Now it’s time for action!
With the spectacular island of La Palma, full of contrasts, with a wild nature, very demanding humidity conditions and big temperature differences between the peaks and the deep valleys of La Isla Bonita. The race route, 29km with more than 2000 metres of elevation gain and loss, runs along the recovered GR 130 (Camino Real de la Costa), located in the north of the island.
Acantilados is a linear race, which one year starts in Santo Domingo de Garafia and ends in Barlovento, and the next year it runs in the opposite direction, and now there are new records, both in one direction and the other. In 2024 it was Lide Urrestarazu (3:04:39) and Roberto Di Lorenzi (2:31:41) who set them at the finish line in Garafía, and in spite of fighting both of them this year, they have not been able to set them in both directions, and it has been Luca del Pero (2:30:08) and Marta Martínez Abellán (3:02.06) who have taken them when crossing the finish line in Garafia.
Men’s category, we can say that those who showed in Dements 2024 to be the strongest on the circuit, continue to be so, the first two positions were exchanged, Luca Del Pero took the victory and Roberto Di Lorenzi behind him in second place less than eleven seconds behind. Third place on the podium went to Lorenzo Beltrami, fourth in Dements. Miguel Benitez (U23) and Alejandro Forcades occupied positions 4 and 5, ahead of one of the favourites, Manuel Merillas, who with a sixth position could not keep up with the pace of the first. The top 10 was completed by Dimas Pereira, Aitor Ajuria, Nico Molina and Aitor Blanco.
Women’s classification, after being ahead of the Romanian Denisa Dragomir throughout the whole race, Marta Martínez Abellán, a newcomer to the circuit, won in the last climbs. Denisa Dragomir, who in Dements had to withdraw due to physical discomfort after leading the Skymasters for the first 21 km, could not keep up with the spanish athlete. The podium was completed by Ohiana Kortazar, repeating her third place in Dements. The top 10 was completed by Lide Urrestarazu, Naiara Irigoyen, Ariadna Fenes, Kalie Maccrystal, María Martínez, María de Mar Pastor and Frenchwoman Iris Pessey.
Crossing the Atlantic for the second stage of the circuit, the skyrunners change protagonists, as none of the athletes who have raced at Acantilados will be present next Saturday 29th March at the Mexico Sky Challenge, in Orizaba, Veracruz, starting the cycle of two races in South America, as on April 12th the circuit moves to the Andes, to Santiago de Chile, at the Andes Mountain Marathon.
The Mexico Sky Challenge is characterised by high altitude and high heat. 35km with an elevation gain of 2974 metres positive and negative, including a climb to +3121 metres, where athletes will enjoy a privileged view of the Pico de Orizaba (5636m), the highest peak in Mexico.
Among the confirmed elite athletes, the current champion of the circuit, the Russian Anastacia Rubstova and the Mexican Karina Carsolio, both of whom we met in the Skymasters 2024 in Eslida and Aín, stand out. Of lesser-known names, but who run like at home and are used to running at altitude, the Colombians Paola Morales and Leidy Hormaza, and the local athlete Carina Mendoza stand out.
For the men, among the Europeans, Fréderic Tranchand stands out, fourth in Dements 2024, who this year, with a change of team included, is going directly for the victory of the circuit. We must also mention the British Jacob Akin, from Chile to Cristian Herrera, and the locals Abraham Hernandez and Jeff Rosas.
