May 25

WMRA: MOUNTAIN RUNNING WORLD CUP: LUCY WAMBUI AND ANDREW DOUGLAS WINS SHORT-RACE ANNECY

Posted by adefrutos on May 25, 2019 in Carreras de montaña, iaaf, IAAF trail running, mountain running world cup, mountain running worldcup 2019, trail running, trail running spain, Ultra Trail, wmra, world mountain running association | Leave a comment

World Mountain Running Association launch the 2019 World Cup calendar with 7 races, the opening race was the Short-Race from MaxiRace Annecy, this Friday at 7pm the circuit was launched. 16kms and 970 ascent to decide the first points of the World Cup 2019.

The Kenian Lucy Wambui with a time of 1h30:27 and the Scottish Andrew Douglas who was the first runner in the general with a time of 1h15:10 and will be the first leaders of the ranking.

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MOUNTAIN RUNNING WORLD CUP 2019: Short-Race Annecy (16km/D+970)

Andrew Douglas (1h15:10) and Lucy Murigi (1h30:27) wins

Scottish Andy Douglas caught the victory after an impressive push along the main uphill of the course. A group of five went away quite immediately following Andy Wacker (USA). At the top of hill at Plateform Telepherique Andrew Douglas was leading alone confirming his good shape after winning in Trofeo Nasego. Filmon Abraham (Eri) passed the hill in second position far 26sec from the scottish. Wacker, after beginning really “on fire” went out third 1min11sec back from Douglas.

Nothing changed in the leading position during the downhill where the Douglas kept the 1st position and increased the gap arriving on finish line in Annecy absolutely solo in 1h15:10. Second place in 1h16:00 for Andy Wacker with a strong descent, while third was in 1h16:11 Robert Panin Surum (Ken) .
Really happy Andrew Douglas : ” I am very happy about today win. A great start of season for me. I pushed hard in uphill and came down very sure and focused. I am Satisfied. Now my next race will be the Broken Arrow at Squaw Valley (USA) , still part of WMRA World Cup calendar.”

Last year world champ Lucy Murigi lead the race since the beginning and never worried by other athletes. She crossed the finish line alone becomig first leader of new season WorldCup, her main focus for 2019 together with Sierre-Zinal (also included in the world cup series by the way). Murigi pushed hard along the uphill and started going back to Annecy with more than two minutes gap over Sarah McComarck (IRL) and around four minutes over a surprising Nordic-skier Iris Pessey (Fra), chased by English Emma Clayton. In Annecy, Murigi crossed the line winning race in in 1h30:27.

She said: “Course was not easy for me so I decided to push along uphill to be more relaxed coming down. I am satisfied for victory and for my beginning of season. I want to improve myself in mountainrunning and I am happy to get good points here as I expect Andrea Mayr will be tough to beat in the world cup, but this year I feel I have the chance”.

Behind her, another confirmation for the talent and experience of Sarah McComarck (Irl) , who caught a very precious second place in 1h32.33.: “So pleased about my race and very happy about my result. Now focused on british trials of mountainrunning to qualify for European championship in Zermatt and then I will compete again in WMRA WorldCup in GrossGlockner and Snowdown.”
Surprising third at the end was Iris Pessey who didn’t lose podium and clocked 1h37:07.