Cordillera Blanca Skyrace held in the Peruvian Andes, the test of the circuit at the highest altitude, starting from 3,300 meters above sea level and reaching 4500 meters above sea level, the world circuit of the Merrell Skyrace® World Series, reaches the equator of the circuit, before the summer break.

Little by little, the athletes who will reach the Skymaster are taking shape, at the final of the circuit in the Marató dels Dements, next November, 16/17, in Eslida and Aín, in the heart of the Serra d’Espadà, in the mountainous province of Castellón.

Two ways have been outlined so far to qualify for the grand final, the European and the American, to which the Asian path will be added starting in October.

On the European side, after the race that started the circuit on the island of La Palma, Acantilados del Norte in March, the Calamorro Skyrace in April in Malaga, the two French races in May, Skyrace des Matheysins and the Skyrace Des Gorges du Tarn, the visit to Austrian lands in the Kochkönigman Skyrace, Madeira Skyrace in Portugal in June, and the most recent, Skyrace du Mercantur in the French Maritime Alps and the Kaiserkrone Skyrace in Austria last June, the athletes who have Showing their credentials to compete in the final have been those already classified in boys and girls, with the four corresponding races completed:

• Roberto di Lorenzi (Brooks – SUI), 3 wins and a 5th place
• Alain Santamaria (Salomon – ESP), 1 victory, and a 9th, 7th and 10th
• Daniel Antoniolli (Scarpa – ITA), 18th, 2 second places and a 5th
• Lorenzo Beltrami (Scarpa – ITA), 1 victory, 4th, 3rd and 9th
• Sebastian Poesy (Brooks – FRA), 5th, 12th, 6th and 9th
• Oihana Kortazar (Salomon – ESP), 1 victory, 3rd, 12th and 2nd
• Naiara Irigoyen (Salomon – ESP), two 2nd and two 3rd
• Ariadna Fenes (Team Andorra – AND), one victory, 7th, 8th and 6th

Many points are still in contention, with athletes who are sure to be in the Skymaster, since they have excellent results in the absence of a test to have the four that the circuit regulations establish and who follow in points Naiara Irigoyen, the new leader of the circuit : Ohiana Kortazar (Salomon – ESP), Lide Urrestarazu (Euskal Selekzioa – ESP), Julia Font (Brooks – ESP), Hillary Gerardi (Scarpa – USA), Ingrid Mutter (Scarpa – ROM), Ikram Rharsalla (Millet – ESP), Anastasia Rubstova (RUS), Karina Karsolio (MEX), Iris Pessey (SCOOT RUNNING – FRA), Holly Wooten (KEWSICK – GRB), Celia Balcells (FEEC – ESP), Perrine Abadie (ESCLOPS D’AZUN – FRA).

In the men’s category, important names that still do not have four presences, will surely challenge the current leader, Roberto di Lorenzi, for the final victory: Antonio Martínez, current champion (ASICS – ESP), Frederic Tranchard (SCOOT Running – FRA), Manuel Merillas (New Balance – ESP), Luca del Pero (Scarpa – ITA), Miguel Benítez (Asics – ESP), Dimas Pereira (Asics – ESP), Danilo Brambilla (ITA), Tomás Cuartero (Lurbel . ESP), Marc Gasa (Andorra Team – AND), Gianluca Giano (Scarpa – ITA) and Aitor Zunzundegui (Euskal Selekzioa – ESP)
Many proper names are missing from these lists, which starting at the end of August will certify their classification for the final and fight for the €20,000 that the overall winner will take home.

We must not forget that on the same Dements weekend, in addition to the Saturday test that will crown the best skyrunner of 2024, the young people in the U23 category will also compete on Sunday, on the Mitja Marató route. dels Dements d’Aín its final, to which the Spanish Carrodilla Cabestre, Alba Mendiolagoitia, the Slovakian Nilkola Matkova, the British Petra Brewer and from France, Anna Verdet, have already qualified.

And the U23 men’s category, who are also having excellent results in the absolute category: Miguel Benítez, Ibai Cebrian and Marcos Villamuera from Spain; the Italian Lorenzo Rota, the British Ed Brewer, and from France Jules Belabelle and Lucien Mermillon.

The U23 Esteban Olivero Trophy final will not be far behind in terms of the level of the absolute category, many names that will be the future of trailrunning that will fly through the Serra d’Espadà.

Without a doubt, the two paths of the circuit have already been outlined, the American part, with its three tests held in Mexico, Canada and Peru, in which the Mexican Karina Karsolio and the Canadian Emma Cook Clark have shown their credentials for the final victory. , that the three podiums have been distributed and that they must travel to Europe or Asia to complete the requirement for the final. In the men’s part, only two athletes with two participations, the Brazilian Johny Luna and the North American Morgan Eliot, who also needed to change continents to qualify.

The European part, much more defined, but much more open, which although it is dominated by the Swiss Roberto di Lorenzi with three victories and a 5th place, will have Manuel Merillas, Alain Santamaria, Antonio Martínez, attention also to Ricardo Cherta, current champion of the Marató dels Dements, and surely more runners who will progress throughout the year, tough rivals who will make it very difficult for them, since they will arrive at the Marató dels Dements with many options.

If the men’s part is going to be tremendously contested, the women’s part will surely be quite a spectacle with a long list of tough competitors who will try to challenge the incombustible Ohiana Kortazar for the final victory. A lot of attention to names like Lide Urrestarazu, Anastasia Rubstova, Julia Font, who will race at home, Sara Alonso if she recovers in time and manages to qualify, the already named Karina Carsolio and Enma Cook who will be a mystery to see them compete against the Europeans.

The road to Dements will have a list of a level rarely seen in a Skymaster of the Merrell Skyrunner World Series, and that will make us vibrate with the remaining tests of the second part of the circuit: Matterhorn Ultraks Extreme in Switzerland, Trofeo Kima and Maga Skymarathon in Italy, Gorbeia Suzien and EDP Sobrescobio Skyrace in Spain, Inthanon Skyrace in Thailand, 2 Peaks Skyrace in South Korea, Kailas Penang Skyrace in Malaysia and Sagalassos Skyrace in Turkey.

See you in Dements!!!

Salut i muntanya