GOLDEN TRAIL WORLD SERIES. GRAND FINAL GOES TO ELHOUSINE ELAZZAOUI AND JOYCE NJERU

Posted by sergio mayayo on October 21, 2024 in golden trail series, golden trail series 2024, golden trail world series, golden trail world series 2024, trail running spain | 1 Comment

GOLDEN TRAIL WORLD SERIES. GRAND FINAL IN ASCONA-LOCARNO 17-20OCT. Our GOLDEN TRAIL SERIES section bring us the latest news from the grand final of the Golden Trail World Series held in Ascona-Locarno, Switzerland

Elhousine Elazzaoui won the men´s Grand Final and took the Golden Trail World Series title, while the female title went to Joyce Njeru.

Read this in spanish at CARRERASDEMONTANA: GTWS 2024 Resultados finales.

GOLDEN TRAIL WORLD SERIES. GRAND FINAL

GOLD GOES TO ELHOUSINE ELAZZAOUI AND JOYCE NJERU

GOLDEN TRAIL FINALS: The course

The finals were held on Saturday for the women’s category and on Sunday for the men’s category featuring a loop course with a total length of 23.5 kilometers and a total elevation gain of 1,400 meters. The course offers a variety of tracks to suit all types of runners and is designed to take athletes through the fan zone six times.

ELHOUSINE ELAZZAOUI TAKES THE GOLDEN TRAIL SERIES 2024 TITLE

This year, after three wins in the regular season, the Moroccan Elhousine Elazzaoui (MAR – Nnormal) has just clinched the GTWS title by winning the Grand Final after an epic battle with Rémi Bonnet.

“I’m so happy, this is my dream come true! I’ve been wanting to win the GTWS for 5 years, and this year I announced that I was really going to do it, so I was under a bit of pressure. But I did it! I was really confident in the downhill and I knew I could go for victory. I’d like to thank all the spectators who urged me on and gave me their full support.”

Rémi Bonnet (CHE – Salomon/Red Bull) gave it his all today, even attacking on the first big descent, even though his specialty is uphill racing. Nevertheless, he had to bow out to Elhousine on the final descent.

“I gave it my all today! I stuck to my strategy, which was to make the race harder on the big climb so that they’d have to push hard before going even harder on the climb. It worked because the Kenyans dropped back, but Elhousine was too strong. I’m really happy for him, because he’s a friend and he’s been dreaming of winning the GTWS for such a long time.”

Third place went to Patrick Kipngeno (KEN – Run2gether/On AG).

“It was a really tough, very fast race. I fought as hard as I could and we were neck and neck with Rémi, but he was stronger today. But I’m not disappointed because I finished 2nd in the Golden Trail Series. It’s only my second year on the circuit and I really feel like I’ve progressed this year!”

Fabian Venero is the overall winner of the GTNS and the U23s!

Despite competing in the U23 category, it was Spain’s Fabian Venero (ESP – GTNS ESP/POR) who won the Golden Trail National Series overall. He finished in front of Juho Ylinen (FIN – GTNS NORDICS) and Mattia Tanara (ITA – GTNS ITALY).

GOLDEN TRAIL WORLD SERIES FINALS 2024. MEN RESULTS

Overall

1 – ELHOUSINE ELAZZAOUI (MAR – NNORMAL): 1:50:19 (+300 pts)
2 – RÉMI BONNET (CHE – SALOMON/RED BULL): 1:50:58 (+282 pts)
3 – PATRICK KIPNGENO (KEN – RUN2GETHER/ON AG): 1:51:01(+264 pts)
4 – TIMOTHY KIBETT (KEN – MILIMANI RUNNERS): 1:53:07 (+249 pts)
5 – PHILEMON KIRIAGO (KEN – RUN2GETHER/ON AG): 1:54:04 (+234 pts)
6 – ROBERT PKEMOI (KEN – JOMA): 1:55:45 (+225 pts)

7 – DANIEL PATTIS (ITA – BROOKS): 1:55:47 (+216 pts)

8 – CHRISTIAN ALLEN (USA – NIKE TRAIL): 1:55:51 (+210 pts)

9 – ROBERTO DELORENZI (CHE – BROOKS): 1:58:22 (+204 pts)

10 – ALAIN SANTAMARIA BLANCO (ESP – SALOMON): 1:58:31 (+199 pts)

GTNS – OVERALL (PROLOGUE + FINAL)

1 – FABIAN VENERO (ESP – GTNS ESP/POR): 2:28:39
2 – JUHO YLINEN (FIN – GTNS NORDICS): 2:30:30
3 – MATTIA TANARA (ITA – GTNS ITALY): 2:33:03
4 – ABRAHAM HERNANDEZ CRUZ (MEX – GTNS MEXICO): 2:33:06
5 – SANDOR CZABO (HUN – GTNS SLO/CRO/HUN): 2:34:27

GTNS – U23 (PROLOGUE + FINAL)

1 – FABIAN VENERO (ESP – GTNS ESP/POR): 2:28:39
2 – PABLO VAN HOORN (NDL – GTNS UK/NL): 2:35:49
3 – SIMONE GIOLITTI (ITA – GTNS ITALY): 2:39:35
4 – SHOTA MATSUMOTO (JAP – GTNS JAPAN): 2:44:47
5 – LINUS WEDIN (SWE – GTNS NORDICS): 2:47:06

GOLDEN TRAIL WORLD SERIES FINALS MEN:

Photos by Colin Olivero and Justin Galant.

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JOYCE NJERU TAKES THE GOLDEN TRAIL SERIES 2024 TITLE

We were expecting a duel between Joyline Chepngeno (KEN – Milimani Runners) and Joyce Njeru (KEN – Atletica Saluzzo), and it was on until Joyce twisted her ankle. With no immediate rivals and in impressive shape, Joyline Chepngeno flew to victory in this Grand Final.

“I wasn’t expecting to win this race because I’ve been suffering from a knee problem for several weeks, but I managed to get back into shape for the final. I’m thrilled because I showed what I could do at Sierre-Zinal but I haven’t been able to prove it again until now by winning the final. I really hope I can do the whole Series next year!”

Fading and struggling on the final downhill, Joyce also lost out to Lauren Gregory (USA – Nike Trail), who made the final technical section look easy! The American grabbed second place in the final kilometre.

“I had a blast on this race course, especially on the technical parts. I love this type of downhill and I managed to catch Joyce in the final loop to go neck and neck for second place. I’m definitely coming back to the Golden Trail Series next year, so I’ll be choosing my races carefully to go for the more technical ones, even if I’ve already ticked Sierre-Zinal 2025 on my calendar.”

Joyce Njeru nevertheless managed to clinch 3rd place, which meant overall victory in the Golden Trail World Series.

“I’m so happy to have won the Series! It’s a huge achievement in my career but also for my personal growth. I’m not disappointed that I didn’t win the final, everything was going fine, but I twisted my ankle halfway through the race and it became very complicated. But it doesn’t matter today, I’m just over the moon!”

Jael Morales Osegura wins the GTNS, Agnes Josefsson first in the U23s

In the Golden Trail National Series, it was the Mexican Jael Morales Osegura (MEX – GTNS MEXICO) who won the Grand Final. She finished ahead of Silvia Schwaiger (SVK – GTNS DACH) and Weronika Matuszczak (POL – GTNS CZE/SVK/POL).

Agnes Josefsson (SWE – GTNS NORDICS) won the U23 category in front of Betty Bergstrand (UK – GTNS UK/NL) and Miriam Morales Hernandez (MEX – GTNS MEXICO).
GTNS Nordics are in the lead

GOLDEN TRAIL WORLD SERIES FINALS WOMEN´S RESULTS

Overall

1 – JOYLINE CHEPNGENO (KEN – MILIMANI RUNNERS): 2:08:40 (+100 pts)
2 – LAUREN GREGORY (USA – NIKE TRAIL): 2:13:01 (+94 pts)
3 – JOYCE NJERU (KEN – ATLETICA SALUZZO): 2:13:31(+88 pts)
4 – JUDITH WYDER (CHE – HOKA /RED BULL): 2:13:58 (+83 pts)
5 – SARA ALONSO (ESP – ASICS): 2:14:08 (+78 pts)
6 – SOPHIA LAUKLI (USA – SALOMON): 2:14:40 (+75 pts)

7 – NAOMI LANG (UK – SALOMON): 2:17:52 (+72 pts)

8 – ORIA LIACI (CHE – CABV MARTIGNY): 2:18:27 (+70 pts)

9 – MALEN OSA (ESP – SALOMON): 2:20:05 (+68 pts)

10 – RACHEL TOMAJCZYK (USA – MERRELL): 2:20:14 (+67 pts)

GTNS – OVERALL (PROLOGUE + FINAL)

1 – JAEL MORALES OSEGUERA (MEX – GTNS MEXICO): 2:57:13
2 – SILVIA SCHWAIGER (SVK – GTNS DACH): 3:00:13
3 – WERONIKA MATUSZCZAK (POL – GTNS CZE/SVK/POL): 3:01:38
4 – KRISTIANE WIDTH (FIN – GTNS NORDICS): 3:02:48
5 – SARAH CARTER (USA – GTNS USA/CAN): 3:03:56

GTNS – U23 (PROLOGUE + FINAL)

1 – AGNES JOSEFSSON (SWE – GTNS NORDICS): 3:04:08
2 – BETTY BERGSTRAND (UK – GTNS UK/NL): 3:08:28
3 – MIRIAM MORALES HERNANDEZ (MEX – GTNS MEXICO): 3:11:13
4 – NURIA LLANSO (ESP – GTNS ESP/POR): 3:12:08
5 – BARBARA MARKOVA (POL – GTNS CZE/SVK/POL): 3:12:30

GOLDEN TRAIL WORLD SERIES FINALS:

Photos by Colin Olivero and Justin Galant.