Trail action was in the spotlight on day two of the Amazing Thailand World Mountain and Trail Running Championships, where the 12 individual medals were shared between athletes from nine different nations on Saturday (5).
Blandine L'Hirondel of France retained her title in the women&rsquo;s long trail race in Chiang Mai, while USA&rsquo;s Adam Peterman claimed the crown in the men&rsquo;s event. The short trail titles were won by Norway&rsquo;s Stian Angermund and Denisa Dragomir of Romania.
The long trail races saw athletes tackle an 80km course featuring more than 4900m of elevation gain and L'Hirondel again stamped her authority in the women&rsquo;s event. Sweden&rsquo;s Ida Nilsson led the race until the final 1000m climb that would take athletes from 60km to the 66km mark before the last largely downhill section. But L'Hirondel caught and then passed her over the course of the climb and went on win by more than 12 minutes, clocking 8:22:14 to add another world title to the gold she claimed in 2019 as well as the bronze she secured in the World Long Distance Mountain Running Championships that same year.
Nilsson held on to second spot, securing silver in 8:34:59, while bronze went to Spain&rsquo;s Gemma Arenas Alcazar in 8:46:27. 
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/6367978b4246a9645e99cfc9.jpg" alt="Blandine L'Hirondel celebrates her women&rsquo;s long trail win at the World Mountain and Trail Running Championships" />
Blandine L'Hirondel celebrates her women&rsquo;s long trail win at the World Mountain and Trail Running Championships (&copy; Marco Gulberti/Corsa in Montagna)
</div>
That final 1000m climb also made the difference in the men&rsquo;s race, as it saw Peterman move further away from France&rsquo;s Nicolas Martin to eventually triumph by almost 13 minutes and gain USA a second individual gold in Chiang Mai after Allie McLaughlin&rsquo;s classic uphill mountain race win on day one.
Martin improved on his fifth-place finish at the last World Championships, crossing the finish line in the runner-up spot with 7:28:44 on the clock, eight minutes ahead of Italy&rsquo;s Andreas Reiterer.
Finishing in sixth and seventh, respectively, Audrey Tanguy and Marion Delespierre joined L'Hirondel in winning the women&rsquo;s team title ahead of Spain and Italy. Peterman led USA to another team title, ahead of France and Spain.
The short trail races took place over 40km on a course with more than 2700m of elevation gain.
A strong second half secured Angermund victory in the men&rsquo;s race, the Norwegian moving away from Great Britain&rsquo;s Jonathan Albon, Italy&rsquo;s Francesco Puppi and USA&rsquo;s Max King to add another world title to the gold medals he won at the 2016 Skyrunning World Championships.
He won in 3:08:29, three minutes ahead of Puppi who secured a second successive silver after his runner-up finish in 2019.
Defending short trail race champion Albon added a bronze to his medal collection, finishing third in 3:13:05, four minutes ahead of King.
Dragomir also used her strength in the second half of the race to secure success, the 2017 long distance bronze medallist winning the women&rsquo;s short trail title by two minutes in 3:49:23.
Barbora Macurova gave chase and started to reel Dragomir&nbsp;in but ran out of trail and finished second in 3:51:22, three and a half minutes ahead of Sweden&rsquo;s Emilia Brangefalt.
Puppi led Italy to the men&rsquo;s team title, with Andrea Rota and Cristian Minoggio also finishing in the top 10. France claimed silver, while Great Britain and Northern Ireland claimed bronze. The women's team title was won by Spain, led by&nbsp;Nuria Gil Clapera and with&nbsp;Sheila Aviles Castano and&nbsp;Julia Font Gomez also in the top 10. USA took team siver and Great Britain and Northern Ireland another bronze.
The third and final day of action in Chang Mai on Sunday features classic up and down races for senior and junior athletes. 
<h3>Leading results</h3>
 Long trail (80km, 4910m elevation gain)
Women 1 Blandine L'Hirondel (FRA) 8:22:14 2 Ida Nilsson (SWE) 8:34:59 3 Gemma Arenas Alcazar (ESP) 8:46:27 4 Eszter Csillag (HUN) 8:49:24 5 Rosanna Buchauer (GER) 8:50:45&nbsp;
Men 1 Adam Peterman (USA) 7:15:53 2 Nicolas Martin (FRA) 7:28:44 3 Andreas Reiterer (ITA) 7:36:50 4 Jose Angel Fernandez Jimenez (ESP) 7:39:19 5 Aritz Egea Caceres (ESP) 7:48:42&nbsp;
 Short trail (40km, 2777m elevation gain)
Women
1 Denisa Dragomir (ROM) 3:49:23 2 Barbora Macurova (CZE) 3:51:22 3 Emilia Brangefalt (SWE) 3:54:52 4 Nuria Gil Clapera (ESP) 3:56:25 5 Sheila Aviles Castano (ESP) 3:56:39&nbsp;
Men 1 Stian Angermund (NOR) 3:08:29 2 Francesco Puppi (ITA) 3:11:47 3 Jonathan Albon (GBR) 3:13:05 4 Max King (USA) 3:17:31 5 Kristian Jones (GBR) 3:17:47
<a href="https://my.raceresult.com/225074/live" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Full results</a>

The 12 individual medals were shared between athletes from nine different nations

L'Hirondel and Angermund among world trail champions on day two in Chiang Mai

Allie McLaughlin led USA to a women&rsquo;s team title, while Kenya&rsquo;s Patrick Kipngeno followed his World Cup win with a global gold on the first day of the inaugural World Mountain and Trail Running Championships in Chiang Mai, Thailand, on Friday (4).
The three days of competition began with the classic uphill mountain race, which saw athletes compete over 8.5km from Chang Mai to the village of Ban Khun Chang Khian on a rugged course that featured 1344m of elevation gain.
McLaughlin, the 2014 long distance world champion, was victorious again, winning the women&rsquo;s uphill title in 55:15. Austrian great Andrea Mayr took her individual world medal count to 10 with a silver to add to a haul that so far includes six golds, finishing 26 seconds behind McLaughlin, while Switzerland's five-time European champion Maude Mathys claimed bronze in 56:00.
They are all entered for both of the mountain races in Chiang Mai, so will clash again in the classic up and down event on Sunday.
Romania&rsquo;s European silver medallist Monica Madalena Florea finished 18th in the world long distance race in 2019 and improved to fourth this time around, clocking 57:44. Just behind her was Spain&rsquo;s Onditz Iturbe Arginzoniz in 57:56.
With Lauren Gregory, champion at the inaugural USATF Vertical Mountain Running Championships, finishing 12th and Rachel Tomajczyk placing 26th, USA claimed the team title ahead of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, led by European bronze medallist Scout Adkin in 11th, and Switzerland, led by Mathys.
With six Gold Label wins on the Valsir World Cup circuit this year, Kipngeno was the favourite going into the championships and he lived up to that billing in the uphill race, clocking 46:51 to win the men&rsquo;s event by more than a minute and a half. 
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/63655454fd6da3f95f4ec202.jpg" alt="Kenya's Patrick Kipngeno on his way to uphill victory at the World Mountain and Trail Running Championships" />
Kenya's Patrick Kipngeno on his way to uphill victory at the World Mountain and Trail Running Championships (&copy; Organisers)
</div>
That success saw Kipngeno become the first Kenyan man to win a mountain running world title and it was a Kenyan top two, as he was followed over the finish line by his compatriot Philemon Kiriago, the World Cup runner up, who clocked 48:24.
Alex Garcia Carrillo of Spain bagged bronze in 49:03, holding off Switzerland&rsquo;s Joey Hadorn by six seconds. Ireland&rsquo;s Zak Hanna was a further 23 seconds back in fifth, one place ahead of defending champion Joseph Gray of USA.
Cesare Maestri finished seventh to lead Italy to the men&rsquo;s team title ahead of Switzerland, with Spain third.
The action in Chang Mai continues on Saturday, when the 80km long trail and 40km short trail events will take place. 
<h3>Leading results</h3>
Classic uphill mountain race (8.5km, 1344m elevation gain)
Women 1 Allie McLaughlin (USA) 55:15 2 Andrea Mayr (AUT) 55:41 3 Maude Mathys (SUI) 56:00 4 Monica Madalena Florea (ROU) 57:44 5 Onditz Iturbe Arginzoniz (ESP) 57:56 6 Susanna Saapunki (FIN) 58:12 7 Elisa Sortini (ITA) 58:42 8 Christel Dewalle (FRA) 58:49 9 Tereza Hrochova (CZE) 59:12 10 Hanna Groeber (GER) 59:27&nbsp;
Men 1 Patrick Kipngeno (KEN) 46:51 2 Philemon Kiriago (KEN) 48:24 3 Alejandro Garcia Carrillo (ESP) 49:03 4 Joey Hadorn (SUI) 49:09 5 Zak Hanna (IRL) 49:32 6 Joseph Gray (USA) 49:39 7 Cesare Maestri (ITA) 49:45 8 Xavier Chevrier (ITA) 50:03 9 Marek Chrascina (CZE) 50:03 10 Alexandre Ricard (CAN) 50:04
<a href="https://my.raceresult.com/225074/results" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Full results</a>

Allie McLaughlin leads USA to the women’s team title, while Kenya’s Patrick Kipngeno follows his World Cup win with a global gold

McLaughlin and Kipngeno take first titles at inaugural World Mountain and Trail Running Championships

For the first time ever, all the world's best off-road athletes will come together for a single, spectacular global event when the Thai city of Chiang Mai hosts the World Mountain and Trail Running Championships this week (4-6).
The inaugural championships is a collaboration between World Athletics, the World Mountain Running Association (WMRA), the International Association of Ultrarunners (IAU) and the International Trail Running Association (ITRA).
More than 900 athletes from 46 member federations will gather in Chiang Mai this week to compete in five elite races for men and women, including one for U20 athletes.
Friday 4 November Classic uphill (mountain, 8.5km, 1014m elevation gain)
Saturday 5 November Long trail (80km, 4910m elevation gain) Short trail (40km, 2777m elevation gain)
Sunday 6 November Junior classic up and down (11.2km, 441m elevation gain) Classic up and down (mountain, 11.2km, 441m elevation gain)
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SbhwqvvPaLU" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The championships will be live streamed on YouTube</a>. 
<h2>Mountain races &ndash; women</h2>
Kenya&rsquo;s Joyce Njeru has been the dominant force in women&rsquo;s mountain running in recent years. The World Cup champion has this year been in even better form on the circuit than in 2021 and has dominated the World Cup series, taking six Gold Label wins.
She finished 13th at the 2018 World Mountain Running Championships, but has improved significantly since then and will head to Chiang Mai as one of the big favourites in both mountain races.
Compatriots Lucy Murigi, a two-time world champion, and recent Sierre-Zinal third-place finisher Philaries Kisang also have good chances of a top-five finish in both races. 
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/60f3241949651ac14bfdf486.jpg" alt="Lucy Murigi in action at the La Montee du Nid d&rsquo;Aigle" />
Lucy Murigi in action at the La Montee du Nid d&rsquo;Aigle (&copy; Marco Gulberti)
</div>
 Switzerland&rsquo;s Maude Mathys was the standout performer at the European Championships, winning gold in both senior women&rsquo;s races to earn her fourth and fifth consecutive continental titles. She has maintained her form since then, with runner-up finishes at both Sierre-Zinal and Pikes Peak Ascent. After taking silver in 2018, she will be highly motivated to win her first world title. Like many of the leading contenders, she too is entered for both disciplines.
Sixteen years after her first World Championship win, legendary Austrian runner Andrea Mayr goes in search of a record-equalling seventh world title in Chiang Mai in both events. Now 43, she shows no sign of slowing down and has taken numerous big wins in 2022.
Defending champion Grayson Murphy may be out injured, but the US women's line-up is still packed with talent. Allie McLaughlin, the 2014 long distance world champion, runs in both races, so too does Lauren Gregory, junior bronze medallist in 2017 and winner of the inaugural USATF Vertical Mountain Running Championships at Loon Mountain in July.
The Ugandan women's team might be the biggest unknown at this championship. While the men have swept the medals at four of the past seven championships, the only time the country has sent a full women's team was in 2015, when Stella Chesang won gold and her country claimed team bronze.
Rispa Cherop, who is entered for the up and down race, looks set to lead Uganda&rsquo;s charge this time, having taken a comfortable win at the trial race in early October.
Romania&rsquo;s European silver medallist Monica Madalena Florea, who finished 18th in the long distance race in 2019, has shown she could go a lot better this time round. Her teammate Denisa Dragomir was long distance bronze medallist in 2017 and won this year's Balkan Championships.
Ireland&rsquo;s Sarah McCormack had a disappointing run at the European Championships but has been impressive since, winning at Trofeo Vanoni and finishing second at Smarna Gora. One of a few athletes running only one race, McCormack is entered for the up and down event.
Argentina&rsquo;s Chiara Mainetti is also foregoing the uphill race. She added a South American title to her multiple national titles in San Juan in August, before taking to the roads and making her marathon debut in London.
Italy&rsquo;s Alice Gaggi, entered for the up and down race, has abundant championship experience, taking the title in 2013 and finishing in the top six on six occasions. She won Trofeo Ciolo in late September, beating a number of her teammates in the process.
Compatriot Elisa Sortini has also shown strong form recently, finishing second at Trofeo Vanoni behind McCormack and ahead of Gaggi. She is entered for the uphill race this week.
Also look out for Britain&rsquo;s Scout Adkin and France&rsquo;s Christel Dewalle who took bronze in the up and down and uphill races respectively at the European Championships in July.
&nbsp;
<h2>Mountain races &ndash; men</h2>
Patrick Kipngeno, the revelation of the 2022 Valsir World Cup, may well be the man to beat in both races.
With six Gold Label wins on the World Cup circuit, including multiple course records, and further victories at Dolomitenmann and Thyon-Dixence, the Kenyan has had a spectacular season. 
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/63231ef70f3ae731af7cc9aa.jpeg" alt="Patrick Kipngeno celebrates his Vertical Nasego win" />
Patrick Kipngeno celebrates his Vertical Nasego win (&copy; Marco Gulberti and Giacomo Meneghello / Corsa in Montagna)
</div>
 His teammate Philemon Kiriago, second in the Valsir World Cup, joins him in Chiang Mai and both will be vying to become the first Kenyan man to become a mountain running world champion.
Uganda&rsquo;s Joel Ayeko has an impressive World Championships CV. Junior champion in 2016, Ayeko took silver in 2017 and 2018, finishing behind a teammate on both occasions. Having won the Ugandan trial race in early October, he will be looking to go one better in the uphill race this year.
Timothy Toroitich, a championship debutante with a 27:21 PB for 10,000m, features on the Ugandan team for the up-and-down race. He has achieved top-eight finishes on the track at the World Championships and Olympic Games, as well as at the World Cross Country Championships, so he will be hoping for a similarly high finish in Chiang Mai.
USA&rsquo;s Joe Gray is back to defend the title he won in Argentina in 2019. He has had some mixed results this year but always seems to find something extra when he's racing in his national colours, as his win at Challenge Stellina in August demonstrates.
One of only two people to have won a world title in both the uphill and up-and-down formats, Gray is entered for both races in Chiang Mai. Gray's teammate Andy Wacker, the runner-up in 2015, is another returning world medallist.
Italy&rsquo;s Cesare Maestri, silver medallist in 2019, was the leading man at the European Championships, taking gold in the uphill and silver in the up-and-down. He is also entered in both races here.
As ever, Italy fields a strong squad; their team includes 2021 World Cup winner Henri Aymonod, who looks to be back to full strength after injury, and 2017 European champion Xavier Chevrier.
The surprise package at the European Championships, Maximilien Drion du Chapois, timed his race perfectly to take the short trail title. Moving down to the shorter distances in Thailand, the Belgian will be a marked man this time around.
Ireland&rsquo;s Zak Hanna came within seconds of a medal when he finished fifth in the uphill race at the European Championships. He will contest that discipline again in Chiang Mai. He has also had three Valsir World Cup podium finishes this year and finished third in the series overall.
Miquel Corbera, who outsprinted Hanna to place fourth at the European Championships, is part of a strong Spanish contingent which also features Sierre-Zinal winner Andreu Blanes and 2019 long distance medallist Oriol Cardona. Look for them to feature in the team competition.
Other possible contenders include South American champion Javier Carriqueo of Argentina, entered for the up and down race, Britain&rsquo;s Chris Richards, and Marek Craschina, whose bronze medal in 2019 led the Czech team to gold.
&nbsp;
<h2>Trail races &ndash; women</h2>
Blandine L&rsquo;Hirondel will start as a strong favourite to retain her title in the long trail race. The French runner triumphed in 2019, winning by more than eight minutes, and has continued to be a dominant force in the trail-running world.
Poland&rsquo;s Dominika Stelmach is ranked second in the field according to the ITRA performance index (PI), ahead of Nepal&rsquo;s Sunmaya Budha, Asia&rsquo;s leading trail runner.
Keep an eye out also for Spain&rsquo;s Azara Garcia, who finished fourth at the 2019 World Championships and will be aiming to go at least one place better in Chiang Mai.
Only 13 points separate the second and the 10th-ranked womenon the PI, so a close-fought race can be expected.&nbsp; The team title, meanwhile, looks set to be a shoot-out between France and Spain. 
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/84815766-b489-4cb0-b857-5cff0ef2fda8.jpeg" alt="Miranda do Corvo women's podium, from left: runner-up Ruth Croft, winner Blandine L&rsquo;Hirondel, and third place finisher Sheila Aviles" />
Miranda do Corvo women's podium, from left: runner-up Ruth Croft, winner Blandine L&rsquo;Hirondel, and third place finisher Sheila Aviles (&copy; Mayayo-Carrerasdemontana.com )
</div>
 The ITRA PI suggests the short trail race could be a close contest between Ana&iuml;s Sabrie of France, Spain&rsquo;s Sheila Aviles Casta&ntilde;o, Nuria Gil Clapera, Mathilde Sagnes, Britain&rsquo;s Eleanor Davis and Switzerland&rsquo;s Ariane Wilhem.
Sabrie took silver at the 2018 European Mountain Running Championships. Casta&ntilde;o, meanwhile, earned bronze at the World Championships in Portugal in 2019, and will be determined to retain her place on the podium this year.
Sweden&rsquo;s Tove Alexandersson, who leads the PI, is a late withdrawal from the championships.
&nbsp;
&nbsp;
<h2>Trail races &ndash; men</h2>
The PI ranking is tight between the top seven men entered for the long trail race. Among them are Germany&rsquo;s Hannes Namberger, Britain&rsquo;s Tom Evans, USA&rsquo;s Adam Peterman, France&rsquo;s Thibaut Garrivier and Nicolas Martin, Italy&rsquo;s Andreas Reiterer, and Switzerland&rsquo;s Martin Anthamatten.
Martin was fifth at the last World Championships, two places ahead of teammate Ludovic Pommeret. With Garrivier also in the squad, France appears well equipped to contend for the team title.
But while Thailand may be a holiday paradise, it&rsquo;s also hot and humid compared to Europe and the US. Japan&rsquo;s Hirokazu Nishimura and Hong Kong&rsquo;s Wong Ho Chung are the top-ranked Asian athletes entered for the championships and the conditions may be more to their liking. Thailand&rsquo;s Jantaraboon &lsquo;Jay&rsquo; Kiangchaipaiphana or Britain&rsquo;s Harry Jones &ndash; who lived in Chiang Mai for several years &ndash; could also exploit their familiarity with the conditions to upset the rankings.
Jonathan Albon heads to Chiang Mai not only as the defending champion for the short trail race, but also as the athlete with the highest ITRA PI. 
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/8fbdcbfb-1bb7-4f58-a0f1-039a93b07bec.jpeg" alt="Jonathan Albon after taking the world trail running title in Miranda do Corvo" />
Jonathan Albon after taking the world trail running title in Miranda do Corvo (&copy; Mayayo-Carrerasdemontana.com)
</div>
 Among those seeking to prevent the Briton from retaining his crown are France&rsquo;s Frederic Tranchand and Thomas Cardin, Norway&rsquo;s Stian Hovind Angermund, Japan&rsquo;s Rui Ueada, Italy&rsquo;s Francesco Pupi and Switzerland&rsquo;s Martin Anthamatten.
Pupi, who finished fourth at the 2019 World Championships, will be determined to make it on to the podium this time.
&nbsp;

For the first time ever, all the world's best off-road athletes will come together for a single, spectacular global event 

Leading off-road runners descend on Chiang Mai for inaugural World Mountain and Trail Running Championships

Andrea Mayr and Jacob Adkin took victories at the historic Chiavenna-Lagunc Vertical Kilometre in Italy on Saturday (8) as the 2022 Valsir Mountain Running World Cup reached a fantastic conclusion.
It was appropriate that a race that began way back in 1986 and was the first officially recognised vertical kilometre would seal the final podium positions after 17 races.
An event that has witnessed world records in the past again produced some of the quickest times on the VK circuit, thanks to a short 3.2km distance accommodating the 1000m climb.
In contrast to the cold of last year, athletes were greeted with warm, sunny conditions, although they were mainly shaded by the trees on the steep hillside that leads out of the town.
<h2>Mayr seals short category success</h2>
Although the absent Kenyan Joyce Njeru had already cemented the overall win in the Valsir World Cup, Mayr&rsquo;s successful Chiavenna defence snatched second place as well as the short category honours.
With a time of 36:34, Mayr was within a minute of her course record 35:40, set in 2018, which is the fastest ever in a race disallowing poles.
With her fourth win here, the Austrian confirmed her title as queen of the vertical. Starting the last of the elite women, she made up more than two minutes on everyone else. Britain&rsquo;s Scout Adkin (38:55) and Italy&rsquo;s Elisa Sortini (39:00) were next quickest to cover the countless steep steps that are a characteristic of the course.
Although the runners started at one-minute intervals, the time trial scenario added to the drama as the elapsed times were revealed as soon as they crossed the line. It was no surprise for the enthusiastic crowd of supporters in the small commune of Lagunc to hear the winner&rsquo;s name.
However, for the six-time world champion, winning feels far from routine and is no less enjoyable. &ldquo;Every time is definitely a special feeling,&rdquo; said the 42-year-old. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s a challenge every year and maybe it&rsquo;s getting even more challenging because I&rsquo;m getting older.
&ldquo;I always make myself a lot of pressure before a race, but it was a good race and the weather&rsquo;s beautiful, the atmosphere&rsquo;s beautiful.&rdquo;
Ominously for her rivals, she feels she may have been able to go even quicker had she been fresher. &ldquo;I think this time I lost the record the week before,&rdquo; said the winner. &ldquo;I did some hard sessions the day before and that is definitely the reason I didn&rsquo;t have enough."
Adkin, bronze medallist at July's European Championships and sister of men&rsquo;s race winner Jacob, excelled on her first appearance here, although admitting she was unsure how to pace a time trial.
The Brit, who will compete in the World Mountain and Trail Running Championships in Thailand next month, said: &ldquo;It was really good. I was a bit worried about pacing it because I&rsquo;ve not done a time-trial style for a long time and haven&rsquo;t done a VK this short and steep before, so I think it worked well in the end. I managed to start picking off people from about half way up, which was good.&rdquo;
She will return home for a few weeks before heading to the World Championshops, where she will compete in both uphill and up-and-down. However, she hopes to contest more World Cup events next year. &ldquo;I was a bit gutted I only managed to do two this year, so my plan will definitely be to do at least three of the uphill ones and ideally a couple of the others.&rdquo;
Twice world champion Lucy Murigi claimed third overall for the season, although she finished just 12th today in what is not her speciality.
Njeru and Romania&rsquo;s Monica Madalina Florea ranked second and third overall in the short category, with the classic and long races all completed before today.
<h2>Adkin claims big comeback win</h2>
Even though he won uphill-only gold at the European Championships in 2019, GB's Adkin was able to enjoy victory as something of an underdog as northern Italy&rsquo;s Henri Aymonod, winner each of the last three years, had been centre of most attention. 
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/6348951103549315371fa619.jpg" alt="Jacob Adkin wins the Chiavenna-Lagunc Vertical Kilometre" />
Jacob Adkin wins the Chiavenna-Lagunc Vertical Kilometre (&copy; Marco Gulberti)
</div>
His victory in 32:11 &ndash; 1:56 outside the course record &ndash; represented a great comeback to the top of the sport after he broke an ankle this year and then had Covid affect his build-up to the European Championships.
He was just 12 seconds in front of ski-mountaineer Matteo Eydallin of Italy, who improved from fifth last year.
However, there was gasps of disappointment as the fast-finishing Aymonod was confirmed to be third with 32:29.
Adkin said: &ldquo;I knew training had been going well up until last week for Smarna Gora last weekend in Slovenia. Unfortunately, I obtained an injury during that race. I had a bit of a down period this week, so I wasn&rsquo;t sure going in what to expect from my body.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s such a good field today, really top-class athletes from different sports as well as vertical specialists. Really happy to have taken the win here. It&rsquo;s a classic race I&rsquo;ve always wanted to do and a real honour to have placed first.
&ldquo;I was able to keep a good rhythm running most of the way even with all the steps, which sometimes are quite big, so I was able to keep the rhythm running instead of having to stop and walk, which keeps the momentum going.&rdquo;
Like his sister, he is soon off to Thailand, although he will race just the uphill-only event.
Eydallin said afterwards: &ldquo;I knew I was in good condition in general but I&rsquo;m not a mountain runner. Being a time trial and not with the other runners, the important thing is to stay concentrated until the end. I&rsquo;m happy with my race because it was hard and the time is better than I did last year.
&ldquo;The beautiful thing here in Chiavenna is it&rsquo;s a neutral race because everybody can do a good performance, whether you&rsquo;re a cyclist, mountain runner, ski-mountaineer. It&rsquo;s a bit of a meeting between people of different sports. It&rsquo;s a good atmosphere, a good party for the people of the village.&rdquo;
In fifth, Ireland&rsquo;s Zak Hanna did enough for third place overall behind Kenyans Patrick Kipngeno and&nbsp;Philemon Kiriago. However, all three scored equal points in the short category rankings and Hanna found himself sandwiched between Kipngeno and Kiriago on the tiebreak rules.
Paul Halford (WMRA) for World Athletics 
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZCt7Dgq3-FA" width="100%" height="475" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
<h2>Leading results</h2>
Women 1 Andrea Mayr (AUT) 36:34 2 Scout Adkin (GBR) 38:55 3 Elisa Sortini (ITA) 39:00
Men 1 Jacob Adkin (GBR) 32:11 2 Matteo Eydallin (ITA) 32:23 3 Henri Aymonod (ITA) 32:29
<a href="https://www.endu.net/en/events/kilometro-verticale-lagunc/results" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Full results</a>
<h2>Final Valsir Mountain Running World Cup standings</h2>
Overall
Women 1 Joyce Njeru (KEN) 300 2 Andrea Mayr (AUT) 215 3 Lucy Murigi (KEN) 186
Men 1 Patrick Kipngeno (KEN) 300 2 Philemon Kiriago (KEN) 230 3 Zak Hanna (IRL) 173
Short category
Women 1 Andrea Mayr (AUT)&nbsp;140 2 Joyce Njeru (KEN) 125 3 Monica Madalina Florea (ROU) 70
Men 1 Patrick Kipngeno (KEN)&nbsp;100 2 Zak Hanna (IRL)&nbsp;100 3 Philemon Kiriago (KEN)&nbsp;100

The 2022 Valsir Mountain Running World Cup reached a fantastic conclusion at the Chiavenna-Lagunc Vertical Kilometre

Mayr and Adkin win Mountain Running World Cup final in Italy

Two-time world mountain running champion Lucy Wambui Murigi raced to the overall women&rsquo;s long mountain title in the Valsir Mountain Running World Cup, winning the Zumaia Flysch Trail, a Gold Label race, on Sunday (2).
Victory in the men&rsquo;s race was claimed by Loic Robert, who moved from fourth to second in the final &lsquo;long&rsquo; category standings.
The penultimate race in this year&rsquo;s World Cup served up thrilling racing and fast times on a perfect day for mountain running the Basque Country.
Kenya&rsquo;s Murigi was looking to go one better than the second place she claimed last year, while Italy&rsquo;s Camilla Magliano was running her 10th World Cup race of the season. Respectively sitting second and third in the long category standings and third and second in the overall World Cup standings, there was a huge amount on the line for these athletes.
Among those keeping them on their toes were the Basque pair of Leire Fernandez Abete and the legendary Oihana Kortazar.
France's Robert, meanwhile, was on the hunt for a repeat of the Gold Label win and course record that he achieved at Canfranc-Canfranc last month, a result that would see him move on to the long category podium. Raul Criado was racing on familiar ground, having taken the win in the 42km race last year, but again a strong Basque contingent would push them all the way, including Ismail Razga and Hassan Ait Chaou.
Robert and Murigi set their stalls out early, pushing the pace while Criado, Magliano and Kortazar chased hard. Despite the efforts of those behind, both athletes would only increase their advantage, making the most of the conditions to come home in impressive course records.
Robert's 1:28:41 was eight minutes faster than Geoffrey Ndungu's winning time from last year and over four minutes clear of Criado, who high-fived his way into the finish to take a jubilant second. Ait Chaou ran a strong second half, overtaking Borja Fernandez and gaining ground on Criado, finishing 49 seconds back in third. Fernandez held on for fourth ahead of Asier Labairu in fifth.
Murigi's winning margin was smaller, but not by much. She crossed the line in 1:39:59, wrapping up a dominant performance that saw her win by almost four minutes. Behind, having run more or less together for most of the race, Kortazar was able to create a gap on Magliano and claimed second place with an 18-second margin. Charlotte Cotton took fourth while Ainara Uribarri was fifth.
Murigi's win was enough for her to leapfrog Joyce Njeru to take overall victory in the long category. Magliano came tantalisingly close to also overtaking Njeru, falling just two points short and taking third.
The overall category win was always out of reach for Robert, who trailed Petro Mamu by 55 points before the race, but he did manage to climb from fourth to second, overtaking Patrick Kipngeno and Philemon Kiriago who have been so prolific this season. Kiriago had already done enough to finish third overall.
All eyes now turn to the Valsir World Cup Final, the Kilometro Verticale Chiavenna-Lagunc, on Saturday (8). Njeru and Kipngeno already have the overall titles sewn up, but with podium spots available and bonus points on offer, the racing will be frantic.
WMRA for World Athletics

Lucy Wambui Murigi and Loic Robert won the penultimate race in this year's Valsir Mountain Running World Cup

Murigi secures long mountain title with Zumaia Flysch Trail win

An event launch has been held with just over six weeks to go until the Amazing Thailand World Mountain and Trail Running Championships welcomes many of the sport&rsquo;s best athletes to compete in Chiang Mai between 3-6 November.
More than 900 elite athletes from 46 Member Federations are set to race during the four-day festival, which features 80km and 40km trail races plus uphill mountain races for senior athletes, and classic up and down mountain races for both senior and U20 athletes.
A number of key figures came together at the Ministry of Tourism and Sports in Bangkok on Tuesday (20), as excitement continues to build for the first edition of an event that further develops the partnership between the World Mountain Running Association (WMRA), the International Association of Ultrarunners (IAU) and the International Trail Running Association (ITRA), with support from World Athletics.
Situated 700km north of Bangkok, on the banks of the Ping River, Chiang Mai offers the most unforgettable beautiful scenery and is the largest tourist spot in the northern part of Thailand. The mountainous surroundings and the city&rsquo;s growing reputation for outdoor mass sporting events make it the perfect place to host the first-ever combined World Championships.
Speakers at Tuesday&rsquo;s launch event included Minister of Tourism and Sports of Thailand, Phiphat Ratchakitprakan; Minister of Natural Resources and Environment of Thailand, Varawut Silpa-archa; Assistant of the Prime Minister Office, Prasan Wangrattanapranee; President of Athletics Association of Thailand, Police General Sant Sarutanont; Governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand, Yuthasak Supasorn; Governor of the Sport Authority of Thailand, Kongsak Yodmanee; Governor of Chiang Mai Province, Prajon Prachsakul; Director General of the Department of Health, Suwannachai Wattanayingcharoen; Board Director of the National Sports Development Fund and Professional Sports Promotion, Supranee Guptasa; Alessio Punzi from World Athletics&rsquo; Competitions &amp; Events department; and Hilary Walker from the International Association of Ultrarunners. 
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/632a2c3e86653636397cef42.jpeg" alt="Press conference for the Amazing Thailand World Mountain and Trail Running Championships" />
Press conference for the Amazing Thailand World Mountain and Trail Running Championships (&copy; Organisers)
</div>
&ldquo;We at World Athletics are delighted to see the first joint World Mountain and Trail Running Championships being held in Chiang Mai,&rdquo; said World Athletics President Sebastian Coe.
&ldquo;As off-road running continues to grow in popularity across the globe, and as we continually look to increase participation at all levels of our sport, we are pleased to be collaborating closely with the World Mountain Running Association, the International Association of Ultrarunners and the International Trail Running Association.
&ldquo;Each of our organisations shares the common ambition of promoting running in all its guises,&rdquo; he added. &ldquo;We are working together to create more opportunities for distance runners across the globe to compete in a range of breathtaking landscapes and take on different challenges. Chiang Mai, with its striking mountains and ancient temples, is a great place for this inaugural event.&rdquo;
The championship race action kicks off with the uphill mountain races on Friday 4 November before the long trail (80km) and short trail (40km) races on Saturday 5 November and then the classic mountain races on Sunday 6 November.
There are also mass race elements to the long trail and short trail events, as well as 10km and 21km road races.

An event launch has been held with just over six weeks to go until the Amazing Thailand World Mountain and Trail Running Championships

Preparations gather pace for inaugural World Mountain and Trail Running Championships in Chiang Mai

Its &ldquo;unique mountain landscape&rdquo; and &ldquo;great know-how&rdquo; helped Innsbruck-Stubai to win a highly competitive bid for the 2023 World Mountain and Trail Running Championships and excitement is building as the Tyrol region prepares to welcome the world&rsquo;s best athletes to race for 16 titles next year.
About 1400 athletes from at least 60 nations are expected to compete across four events during the championships from 6-10 June and further details were shared on Tuesday (13) during a press conference held at Villa Blanka in Innsbruck.
There the media heard how taking the event to Innsbruck and Stubai will make the region of Tyrol an international centre for mountain and trail running. The International Association of Ultrarunners (IAU), the International Trail Running Association (ITRA) and the World Mountain Running Association (WMRA), under the coordination of World Athletics, noted Tyrol&rsquo;s excellent reputation as a leading alpine sports region, together with the professionalism of the submitted application documents and the region's proven experience in major events organisation.
&ldquo;World Athletics is delighted that the 2023 edition of the World Mountain &amp; Trail Running Championships will be taking place in the beautiful region of Innsbruck-Stubai," said World Athletics President Sebastian Coe. "These championships, a true running festival set in the heart of Austria&rsquo;s fabled Alps, will gather 1,400 elite trail and mountain runners from more than 60 nations across the world, who will compete in a variety of races across five days of competition. "The location of Innsbruck will make this event particularly remarkable, for its ability to combine breath-taking mountainous terrain with an urban set-up, much to the enjoyment of event spectators," he added. "The growing popularity of mountain and trail running across the globe is vital to growing our participation at all levels of our sport. We are therefore pleased to be working in close partnership with World Mountain Running Association, the International Association of Ultrarunners and the International Trail Running Association on the delivery of this event. "Each of our organisations shares the common ambition of promoting running at every level and in every form &ndash; and this is an exciting opportunity to showcase a different kind of racing challenge for distance runners to come together to celebrate their common passion for our sport and the outdoors.&rdquo;
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/6320bd02c55829a946361eb7.jpg" alt="World Mountain and Trail Running Championships 2023 press conference" />
Alessio Punzi of World Athletics is joined by athletes Florian Grasel, Ida-Sophie Hegemann and Kristin Berglund together with Josef Geisler, Elisabeth Mayr, Alex Pittl, Karin Seiler, Adrian Siller and Mario Gerber at the press conference (&copy; WMTRC 2023)
</div>
<h2>A unique World Championships</h2>
&ldquo;The bid was a highly competitive affair, with more than 15 expressions of interest and four complete bids submitted,&rdquo; explained Alessio Punzi from World Athletics&rsquo; Competitions &amp; Events department. &ldquo;In the end, we and our colleagues from the IAU, ITRA and WMRA were convinced by the unique mountain landscape of Tyrol, and the special combination of urbanity and alpinism, as well as the great know-how in the disciplines of mountain running and trail running.&rdquo;
Alexander Pittl, the founder of the Innsbruck-based Laufwerkstatt and creator of the Innsbruck Alpine Trailrun Festival, the largest running event in Austria, is in charge of implementing the World Mountain and Trail Running Championships from both a technical and organisational perspective.
Pittl is considered a pioneer in mountain and trail running in Tyrol and discussing the planned routes and distances, he said: "We expect around 1400 active athletes from at least 60 nations, who will be competing for the 16 titles and medals to be awarded in the four categories of men and women, individual and team. There will be a total of four runs along really beautiful routes, including a &lsquo;vertical&rsquo; in Stubai, a short trail over 40km and a long trail over 80km, as well as the classic race as a spectacular 'up-and-down' race in Innsbruck. The exact routes are currently being worked out.&rdquo;
Tyrol&rsquo;s Deputy Governor Josef Geisler was delighted that the World Mountain and Trail Running Championships 2023 had been awarded to Tyrol. &ldquo;The staging of this major event will further strengthen Tyrol&rsquo;s international profile and position as the leading sports region in the Alps,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;Mountain running and trail running are particularly environmentally friendly outdoor sports in harmony with nature, which stand for the sustainable development of tourism in our country.&rdquo;
Karin Seiler, Managing Director of the Tirol Tourist Board, is also convinced of the added value that hosting the World Championships brings. &ldquo;From a tourism perspective, and above all from a brand perspective, mountain sports in Tyrol are part of our DNA,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;The mountain is firmly anchored in the Tyrol brand, so the World Mountain and Trail Running Championships fit in perfectly.&rdquo;
<h2>Ideal conditions in Innsbruck and in the Stubai</h2>
The hosting regions offer perfect conditions for the different disciplines. The Tyrolean capital of Innsbruck impresses with its unique combination of event infrastructure and hotels in the immediate vicinity of the mountains. The Stubai, on the other hand, brings top hotels and a spectacular natural landscape.
According to Mario Gerber, chairman of the Innsbruck Tourist Board, the planned running routes in and around Innsbruck will offer numerous sporting and visual highlights for athletes and spectators.
"One route leads through the picturesque old town of Innsbruck and then climbs steeply over numerous metres to the &lsquo;Holl&rsquo; at the Hoetting quarter,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;There will be beautiful sporting pictures from our alpine-urban state capital out into the world.&rdquo;
Spectacular routes are also being worked out in the Stubai, according to the chairman of the Stubai Tourist Association, Adrian Siller, at the press conference.
Organisers for World Athletics

The event heads to the Tyrol region on 6-10 June 2023

Innsbruck-Stubai ready to welcome the world for World Mountain and Trail Running Championships

Another victory in the Valsir Mountain Running World Cup series &ndash; this time at the Canfranc Classic 16k, a Gold Label stage, on Sunday (11) &ndash; gave Joyce Njeru an unassailable lead in the overall standings.
The Kenyan has now done more than enough to secure the Mountain Running World Cup title, despite there being three more races to go in this year&rsquo;s series.
In the men&rsquo;s race, meanwhile, Robert Loic of France broke the course record with a dominant victory.
Held over a scenic 16km route in the Spanish Pyrenees, the course takes in charming village scenery, deep forest trails, rocky climbing, and challenging descents to a mountain lake and the final rush to the end over the Camino de Santiago. 
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/631f5557f2383df8d5b40fe0.jpg" alt="Robert Loic at the Canfranc Classic 16k" />
Robert Loic at the Canfranc Classic 16k (&copy; Ruben Fueyo)
</div>
 Njeru once again made an early break at the start of the women&rsquo;s race as Italy&rsquo;s Camilla Magliano struggled to stay with her. Behind them, Laia Garc&iacute;a Montoya settled into a podium position while Julia Font and Leire Fern&aacute;ndez Abete completed the top five.
Njeru reached La Moleta summit after 71 minutes, which suggested a swift finishing time. Magliano was 83 seconds in arrears, while Montoya was a solitary third, five minutes behind the Italian and five minutes ahead of Font and Abete.
In a descent as fast as it was technical and ferocious, Njeru didn&rsquo;t just maintain her advantage, she increased it remarkably. She ultimately won in 2:01:58, while Magliano took second place in 2:08:24. Montoya rounded out the podium with 2:17:28 ahead of Font (2:16:29) and Abete (2:20:41).
In the men&rsquo;s race, Kenya&rsquo;s Philemon Kiriago set out fast, while Loic was the only athlete to stay in close contact. Behind the lead duo, Spain&rsquo;s Raul Criado, Noel Burgos and Antonio Mart&iacute;nez &ndash; all relative experts of the course &ndash; followed their own strategy. 
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/631f557bf2383df8d5b40fe3.jpg" alt="Kenya's Philemon Kiriago at the Canfranc Classic 16k" />
Kenya's Philemon Kiriago at the Canfranc Classic 16k (&copy; Ruben Fueyo)
</div>
 Kiriago summited La Moleta in 1:00:08 &ndash; an ascent record by two minutes. Loic was 1:42 behind but also inside the previous record and was biding his time until the descent when he knew he&rsquo;d be able to call upon his past experience of the French Pyrenees.
Loic&rsquo;s gamble paid off and, half way down, the French runner overtook long-time leader Kiriago. Behind them both there was a crazy descent by world descent VK record holder Raul Criado who, despite reaching the summit in fourth place, some five minutes behind Kiriago, was blasting down the mountain towards his home village, much to the delight of the local supporters.
Loic crossed the finish line in 1:43:11, chopping more than four minutes from the course record. Kiriago held on for second place in 1:43:53, while Criado took third place in 1:45:00. Spaniards Mart&iacute;nez and Burgos closed out the top five in 1:49:50 and 1:50:48 respectively.
Kiriago's two podium finishes in the Mountain Running World Cup series bring him within touching distance (52 points) of compatriot Patrick Kipngeno at the top of the standings. With three races to go, it could go right down to the wire.
WMRA for World Athletics

With three races left to go in the series, Joyce Njeru has already secured the title

Njeru secures Mountain Running World Cup with Canfranc victory while Loic breaks course record

On a breathtaking weekend of&nbsp;Gold Label racing in the northern region of Italy, it was Andrea Mayr and Patrick Kipngeno who completed a Vertical Nasego and Trofeo Nasego double as part of the Valsir Mountain Running World Cup.
<h2>Vertical Nasego</h2>
The first day of action on Saturday (3) saw&nbsp;impeccable performances from Austria's Mayr and Kenya's Kipngeno on the 4.3km course that features 1000m of ascent.
Mayr was a leading figure from the start, where she was joined by&nbsp;Romania's&nbsp;Monica Madalina Florea and followed by Kenya's Joyce Muthoni Njeru. It was close until the final 600m, when the Austrian gained an advantage of more than a minute over her rivals.
After 38 minutes and 48 seconds, Mayr raised her hands at the finish and was the first through the Vertical Nasego&nbsp;arch of victory. Florea arrived two minutes later and behind them Italy's Valentina Belotti came through to pip&nbsp;Njeru for third place.
Mayr added the performance to her first- and second-place finishes in the previous two editions, just nine seconds off the race record she set in 2019. Her victory ended Njeru's World Cup win streak this season.
The men's race featured a head-to-head between&nbsp;Kipngeno and Ireland's&nbsp;Zak Hanna. During the last climb,&nbsp;Kipngeno pushed harder and eventually broke a race record that had seemed unbeatable since it was recorded in 2019, running 33:47 to improve on the previous best of 35:17.&nbsp;
Hanna was second, 35 seconds back, while Kenya's Philemon Kiriago was third in&nbsp;35:01 and Italy's&nbsp;Henri Aymonod &ndash; winner of the past two editions &ndash; was fourth in&nbsp;35:15.
<h2>Trofeo Nasego</h2>
After the&nbsp;Vertical Nasego, both Trofeo Nasego races on Sunday (4)&nbsp;saw intense battles on the testing 21.5km course. The lead changed constantly in both categories. 
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/63231f420f3ae731af7cc9ad.jpg" alt="Andrea Mayr wins the Trofeo Nasego" />
Andrea Mayr wins the Trofeo Nasego (&copy; Marco Gulberti / Corsa in Montagna)
</div>
During the 21st edition of the event, Mayr and Kipngeno added their names to the event's impressive roll call to complete their doubles, Mayr beating Njeru and Kipngeno winning ahead of&nbsp;Kiriago, who was never far back. Lauren Gregory and&nbsp;Petro Mamu claimed the third-place finishes.
Sunday's women's race started with some of the top leading runners divided into two groups. In the first section, Lucy Wambui ran close to her compatriot Njeru and Florea, followed by a group including Mayr, Camilla Magliano and Gregory. During the fourth kilometre, Romania's Florea was ahead of Njeru.
The lead changed with the arrival of the 14th kilometre, when Mayr moved ahead despite stumbling on a rock. Njeru reached that point more than a minute behind the Austrian, while Florea was close behind and still fighting for a place on the podium. At the high point the result seemed confirmed, but there was a surprise by the time the runners crossed the finish line. Florea dropped back, with USA's Gregory coming through to claim third place.
Mayr ultimately confirmed her dominance of Nasego 2022 with a time of 1:47:32, followed by Njeru, Gregory, Florea and then Wambui, who was unable to regain her Nasego title from 2019.
In the men's race, the Trofeo Nasego was certainly an event of steeply rising and falling emotions on this uphill and downhill course. Andreu Blanes from Spain took an early lead, leaving the entire field in his dust. Later he was caught by the Kenyan duo of Kipngeno and Kiriago, who challenged Blanes to a foot-to-foot duel. In the end the Spanish athlete could not keep up his strong pace and so had to leave thoughts of the podium behind.&nbsp;
Kipngeno and Kiriago dominated along with Eritrean Mamu at the mid-point of the race. The results seemed clearer at the highest point, when&nbsp;Kipngeno and Kiriago were leading with a gap of more than a minute over Mamu. Further on, during the last downhill section, the result was confirmed when once again&nbsp;Kipngeno descended strongly and arrived in first place along with another record time of 1:30:46, following his&nbsp;Vertical Nasego record from the day before. Kiriago was the second runner over the finish line,&nbsp;54 seconds back, while the next to arrive was Mamu.
Despite his strong performance, Mamu couldn&rsquo;t retain his title from last year, while in contrast it was a great weekend to add to an amazing season for the Kenyan runners that have dominated many European races this year. Kipngeno holds first place in the Valsir World Cup with a good lead, but there is still room for others to challenge during the remaining races. He also has left his name in the history books of Nasego, with two race records broken in one weekend.
Maria Avila (WMRA) for World Athletics

It was a breathtaking weekend of Gold Label racing in Italy, where the Vertical Nasego and Trofeo Nasego took place as part of the Valsir Mountain Running World Cup

Kipngeno and Mayr win Nasego World Cup double

On a day of nail-biting racing in the Swiss Alps, it was&nbsp;Esther Chesang and Mark Kangogo, both of Kenya and both in their first participation at the race, who claimed victory at The Race of the Five 4000s in Sierre-Zinal, the sixth Gold Label race of the Valsir Mountain Running World Cup on Saturday (13).
Despite strong performances,&nbsp;Maude Mathys and Kilian Jornet were unable to extend their winning streaks, finishing second and fifth,&nbsp;respectively.
With 6100 participants making the 31km, 2100m-plus journey through the mountains of Valais, those in the tourist category had been on the trails for more than six hours by the time the elite runners took off at 11am. Straight into the race's infamous opening climb under clear blue skies, it promised to be a hot race. The bone-dry, dusty trails offered little traction on the route's fast, technical descents, and many runners were to reach the finish covered in varying quantites of dust and blood.
In the women's race, Chesang was at the front from start to finish, though it was anything but a boring race. Going out hard, she led by over two minutes at Ponchette, after less than an hour of racing. Chasing behind were Mathys, the Swiss winner of the last three editions, and Philiaries Kisang, the Kenyan winner of last weekend's Thyon-Dixence. They themselves were almost four minutes clear of the next group. This separation of the front three would remain all the way to the finish in Zinal.
Through the middle third of the race, the elastic between Chesang and Mathys stretched and contracted. With Kisang falling away, the leading pair took turns gaining time on the undulating trails up to Hotel Weisshorn, with both athletes at points running under Mathys' course record splits from 2019.&nbsp;
However, as the race entered its closing chapter after Hotel Weisshorn, it was Mathys and her superior descending skills that had the upper hand. Chesang, a 69-minute half marathon runner who reportedly only trained for her debut mountain race for two months, was by no means slow, but the Swiss champion's technical prowess saw her floating over the technical terrain, bringing her closer and closer to the lead. In the tense final kilometres, there were times where she would have been able to look up and see Chesang, had she not been concentrating on the trail.&nbsp;
Ultimately, Mathys ran out of road. Chesang crossed the finish line first, taking the win in her first ever outing in the mountains, in the end just 30 seconds ahead of the three-time champion Mathys.
It was a lonely run in for Kisang in third. She came in over five minutes later but still three minutes ahead of Teresiah Omosa, also of Kenya, in fourth. Ireland's Sarah McCormack ran an eight-minute PB to finish fifth, having passed USA's Bailey Kowalczyk on the final descent.
Having been the dominant force of the Valsir World Cup so far, it was finally a bad day for Joyce Njeru, who did not finish. 
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/62f8ca4e8974c37ff576a748.jpg" alt="The Race of the Five 4000s in Sierre-Zinal" />
The Race of the Five 4000s in Sierre-Zinal (&copy; Marco Gulberti / Corsa in Montagna)
</div>
In the men's race, it was another Kenyan debutant who pushed the pace early on. Unlike Chesang, Kangogo &ndash; second at Thyon-Dixence last weekend &ndash; had company. Among those who kept up with the early pace were Kangogo's compatriots Patrick Kipngeno and Philemon Kiriago, the Run2gether pair who have been the standouts on the Valsir World Cup so far this year, and the great Catalan Jornet, nine-time champion of Sierre-Zinal.
Gradually that group broke as first Kangogo and Kipngeno pulled away from the rest, then as the gradients eased after Chandolin, Kangogo pulled away from Kipngeno. Running ahead of course record pace, his lead grew all the way to Hotel Weisshorn and although he slowed dramatically in the final kilometres and dropped behind the record, he was never in danger of being caught.
Falling to the ground as he crossed the finish line, Kangogo recorded 2:27:31 for the third-fastest time in the race's history; only Jornet and Petro Mamu, first and second in 2019, have run faster.&nbsp;
But if there was a processional air to Kangogo's finish, behind there was frantic racing in the very final metres.
Remarkable runs for second place are becoming a tradition at Sierre-Zinal. After Robbie Simpson's incredible move through the field in 2021, this year it was the turn of Andreu Blanes. The Spanish orienteer was nowhere early on, over four minutes down on the leaders at Ponchette. Biding his time, he picked up a few places through the middle section of the race, then from Hotel Weisshorn to the finish he flew. No-one else was even close to his splits.
Where Mathys ran out of road, Blanes had just enough, passing Kipngeno on the final descent and giving himself just enough of a buffer to celebrate, falling to his knees as he crossed the line in second, 14 seconds ahead of Kipngeno in third.
But if the race for second was exciting, the race for fourth was a heart-stopper. Jornet and the Eritrean Mamu, sparring partners at this race before, were also gaining hard. Metres apart, they passed a fading Kiriago, who took a horrible fall, in the closing minutes.
On the road into the finish the nine-time champion thought his fourth place was secure, but as Jornet was&nbsp;high fiving the fans Mamu was right behind, his footsteps hidden by the noise of the crowd, winding up to a ferocious finishing kick. By the time Jornet realised what was happening it was too late. Leaning for the line like he was racing on the track, Mamu snatched fourth place by a tenth of a second.&nbsp;
Kiriago did a commendable job of limiting his losses after his fall and crossed the line, covered in dust, just 28 seconds later to take sixth place.
Ally Beaven (WMRA) for World Athletics

On a day of nail-biting racing in the Swiss Alps, it was Esther Chesang and Mark Kangogo who claimed victory

Chesang wins after dazzling debut at Sierre-Zinal

Maude Mathys and Kilian Jornet have had a stranglehold on The Race of the Five 4000s in recent years and they are among the athletes returning to the Sierre-Zinal event on Saturday (13) looking for further success.
The&nbsp;2022 World Mountain Running Association (WMRA) World Cup hits the half way point with this Gold Label race in Switzerland.
Since the first edition in 1974, the best of the best of have been gathering in the Swiss Canton of Valais every August to race the 31km from Sierre to Zinal. From the long grind of the monstrous opening climb to the final, frantic downhill, every year The Race of the Five 4000s provides fierce racing and high drama. Weisshorn, Zinalrothorn, Obergabelhorn, Matterhorn and Dent Blanch; these giants of the Alps have watched on as the giants of mountain running do battle on this historic, iconic course.
In the women&rsquo;s race, Mathys returns on the hunt for her fourth win, clearly as fit as ever after claiming double gold at the European Championships in La Palma. Mathys has been unstoppable here, running the three fastest winning times in the last three editions, culminating in last year's 2:46:03.
She will be joined on the start line by another three-time winner, Lucy Murigi, who will be looking for her first World Cup win of the year after second places at Grossglockner Berglauf and Giir di Mont. Camilla Magliano, third in the World Cup standings, will also start.
There are a number of previous podium finishers looking for an upgrade. Anais Sabrie, second in 2020 and third in 2021, will be looking to move up to the top step, while Simone Troxler and Emma Pooley, third in 2018 and 2020 respectively, are also back for more.
Joyce Njeru has been the standout performer on the Valsir Mountain Running World Cup this year, winning four Gold Label races from four starts. Only one woman has beaten her in Europe this season, Kisang Philiaries at Thyon-Dixence just last weekend. Both women will start among the favourites.
Sara Alonso will look to extend her lead in the Golden Trail World Series standings, after a win at the Mont Blanc Marathon and third place at Zegama-Aizkorri. Third place finisher in the Golden Trail World Series, Fabiola Conti, also starts, as does Sophia Laukli, winner of last weekend's Stranda Fjord Trail Race.
Also in the race are Nuria Gil and Mathilde Sagnes, silver and bronze respectively in the trail race at the European Championships, as well as previous World Cup winners Sarah Tunstall, Sarah McCormack and Alice Gaggi. 
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/62f69c651317e6c6e378b32a.jpg" alt="Kilian Jornet and Maude Mathys at Sierre-Zinal" />
Kilian Jornet and Maude Mathys at Sierre-Zinal (&copy; Marco Gulberti / Corsa in Montagna)
</div>
If Jornet wins the men&rsquo;s race this weekend, it will be an unbelievable 10th victory for the Catalan at Sierre-Zinal. For anyone else, a win at the Hardrock 100 four weeks before the race would be enough to count them out of contention, but it's a double that Jornet has done three times before. His 2:25:35 from 2019 is the course record.
Petro Mamu, the 2016 champion, returns, as does the great Mexican, five-time winner Ricardo Mejia, and USA's Pablo Vigil, who won four times in a row between 1979 and 1982.
The other most consistent men&rsquo;s performer at this race in recent years is Robbie Simpson. He'll be looking to take a first win after four second places, including last year. Cesare Maestri was third in 2021 and comes into the race on the back of gold and silver medals at the European Championships. Other returning podium finishers include Fred Tranchand and Remi Bonnet, second and third respectively in 2020.
Patrick Kipngeno hasn't put a foot wrong this year. On top of his perfect record in the Valsir World Cup, last weekend he broke the great Jairo Correa's 1990 course record at Thyon-Dixence. Also under the course record at that race was Mark Kangogo, who lines up here too. Kipngeno's teammate Philemon Kiriago has hardly been less impressive and will come into the race on a high after taking the win at Fletta Trail on Sunday following a string of second places.
The top three from the Golden Trail World Series will all be on the start line: Elhousine Elazzaoui, trail world champion Jon Albon and Davide Magnini, who has twice made the top five here.
European champions Sylvain Cachard and Maximilien Drion will start, alongside bronze medallists Dominik Rolli and Danial Osanz.
As ever at Sierre-Zinal, there are plenty of wild cards shuffled into the pack. Olympic marathoners have had plenty of success here and a few more will look to have an impact this weekend, including Anna Hahner of Germany and Hassan Chahdi of France, who set his marathon best of 2:08 in February of this year. US cross country legend Garrett Heath is another one to watch as he continues his journey into trail and mountain running.
Ally Beaven (WMRA) for World Athletics

Maude Mathys and Kilian Jornet have had a stranglehold on The Race of the Five 4000s in recent years and they are among the athletes returning to the Sierre-Zinal event

Mathys and Jornet head fields for Sierre-Zinal

Joyce Muthoni Njeru and Patrick Kipngeno claimed a Kenyan double at the&nbsp;Montemuro Vertical Run &ndash;&nbsp;the first Gold Label World Mountain Running Association (WMRA) World Cup race of the year &ndash; in Portugal, on Sunday (19).
The promised rain stayed away on race morning, and an overcast sky provided near perfect race conditions. The route &ndash; 10.2km with 980m of ascent &ndash; started in a small village just outside of Castro Daire. First came a reasonably flat kilometre loop around the streets, before the course made its way up to the summit at 1200m, with one downhill kilometre in the first half. The track was mainly wide and runnable, with just one steep, technical section right at the end.
The women set off first and Njeru set the pace, with Finland's Susanna Saapunki right on her heels, leading the chasing pack. Those chasing athletes included Italy's Camilla Magliano, Lorenza Beccaria and&nbsp;Vivien Bonzi, plus Spain's Maria Ordonez Marina, Charlotte Cotton of Belgium and talented Portuguese athletes including Rosa Madureira and Joana Soares.
Njeru was in the lead by the halfway point, but she wasn&rsquo;t running away with it. Saapunki was chasing hard and was going to make her fight. Around a minute separated the two, with Magliano just under a minute further behind. It was still anybody&rsquo;s race, with Madureira, Soares and Beccaria not far back. 
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/62af6692ef1226d59c25607e.jpg" alt="Joyce Muthoni Njeru celebrates her win at the Montemuro Vertical Run" />
Joyce Muthoni Njeru celebrates her win at the Montemuro Vertical Run (&copy; corsainmontagna.it / Marco Gulberti)
</div>
The men set off 10 minutes after the women and it was a fast kilometre loop to start out with. With no Henri Aymonod due to injury, it may have been expected that Geoffrey Ndungu, who had some great results last year to finish third in the overall World Cup standings, would take the race on. But it was his fellow Kenyan Kipngeno, new to the WMRA World Cup races, who led from the start.
However, with a field including Ireland's Zak Hanna, Marek Chrascina of the Czech Republic, and Italy's Andrea Rostan, as well as Paulo Gomes, Cesar Costa and several other strong runners from Portugal, it wasn&rsquo;t going to be plain sailing.
With a 10km PB of 29:22 and a half marathon best of 1:02:42, it was clear Kipngeno was capable of setting&nbsp;the pace, but could he sustain it and beat runners with much more experience in the mountains?
At half way he was looking comfortable, with no let up on the pace. Hanna kept him in his sights, though, and continually tried to close the gap. Rostan, Chrascina and Ndungu were also chasing hard for third at this point.
As the races neared their conclusion, Njeru and Kipngeno actually looked like they may finish together. But in the final metres Kipngeno overtook his compatriot, taking the men's race win in 50:45.
Njeru crossed the finish line moments later to win the women&rsquo;s race in 1:00:33.
Saapunki was just under a minute behind Njeru (1:01:19), showing what an exciting prospect she is for the women&rsquo;s World Cup this year. Magliano completed the women&rsquo;s podium in 1:04:23.
For the men, Hanna held on to second, finishing in 52:37. Afterwards he explained how he could see Kipngeno ahead of him at many points of the course, but when Kipngeno surged he just wasn&rsquo;t able to match his pace.
Rostan rounded out the men&rsquo;s podium with a strong run, finishing in 53:02.
Kirsty Reade (WMRA) for World Athletics
<a href="https://resultados.stopandgo.pro/751/Live" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Full results</a>

The first Gold Label WMRA World Cup race of the year was held in Portugal on Sunday