Skyrunner® kicks off in Costa Rica
Ricardo Mejia - no stranger to Skyrunner® wins
The exotic Skyrunner® World Series got under way in the rare atmosphere of Costa Rica on Saturday (18). Italian Emanuela Brizio and Mexico’s Ricardo Mejia dominated the 40 km course to the 3,480m Irazú volcano, situated in the Cordillera Central.
The weather conditions and terrain are effusively depicted in this excellent report from the International Skyrunning Federation
One hundred and sixty competitors from nine countries struggled, for the most part, through the Irazú National Park rainforest and, above the tree line, endured the effects of the altitude and the burning sun, unfiltered by the thin mountain air.
Local runners who knew the course ran strongly for the first part of the race but soon Mejia separated from the pack, increasing the pace and the gap with every mile until, silhouetted against the volcano skyline, he was alone.
The unbelievable Irazú Crater
Following behind, a race ensued for second position between local runner Juan Ramón Fault and Italy’s 2008 skyrunning champion, Paolo Larger (Valetudo Skyrunning) who finished in this order with less than a minute between them. Mejia on Irazu
In the women’s field, Italy’s Emanuela Brizio (Valetudo), also 2008 skyrunning national champion, tore away from the pack to victory with a huge half-hour advantage over her rivals, Andorra’s Stefanie Jiminéz (Salomon-Santiveri) and Italy’s Daniela Vassalli (TX Active), taking second and third places respectively.
2008 skyrunning national champion, Emanuela Brizio
Fortytwo-year-old Mejia, 2006 SkyGames® champion, was back in top form and is set to give his all in the next World Series race in Zegama in Spain’s Basque Country on May 24, where he will have to compete against avery strong Spanish contingent headed by Kilian Jornet, the new skyrunning wonder and winner of the last two world titles, twenty years his junior.
The Irazú SkyRace® was organized by the Costa Rican Mountain Sports Federation, FECODEM and represents the season’s first World Series race and the first trial in the Pan American Championship which concludes on August 9 in Venezuela.
Results
Men
1. Ricardo Mejia (Mexico) 3h46’03”
2. Juan Ramón Fallas (Costa Rica) 3h58’51”
3. Larger Paolo (Italy) 3h59’16”
Women
1. Emanuela Brizio (Italy) 4h20’20”
2. Stefanie Jiménez (Andorra) 4h52’19”
3. Daniela Vasalli (Italy) 5h15’15”
