date on La Palma.