The RMB Ultra-trail Cape Town (UTCT) kicked off in Cape Town on Friday, with 5 completely different codecs of racing going down over the weekend, together with the inaugural flagship UTCT, the 100 miler which began at 17:00 on Friday, 25 November.
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Now a serious worldwide occasion with 35% of contributors coming from 55 nations, this 12 months’s UT100, the 100km occasion, has essentially the most aggressive area within the race’s historical past.
Race director Stuart McConnachie says that their imaginative and prescient was to create a world class occasion attracting the highest elite runners from everywhere in the world, whereas serving and growing the native path group: “RMB UTCT is now established as a key occasion on the world Ultra-trail calendar and we’re trying ahead to a weekend of thrilling racing showcasing the unbelievable trails of Cape Town.
“Many of the athletes here this week saw the live broadcast of last year’s UT100 and decided to enter. With cameras covering all the front runners and showing real-time views of the trails on the UTCT, UT100 and PT55 courses, we look forward to sharing this event and our Cape Town trails with even more people all over the world who can watch on our YouTube channel.”
UT100
Sebastien Spehler (FRA), who positioned second on the UT100 final 12 months, returns to Cape Town with the expertise of the very technical trails of Table Mountain. Last month he got here second on the Festival Des Templiers 2022 – Grand Trail Des Templiers 100km, and in May he gained the Trail de Haute Provence 2022 – Cap à Lure 100 km.
Hannes Namberger (GER) has had an unbelievable 2022 season, successful Lavaredo for the second 12 months in a row, in addition to the Penyagolosa Trail 109km in April.
He says: “RMB UTCT is likely one of the most well-known occasions within the path working circuit and plenty of German runners have already been profitable right here. Now is the time for me to do that great run too.”
Jared Hazen, Michelino Sunseri and Drew Holmen are among the many many US elites at UTCT this 12 months. Hazen has completed second and third at Western States, and in April he got here third on the Canyons Endurance Run 100km. Sunseri got here third within the Speedgoat by UTMB 50 km in July. Holmen will make his worldwide debut in Cape Town, having podiumed and gained races throughout the US, together with ending third and fifth at Western States. He says: “I’m incredibly excited for UTCT to be my first international race! For years, I’ve heard nothing but incredible things about the trail community in Cape Town and what a class act UTCT is as a race.”
Dmitry Mityaev (Neutral) has stood on podiums at a few of the greatest races throughout Europe, together with second at Madeira Island Ultra Trail 100 miler in 2021 and second on the Ultra Pirineu 100km final month. Spaniard Pere Aurell positioned third at Transgrancanaria 126km in March and tenth at UTMB CCC in 2021.
Johan Lantz (SWE) got here third at UT100 in 2018. This 12 months, he got here third at Val d’Aran by UTMB CDH in July and first at UKA Pain 50km in May. Ionel-Christian Manole (ROM) was fourth at Ultra Pirineu 100km in January and third at Trail 100 Andorra by UTMB 105km. Antoine Thirat (FRA) completed seventh within the UTMB OCC.
The South Africans to observe are Daniël Claassen, Matt Healy, and Brendan Lombard. All three are Cape Town-based runners who know the paths intimately. Claassen was the fourth runner to cross the road on the 2021 UT100, and though he has had a 12 months with some accidents, he has combined up his coaching to work round these points and goes into the race assured of an excellent efficiency.
Healy has had a formidable 2022 season in Europe taking tenth place on the Mozart 100 in June and a fifth place on the Nice Côte d’Azur 111km in September. Brendan Lombard was the second runner in at UTCT 65km final 12 months, and is now trying to make his mark on the UT100.
A powerful girls’s area consists of Mimmi Kotka (SWE) who completed third on the 2018 version of UT100. Amongst her achievements since then is a 3rd place at UTMB in 2021, and a win at Lavaredo Ultra Trail this 12 months.
Maryline Nakache (FRA) was third finally 12 months’s UT100. She took first place at Ultra-Trail Harrican du Canada 80km in September and was eighth general, and was additionally the primary girl at Ultra Trail Atlas Toubkal 2022 – UTAT – Le problem de l’atlas in Morroco final month (68km).
Kelly Wolf (USA) completed fourth in 2018, and having gained each Madeira Island Ultra Trail 83km and Lavaredo 80km this 12 months, she goes to be a tricky athlete to beat. She says: “I have always wanted to come back, knowing that I could have a better go at the race, and also because the experience was so unique and such a blast. I am most excited to run up and around Table Mountain. The cheering and crowds up Platteklip Gorge is very memorable in my head and it will be fun to get there in the race.”
Camille Bruyas (FRA) returns to Cape Town after successful the UTCT 65km in 2018. More just lately she was first at Festival Des Templiers in October. Some of Camille’s profession highlights embrace ending second at UTMB, third at CCC of UTMB and successful Lavaredo.
The skilled Nicole Bitter, and Olivia Amber (each USA), be a part of this spectacular line-up with Varvara Shikanova (RUS), who got here third on the Pirineu Ultra 100km in early October and was second within the 2021 Europe Skyrunning Championship. Russian Ekaterina Mityaeva gained La Montagn’arduous 50km and was second at High Trail Vanoise HTV. She took third place at Madeira Ultra Trail 115 in 2021.
UTCT
The much-anticipated flagship 100 miler distance with 7 516m of elevation will see runners transfer from the northern mountain vary of the Mother City to the extra distant southern mountains, taking in further trails from Silvermine to Kalk Bay, Simon’s Town, Kommetjie and past.
On the beginning line shall be an distinctive group of athletes together with Elov Ohlsson (SWE) who’s acquainted with the paths of Table Mountain after his 2018 UT100 second place, however the additional 67km right down to Simonstown and again shall be new territory.
Greek athlete Fotis Zisimopoulos’s current outcomes embrace a primary place on the Tenerife Bluetrail Ultra 100km and a primary on the European Skyrunning Festival – (*100*) Setka 100km, each in June. Aleksie Tolstenko (Neutral) was fourth on the 2021 Madeira Island Ultra Trail 115km and first at Penygolosa Trails CSP 100km in October 2021.
South African Lucky Miya shall be tackling his first 100 miler. He is finest identified for his distinctive performances at Okay-Way SkyRun 100km, with a win in 2017 and 2019, and a second place in 2020. Zimbabwean born Prodigal Khumalo may also be doing the longer distance for the primary time. He is a former document holder of the UT100 distance, successful it in 2016 and 2017, and can be a two-times Comrades gold medallist.
Other South Africans lining up for the massive one are Doug Pickard, (Ultra-Trail Drakensberg 100 miler winner and document holder.) Gabriel Kriel (two time Addo 100 miler winner) and Anele Bans (second at Addo 100 miler).
Dutch athlete Ragna Debats has gained and podiumed at a few of the greatest path working races throughout the globe. Her outcomes aren’t restricted to any specific vary of distance, she’s seen nice success in all the pieces from brief and technical SkyRaces, to longer 100 mile efforts. Some outcomes embrace successful CCC of UTMB, ending third at Western States and successful World Championships. In September she gained the Nice 100 miler and is trying ahead to racing in Cape Town, having visited in 2020: “When I noticed I’d have the chance to run a 100 mile race in Cape Town, I grew to become enthusiastic instantly! The steadiness between the space and the vertical acquire/loss appears iconic. I can’t wait to be working on Table Mountain once more and benefit from the unbelievable views of the mountains and the ocean.”
Hillary Allen (USA) is one other runner with a current 100 miler on the legs, having accomplished UTMB in late August in 14th place. Some of her achievements are wins at Madeira Island Ultra Trail 115km and Lavaredo Cortina Trail, podiums at Broken Arrow Skyrace and a second at UTMB’s TDS are only a handful of her lengthy listing of spectacular achievements.
There shall be three South African girls on the UTCT begin line. Naomi Brand, now resident in New Zealand, is aware of her approach round Table Mountain and has positioned third at UT100 in 2015 and 2016. She gained the Ultra-trail Drakensberg (UTD) 100km in April, inserting fourth general and breaking the ladies’s course document, and in October was third at Ultra Trail Australia 100km. She is acquainted with the 100 mile distance, having gained the UTD 100 miler in 2019.
Cape Town-based South African runner Kerry-Ann Marshall was fifth at UT100 in 2021, and gained the race in 2015 as nicely inserting second in 2018. She has had a stable 12 months of working, with a second place at Cape Town Trail Marathon 46km in October and a second place at Whale of Trail 53km in July.
“I am feeling really honoured to be a part of this inaugural 100 miler. It’s an unknown distance to me so the emotions are overwhelming at times however I keep reminding myself that this is a real privilege to be able to do something I love so much in these beautiful mountains at home. This event has drawn so many people to Cape Town and what a spectacular way for them to experience the mountains and the city.”
Nicolette Griffioen got here fourth at UT100 in 2019 and gained the occasion in 2014. She gained Ultra-Trail Drakensberg 100km in 2019 and was the primary athlete general.
UTCT throughout the distances
All codecs of the race are attracting high-calibre athletes, not least of which is the brand new PT55, the 55km Peninsula Traverse which has been acquired very nicely. Anton Krupicka (USA) is a mountain journey legend, on foot, by bike, mountaineering or snowboarding, and as a path athlete he has plenty of spectacular ultra-trail podiums in his previous similar to Lavaredo Ultra Trail and Leadville. While he has not raced so much prior to now few years, he took third place at Leadville final 12 months, and he gained the 50km race he took half in final month in preparation for Ultra-Trail Cape Town.
Other internationals within the PT55 embrace Robbie Simpson (UK), Jeshurun Small (USA), Marcel Höche (GER) and Mehmet Soytürk (TUR), joined by Josh Chigome (RSA).
South African Landie Greyling shall be a powerful native favorite for the ladies’s race within the PT55 – this 12 months she has gained the George Mountain Ultra Trail 42km, was second at Ultra-trail Drakensberg 62km and gained the Cape Town Trail Marathon (46km) in October.
Kim Schreiber (GER), Tessa Chesser (USA), Ekaterina Ryazanova (UZB) and Kim Strohmann (GER) may also be on the beginning line.
The TM35 sees Janosch Kowalczyk, 2018 UT100 winner, lead the sphere that features Cape Town native Christiaan Greyling (UT100 winner in 2015) in addition to Bernard Dematteis, Martin Dematteis from Italy and Collin Kanyimo (ZIM).
Swiss athletes Jasmin Nunige and Claudia Knecht, German Dioni Gorla and South Africans Bianca Tarboton and Rebecca Khone are the highest girls to observe on this race.
Follow the Ultra-Trail Cape Town PT55, UT100 and UTCT reside on YouTube
