5 Gorbeia Suzien, 4 Mourne Skyline, 3 Climbathon, 2 Peaks Skyrace®, 1 Sobrescobio Skyrace®…
And it had to be in Zeanuri, Euskadi, at Gorbeia Suzien, where the final stretch leaves no room for speculation or risky moves. Almost all the athletes who will compete in the Skymasters already have their ticket, and in the four remaining races, they’ll be chasing points to fight for victory in the 2025 Merrell Skyrunner® World Series.
Gorbeia Suzien already knows what it means to host the Skymasters—it did so in 2022—and it’s become a true classic on the circuit. If there’s a place in the world where the mountains are sacred, racing is a passion, and the crowd is a vital part of the event, that place is Euskadi. And Zeanuri (Bizkaia), at the foot of the mighty Gorbea, inside the Gorbeia Natural Park, embodies it perfectly.
Photo: @canofotosports
Although participation was slightly affected by the IAAF World Championships in Canfranc, the level and spectacle of this 2025 edition were outstanding, with the local team leading the charge and more Basque flavor than ever.
Two race distances:
- 21 km, +/-1200 m
- 32 km Skyrace, +/-2400 m
We were eager to see the return of the phenomenal Lide Urrestarazu, who hadn’t raced in the circuit since the Skyrace® des Matheysins. And what a comeback—dominating from start to finish and setting a new course record.
In the men’s race, Aitor Ajuria was just one step away from the top, and by winning Gorbeia Suzien—and doing so in style—he’s clearly reached the level of an international elite runner.
Women’s Race
Lide Urrestarazu (ESP/Euskal Selekzioa) hasn’t lost her form—in fact, she’s stronger than ever. From the starting gun, she set a blistering pace and held a commanding lead throughout the race.
At the first checkpoint (km 3), Lide was already in front, with Marta Martínez Abellán (ESP/La Sportiva) and Kenyan runner Judith Jerono (Merrell/OTSO) close behind, followed by Ainara Uribarri (ESP/Euskal Selekzioa), who would later drop out, Naiara Irigoyen (ESP/Open Team), and Ainara Alcuaz (ESP/Euskal Selekzioa).
Naiara kept up the pace and climbed to second place at the Gorbea summit, with Judith close behind. On the final ascent to Aldamin, Marta overtook the Kenyan and reached the summit in third. The final descent defined the top five, with Ainara Alcuaz and Ohiana Zubillaga passing Jerono, who finished sixth.
Lide controlled the race from start to finish, increasing her lead at every checkpoint. She crossed the finish line nearly nine minutes ahead of Naiara Irigoyen, who, despite racing the vertical at the Canfranc World Championships, showed she’s having a fantastic end to the season.
@_guaresti_
SWS
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Men’s Race
Thrilling from the first meter, with constant position changes and tight gaps. Aitor Ajuria (ESP/Euskal Selekzioa) showed deep knowledge of the terrain, a well-planned strategy, and an impressive finish.
Up to the second checkpoint (km 6), the lead group was within a minute, always led by Aitor, with Marcos Villamuera (ESP/Scarpa), Gontzal Murgoitio (ESP/Brooks), Dimas Pereira (ESP/Asics), Paul Ormaetxea (ESP/Euskal Selekzioa), Daniel Izquierdo (ESP/OSS2O), José Manuel Quispe (PER/Merrell CIVA), and Kenyan Bernat Chepkwony (Merrell/OTSO Sport) swapping places.
At the Gorbea summit, Aitor was third, behind Quispe and Chepkwony, who, despite having a very good race, was forced to abandon. But on the final climb to Aldamin, Aitor surged ahead, reaching the summit first and flying down the descent to finish with a 1:21 lead over second place.
The final descent shaped the top five: Marcos Villamuera second, Gontzal Murgoitio third, Dimas Pereira fourth (earning his spot at Dements), and Paul Ormaetxea fifth.
Quispe struggled on the descent, losing positions and finishing eighth. Daniel Izquierdo came sixth, William Boffelli (ITA/Kailas Fuga) seventh, Abraham Hernández (MEX/Hoka) eleventh, Aritz Egea twelfth, and Alex Oberbacher (ITA/La Sportiva) fourteenth.
Qualified for Dements after Gorbeia Suzien:
- Lide Urrestarazu
- Ainara Alcuaz
- Marta Martínez
- Ohiana Zubillaga
- Nicola Matkova
- Dimas Pereira
- William Boffelli
- Alex Oberbacher
- Daniel Izquierdo
Provisional Overall Standings (4 races to go):
In the men’s category, Luca and Alain hold the top two spots, with José Manuel climbing to third. In the women’s category, Naiara Irigoyen becomes the new overall leader.
Next Stop: Mourne Skyline
For the first time, the MSWS lands in Northern Ireland, at the Mourne Skyline. The stunning Mourne Mountains await, ready to be explored and conquered, with technical rocky trails and the iconic Mourne Wall.
It will be the final race of the Esteban Olivero U23 Trophy before the grand finale at Sobrescobio Redes Trail.
Among the favorites, alongside strong local contenders, we find: Jacob Adkin, Ibai Angulo, Jackson Cole, Damien Humbert, Ibai Larrea, Oier Zubeldia, Therese Arvik, Natalie Beadle, Sara Bowman, Naiara Irigoyen, Marta Martínez Abellán, and Irune Vélez de Mendizabal.
