The Buff® Skyrunner® World Series

The Buff® Skyrunner® World Series kicks off Sunday, May the 7th . The first race of the Series is a new race in the El ChicoNational Park in Hidalgo, Mexico.

These are the eight races in the 2006 Buff® Skyrunner® World Series:

07 May 2006 - Hidalgo, Mexico
28 May 2006 - Zegama-Aizkorri, Spain
11 Jun 2006 - Valmalenco-Valposchiavo, Switzerland
25 Jun 2006 - OSJ Ontake SkyRace, Japan
23 Jul 2006 - Dolomites SkyRace, Italy
03 Sep 2006 - SkyRace Andorra, Andorra
17 Sep 2006 - Sentiero delle Grigne, Italy
30 Sep/01 Oct 2006 - Mt. Kinabalu Climbathon, Malaysia

2,600 metres of vertical climb attend the participants of this 25 km long race through valleys, along rocks, by rivers and lakes.


08 May 2006 - First 2006 World Series race

Favourite Ricardo Mejia was the star of the show in the first Buff® Skyrunner® World Series race of the season in Hidalgo, Mexico, Sunday, May 7. Mejia established a 6’ lead from the start which he retained to the finish, closing in 2h10’28”. Fellow Mexican, Miguel Leon was second in 2h16’11”, followed by Canadian World Mountain Running Champion, Jason Loutitt, 2h16’27”. Italian Fulvio Dapit, third in the 2005 World Series, was in fourth place.

The 25 km race was more demanding than anticipated under the mid-day Mexican sun, with many runners summitting the 3,050m pass around noon. The altitude took its toll too, favouring the more acclimatized Mexicans, another factor that made this new World Series race a difficult challenge.

Monica Ardid from Catalonia, the 2005 Spanish Mountain Running Champion, was first to finish in 2h50’45, followed by Marta Vidal, Euskadi (Basque Country), in 2h54’14”, and Mexican, Xochtl Recilla de la Cruz, 3h01’33”. Italian Daniela Vassalli was fourth.

Excitement is already growing for the second event on May 28 in Zegama, Basque Country, Spain where the world’s top skyrunners will battle for leadership in the 8-race World Series with last year’s champion, Briton Rob Jebb defending his title with the rest of the Saab-Salomon Team; Catalan, Agustí Roc; Italians Bruno Brunod and Jean Pellissier; Ricardo Mejia looking for the top slot and 2005 World Champion Corinne Favre.



Champion: Ricardo Mejia Hernandez - Mexico

3rd: Jason Loutitt - Canada

2nd: Marta Vidal








Result


22 May 2006 - Exciting line-up for the second World Series race

The race is certainly one of the most exciting races in the Series for the number of top athletes participating. In this second race, the first took place in Mexico May 7, the runners competing here will include those leading the ranking for the rest of the season: runners such as Briton, Rob Jebb, last year’s Buff® SkyRunner® World Series champion and also course winner last year, together with fellow team members Simon Booth and Nick Sharp; current Series’ leader, Mexican,Ricardo Mejía, winner of the first event; Italians Bruno Brunod, Fulvio Dapit, Jean Pellissier, Marco Rusconi, Fabio Bonfanti, Mario Poletti, Carlo Bellati… and the runners from Catalunya, Euskadi and Andorra.

In the women’s category, ranking leader, Catalan Mònica Ardid will confront the current 2005 Series’ champion, Corinne Favre from France; Italians, Emanuela Brizio and Daniela Vassalli; Catalans Anna Serra, Ester Hernàndez and Teresa Forn¸ British runners Angela Mudge and Sharon Taylor; Tanya Pacheco from Venezuela and Marta Vidal and Alicia Olazábal from Euskadi.

A mountain race over the classical marathon distance (42km) with a total elevation gain of 5,472m on the Aratz massif, the Sierra del Aizkorri and four of the highest peaks in the Basc country. A gruelling course along mountain paths and trails in a stunning natural setting. The start is at Zegama, 296m and, with a series of technical ascents and descents, reaches a maximum altitude of 1,551m. The men’s record stands at 3h54'44" and the women’s 5h03’57”.

2005 Photos