WMRA WORL CUP 2023. TROFEO NASEGO Andrea Mayr and Philemon Kiriago winners

Posted by Corriendo la Vida on September 3, 2023 in Carreras de montaña, vertical nasego, wmra | Leave a comment

WMRA WORL CUP 2023. TROFEO NASEGO Andrea Mayr and Philemon Kiriago winners. Our WMRA sections bring us the Trofeo Nasego, with thrilling finishes in day of close racing. Andrea Mayr and Philemon Kiriago emerge as winners, but both are pushed all the way to the line in some incredible racing.

Crónica Trofeo Nasego 2023 en español: COPA DEL MUNDO WMRA: MAYR Y KIRIAGO GANAN TROFEO NASEGO

TROFEO NASEGO

WMRA WORL CUP 2023

After an exciting Vertical Nasego yesterday, which saw Mayr and Kipngeno retain their crowns, today it was the turn of Trofeo Nasego in this year’s Valsir Mountain Running World Cup. Trofeo Nasego has traditionally delivered exciting racing over the years, with its fast and mainly runnable course. Now in its 22nd edition, it is a classic of the mountain running circuit. From the start in Castro at 400m it climbs steadily for the first 6km, before flattening off for 6k, before the big climb up to Rifugio Nasego at 1311m, then a steep descent and slight final climb to Famea for the finish.

Last year’s winners, Andrea Mayr (AUT) and Patrick Kipngeno (KEN), who both successfully defended their titles yesterday at Vertical Nasego, were back again to try to repeat this feat.

TROFEO

TROFEO NASEGO. Women’s race

Madalina Florea (ROU), who just a few weeks ago led Sierre Zinal in a gutsy display of front running only to fade in the second half, took control again here right from the start. She led the runners out, initially with Joyce Muthoni (KEN), and seemed determined to establish a decent gap from early on.

Photo credit: Marco Gulberti

By 4km Florea had managed to create a 15-second gap, with Philaries Kisang (KEN) who was leading the chase. At this point Mayr was 30 seconds back, closely followed by Muthoni and Scout Adkin (GBR). As the race reached the 11-kilometer point, just before the runners tackled the initially gradual but then extremely steep climb to Rifugio Nasego, Florea remained firmly in control, extending her lead to one minute over Muthoni. Behind them, Kisang and Mayr had come together, setting the stage for a thrilling battle. The climb and subsequent descent was going to decide this race and the podium was very open, with runners changing position constantly.

It was no surprise to see Mayr climb strongly, reducing the gap to Florea and indeed catching her. Muthoni and Kisang were in hot pursuit. With the top five women closely bunched together, the descent promised to be decisive, and the podium remained up for grabs, with positions constantly changing. Mayr led briefly but it was Florea who emerged at the bottom of the descent first, with a narrow lead of 15 seconds on Mayr. Muthoni was a minute behind.

Agonisingly for Florea, Mayr passed her in the final 2k to take the win in 1.46.06. Florea was 47 seconds behind (1.46.52), then there was a gap to Muthoni, who completed the podium in 1.48.33. Kisang held onto fourth and Susanna Saapunki (FIN) came through for fifth.

Photo credit: Marco Gulberti

Women’s top five

1. Andrea Mayr (AUT) 46.06
2. Madalina Florea (ROU) 1.46.52
3. Joyce Muthoni (KEN) 1.48.33
4. Philaries Kisang (KEN) 1.49.44
5. Susanna Saapunki (FIN) 1.50.06

TROFEO NASEGO. Men’s race

We knew that Christian Allen (USA) would be an exciting runner to watch. A 28.36 10k runner who is also capable of winning a 50k trail ultra (Speedgoat) in addition to coming a close second to Kipngeno in a vertical uphill race (as he showed yesterday). It was Allen who took the race out from the gun, with Philemon Kiriago (KEN), second here last year to Kipngeno, on his heels and a chasing pack just behind.

Photo credit: Marco Gulberti

By the 4km mark Kiriago, recent winner of Sierre Zinal and second in the classic race in the World Championships, was stamping his authority on this race and had established a 5 second lead over Allen. Behind them Patrick Kipngeno (KEN) lay 18 seconds back, followed by a group including Xavier Chevrier (ITA), Cesare Maestri (ITA) and Alejandro Garcia Carrillo (ESP). At the 11k point, prior to the athletes tackling the big climb up to Rifugio Nasego, Kiriago still held the lead. It was all going to come down to that climb and descent.

Kiriago reached Rifugio Nasego neck and neck with Kipngeno, who had by now overtaken Allen, but Kiriago emerged from this section of the race in the lead, flying down the descent, having increased his lead to a minute. Allen lay just behind Kipngeno in third, with Maestri and Chevrier chasing in fourth and fifth respectively.

Kipngeno chased hard but Kiriago couldn’t be caught, eventually winning in 1.31.00 with Kipngeno clocking 1.31.45 for second. Allen couldn’t quite close the gap on them, but held onto third place (1.32.33) and then there was a significant gap between the top three and Maestri in fourth and Chevrier in fifth.

Photo credit: Marco Gulberti

Men’s top five

1. Philemon Kiriago (KEN) 1.31.00
2. Patrick Kipngeno (KEN) 1.31.45
3. Christian Allen (USA) 1.32.33
4. Cesare Maestri (ITA) 1.34.43
5. Xavier Chevrier (ITA) 1.36.17

Find full results here: TRAIL RUNNING RESULTS, BY MAYAYO

Valsir Mountain Running World Cup WMRA

After this weekend’s racing here’s how the positions at the top of the World Cup standings shape up:

Women

1. Joyce Muthoni 248 points
2. Philaries Kisang 190 points
3. Andrea Mayr 190 points
4. Scout Adkin 156 points
5. Lucy Murigi 113 points

Men

1. Philemon Kiriago 250 points
2. Patrick Kipngeno 230 points
3. Andrea Rostan 106 points
4. Joe Steward 90 points
5. Henri Aymonod 84 points

Valsir Mountain Running World Cup WMRA

NEXT RACE

Next weekend we head to Canfranc-Canfranc in the Aragonese Pyrenees for our next vertical uphill race on 8th September and our next classic mountain race on 10th September