May
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ZEGAMA-AIZKORRI 2023: GOLDEN TRAIL WORLD SERIES SEASON BEGINS.
ZEGAMA-AIZKORRI 2023: GOLDEN TRAIL WORLD SERIES SEASON BEGINS. Our MOUNTAIN RACING CALENDAR celebrates its return as the inaugural race of the 2023 Golden Trail World Series.
Zegama-Aizkorri will once again be hosting the first leg of the Golden Trail World Series, 14th May 2023. Lets start reviewing how Kilian Jornet was flying in the last Zegama-Aizkorri 2022, also part of the Golden Trail World Series this 2023.
ZEGAMA-AIZKORRI 2023:
GOLDEN TRAIL WORLD SERIES SEASON BEGINS
With its stunning landscapes, unpredictable weather, technical terrain and crazy supporters’ fervour, Zegama is without doubt one of the races the runners love the most.
The atmosphere is unique: reminiscent of the Tour de France’s mountain sections for the cyclists, there are no less than 30,000 spectators who line up along the course route on race day to cheer on the runners. A tireless throng who are the foundations of the legend that is Zegama-Aizkorri, otherwise known as the “Basque Fever“.
The same question is always on everyone’s lips at the finish line – weather dependent – will the record be taken down this year? You’ll get the answer on 14th May.
Zegama Aizkorri 2022. Photo: Mayayo
ZEGAMA AIZKORRI 2022: THE TRACK
KV ZEGAMA-AIZKORRI 3KM |1015M+
ZEGAMA-AIZKORRRI MENDI MARATOIA 42KM | 5400 M ELEVATION
ZEGAMA-AIZKORRI 2023: THE FAVOURITES.
WOMEN’S RACE
European Champion and reigning World Trail Running Champion, 4th at the GTWS in 2021, 4th at the Stranda Fjord Trail Race in 2022 and winner of the CCC the same year, Blandine L’Hirondel (Evadict – France) is this Zegama 2023 edition’s favourite.
She will be up against Caitlin Fielder (Salomon – New Zealand), 2nd at the Marathon du Mont-Blanc and 6th at the 2022 GTWS, but also Nuria Gil (Asics – Spain), who recently won the 2023 Transgrancanaria marathon distance, 2nd at the OCC in 2022, 8th at Sierre-Zinal and 6th at Zegama in 2022.
Zegama Aizkorri 2022. Photo: Mayayo
Winner of the Transgrancanaria 85km in 2023 and the Mozart 100 in 2022, Azara Garcia (Sport HG – Spain) will also be someone to watch closely. 8th at the 2022 Golden Trail World Series and often well-placed in the GTWS races in recent years, Marcela Varsinova (Czech Republic) will be eager to perform well in the first leg of the 2023 season.
Azara García winner Transgrancanaria Advance 2023. Photo Ana Samuelsson
Others to watch closely include Mathilde Sagnes (Hoka One One – France), Miao Yao (Salomon – China), Fabiola Conti (Dynamo – Italy), Theres Leboeuf (Leboeuf/Compressport – Switzerland) and Eli Anne Dvergsdal (Dynafit – Norway).
MEN’S RACE
GTWS 2022 grand winner and unbeatable on the 2022 GTWS from September onwards, Rémi Bonnet (Salomon/Red Bull – Switzerland) is obviously the firm favourite for this first race. BUT… “Zegama is Zegama” and anything can happen before reaching the finish line.
Zegama Aizkorri 2022. Photo: Mayayo
He will have to keep a wary eye on both Jonathan Albon (The North Face – Great Britain), winner of the Grand Trail des Templiers in 2021, the Marathon du Mont-Blanc and the Stranda Fjord Trail Race in 2022, and Manuel Merillas (Scarpa – Spain) who could perform majestically in Zegama, he finished 3rd behind Kilian Jornet and Davide Magnini in 2022.
This new season will be an invitation for Bart Przedwojewski (Salomon – Poland) to reconnect to success after several setbacks in the 2022 season due to overtraining at the season’s start, altitude sickness in the USA and a nasty fall in the Grand Final, but remember he won the Golden Trail Championship in 2020 and finished 3rd in the 2021 GTWS.
Another favourite for this 2023 edition is Elhousine Elazzaoui (Pini Mountain Racing – Morocco), who was 2nd at the 2022 GTWS, 4th at Zegama and the Marathon du Mont-Blanc. Next up are guys like Robert Pkemboi Matayengo (Sky Runners Kenya – Kenya), 5th at Zegama in 2022 and 6th in the GTWS, Thibaut Baronian (Salomon – France), 3rd in the 2022 GTWS, Francesco Puppi (Nike Trail – Italy), the winner of the 2021 final but whose 2022 season was marred by injuries, Ruy Ueda (Mountain Frontier, Japan), 4th at the 2022 GTWS and 3rd at the Marathon du Mont-Blanc and Daniel Osanz (Adidas Terrex, Spain), who took a stunning 2nd place at Pikes Peak in 2022.
Francesco puppi at Sierre-Zinal 2022. Photo: @hekruca
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