Jornet and Murigi champions of Sierre-Zinal
Around 5000 runners competed today at Sierre-Zinal on hills along Zinal in Val Anniviers, celebrarting the third round of the WMRA World Cup and third round for the GoldenTrailSeries.
Kilian Jornert (ESP) won the race for a legendary sixth time for this historic mountain running event. He waited after Chandolin to change pace and took the lead position for the rest of course “It was an hot day for me today but I felt good and in second part tried to push hard,” said the Catalan. “Simpson gave a strong kick just after Chandolin and then understood was the right moment to go.Guys today were very strong so i am really happy for my result.”
Robbie Simpson (GBR) was second in Zinal today after a real hard competition against Jornet: "Good race for me,second place is positive news for me. I miss speedworks so impossible to run faster in second part but anyway happy.I didnt suffer hot weather today.Running here in ZInal was superb as usual and so fun.I will be back for JungrafuMarathon now.”
What a surprise from Robert Surum (KEN) who clocked an amazing bronze tday. Knowing the course from years ago, the Kenyan started slow and in the second part,when importat to run fast,he suddenly changed pace catching many athletes in front of him. “I knew the course very well so I waited intellgently first part to give my best in second part," said the Kenyan. Surum pushed hard in last kilometers to reduce his gap from Jornet for 2min25sec.
With fourth place today,Francesco Puppi (ITA) confirmed another time his solid leadership in WorldCup WMRA Mountainrunning after a superb race against top level contenders.”I am so tired now but happy. Unfortunately I lost my bronze at 3km to the end, but I am happy for the competition and experience of running Sierre-ZInal," said Puppi.
World champ mountain running Lucy Murigi (KEN) and last year's winner here in Zinal, confirmed her title of queen of Sierre-Zinal by wiinning the race for third time.
She started fast from the beginning to run an incredible solo and her gap growed all the race against all contenders.
The Kenyan was so sure about her tactic, she said, “I came here in Sierre-Zinal to attack the course record. It was my main goal for the day and i tried starting fast.Unfortunately weather was hot so impossible but i am really happy about my race,i ran fast and my best so what else?!.”
Michelle Maier (GER) was second today after gold in 2016, and the suprise was Simone Troxler (SUI) who debuted for first time on this kind of course becoming brilliant bronze of the day just ahead of Ruth Croft from New Zealand.
Sierre-Zinal was a great success today,confirming its capacity to sublimated the entire off-road runnings' souls.
rankings men-women: https://www.datasport.com/live/ranking/?racenr=20138