ACANTILADOS DEL NORTE: SKYRUNNING 2024. GOLD DELORENZI AND URRESTARAZU

Posted by Corriendo la Vida on March 2, 2024 in skyrunning, skyrunning 2024, skyrunning calendar 2024, trail running, trail running spain | Leave a comment

ACANTILADOS DEL NORTE: SKYRUNNING 2024. GOLD DELORENZI AND URRESTARAZU.  Our SKYRUNNING section bring us today the results of the first race of the 2024 Skyrunner  World Series.

De Lorenzi and Urrestarazu are the first champions. Acantilados Del Norte, on the island of La Palma, successfully opens the new season with records in the men’s and women’s categories.

Leelo en español si prefieres: ACANTILADOS DEL NORTE 2024, RESULTADOS: Oro De Lorenzi y Urrestarazu

Photo @Guaresti

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ACANTILADOS DEL NORTE: SKYRUNNING 2024

GOLD DELORENZI AND URRESTARAZU

La Palma Island witnessed the gathering of some of the world’s best elite runners in a skyrunning spectacle that captivated thousands around the globe with incredible view along the island’s coast.

With 350 participants, the competition delivered an extraordinary display amidst the mountainous landscapes of the island’s north. The challenging 29-kilometer circuit, and 2,200 meters of elevation gain, navigated through historic trails and cliffs, offering steep ascents, rapid descents, and spectacular views of the sea.

Featuring a stellar lineup of elite athletes, it was expected that records the records of Manuel Merillas (2 hours 40 minutes 45 seconds) and Ragna Debats (3 hours 27 minutes 21 seconds) would fall, and indeed they did.

Both Delorenzi and Urrestarazu have smashed the records of the race. The Swiss crossed the finish line with a final time of 2 hours, 31 minutes and 41 seconds, while the Basque athlete has done it with 3 hours, 4 minutes and 39 seconds.

MALE RACE

Delorenzi  led the race from the start, imposing a strong pace (final pace of 5:14 km / hour), passing seamlessly through the three checkpoints at Don Pedro, French, and Gallego in first position. Behind him, a formidable group of runners, Frederic Tranchand (Scott Running), Alain Santamaria (Salomon), Dimas Pereira (Asics Running), Alex Garcia (Brooks Running), Alejandro Forcades (NNormal), Daniel Osanz (Adidas Terrex), Manuel Merillas (New Balance), and Aritz Egea (Domusa Teknik-Lana).

However, as the race progressed into its second half, Manuel Merillas from Leon staged a remarkable comeback, steadily climbing through the ranks to secure a podium position, very close to Tranchand. In the final stretch he managed to overtake him to enter in second position. Notably, Daniel Osanz also mounted a formidable charge, surging ahead to claim third place ahead of Tranchand of the Scott Running team.

The 2024 champion, Roberto Delorenzi, said after his victory: “I am very happy with the final time, I suffered a lot and in the middle of the race I felt the pressure of the pursuers, but I was able to keep my pace. It was my first time on the island of La Palma, I am very happy to be here and I really like the style of the Canary Islands. During the race you have to be concentrated to see where you put your feet, but you can enjoy the beautiful scenery while you are racing and I hope to come back next year”. 

Photo @Guaresti

FEMALE RACE

In the women’s category, the young Lide Urrestarazu took the lead near km 10 ahead of another Basque runner, Ohiana Kortazar, and the Navarrese Naira Irigoyen (A4XKM-Salomon). Urrestarazu maintained the lead all the way to the finish line in Barlovento. Irigoyen was second, less than two minutes behind the winner, and Kortzar took the bronze medal.

For her part, the brand new winner Lide Urrestarazu said: “I did not expect to win at all, although in training I have been feeling good lately, but it was the first time I competed at national and international level and there were very strong rivals. In the race from the beginning I felt comfortable and I’ve been in the lead at kilometer 10 and kept it. It was a very beautiful race with spectacular sections, hard and leg-breaking, but beautiful”. 

Photo @Guaresti

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ACANTILADOS DEL NORTE: SKYRUNNING 2024

A WILD AND BEAUTIFUL RACE

Acantilados del Norte SkyRace is one of the wildest races that currently exist, especially for the landscapes that can be seen during a route that is well known by hikers on the island of La Palma. Specifically, it is the GR 130 trail (Camino Real de la Costa), located in the northern part of the island.

Acantilados del Norte is a linear race that starts in Santo Domingo de Garafía and ends in Barlovento. The 29 km course runs along the north coast of the island of La Palma, entering and ascending the canyons and coastal cliffs, with a total elevation gain of 2,250 meters.

The race director, Jairo Ponce De Leon, has stated that: “we have seen a very good level in the race, the elites have given a great show, with female and male record that speaks for itself. We are very happy to host the first race of the Merrell Skyrunne® World Series and hope to see it again in 2025,” he concluded.

The representative of the Merrell Skyrunner® World Series, Andrés Olivera, said that: “we are very happy for the level we have had, although at the beginning the weather has not accompanied us especially for the initial assembly, but in the end, everything went well and I think people are happy. The elite have given a tremendous show and we hope that all participants leave with a smile on their faces,” he added.

SKYRUNNING 2024 CALENDAR

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1. 2nd May – Acantilados del Norte – La Palma, Spain – 29km, 2,250m+
2. 6th April – Calamorro Skyrace – Benálmadena, Spain – 27km, 2,270m+
3. 4th May – Skyrace des Matheysins – St Honoré, France – 25km, 2,000m+
4. 18th May – Skyraces Des Gorges Du Tarn – Ste Enimie, France – 24km, 1,800m+
5. 25th May – Orizaba Skyrace – Orizaba, Mexico – 45km, 3,200m+
6. 1st June – Hochkönigman Skyrace – Maria Alm, Austria – 31km, 2,600m+
7. 15th June – Madeira Skyrace – Santana, Portugal – 45km, 3,600m+
8. 22nd June – Minotaur Skyrace – Crowsnest Pass, Canada – 33km, 2,900m+
9. 23rd June – Skyrace du Mercantour – Saint Martin Vesubie, France – 30km, 2,150m+
10. 29th June – Kaiserkrone Skyrace – Scheffau, Austria – 25km, 2,770m+
11. 6th June – Cordillera Blanca Skyrace – Huaraz, Peru – 27km, 1,550m+
12. 23rd August – Matterhorn Ultraks « EXTREME » – Zermatt, Switzerland – 25km, 2,900m+
13. 25th August – Trofeo KIMA – Valmasino, Italy – 52km, 4,200m+
14. 22nd September – Maga SkyMarathon – Zorzone, Italy – 39km, 3,000m+
15. 28th September – Gorbeia Suzien – Zeanuri, Spain – 32km, 2,400m+
16. 12th October – Limone Extreme Skyrace – Limone, Italy – 22km, 2,200m+
17. 26th October – 2 Peaks Skyrace – Ulju County, South Korea – 26km, 2,080m+
18. 2nd November – Kailas Penang Skyrace – Penang, Malaysia – 42km, 3,800m+
19. 9th November – Sagalassos Skyrace – Burdur, Turkey – 27km, 2,200m+

SKYMASTERS

20. 16th November – Marato dels Dements – Eslida-Aín, Spain – 42km, 3,800m+

As in previous years, the SkyMasters is reserved for athletes who have qualified throughout the season only. Qualification criteria will be published at the time of the event announcement, early next year.