This weekend, the Golden Path Global Cup heads to Switzerland for the fiftieth version of one of the vital famend mountain races of all time, Sierre Zinal. The race traverses 31 kilometres with 2,200 metres of ascent, and historically draws an overly steep elite box with this yr being no exception.
Sierre Zinal is referred to as ‘l. a. path des cinq 4,000’ for the reason that runners get to benefit from the perspectives of 5 peaks over 4,000m alongside the way in which (Weisshorn at 4,506m, Zinalrothorn at 4,221m, Obergabelhorn at 4,073m, Matterhorn at 4,478m and Dent Blanche 4,357m). Athletes get started in Sierre at an elevation of 570 metres, and climb as much as the best possible level at 2,425m over the primary 24 km. The general 7 km is downhill, culminating in a frantic dash via Zinal to the end line at 1,680m.
Described as a “tantalizingly runnable, rapid path, which as we all know ends up in some very thrilling racing” the path had new data set in each males’s and ladies’s fields in 2019, through Kilian Jornet and Maude Mathys. Mathys has therefore decreased this once more to two:46:03. Each Mathys and Jornet shall be provide at this yr’s match however received’t be racing.
In a surprise to the path racing international in 2022, either one of the initially declared winners of Sierre Zinal have been later disqualified. Kenyan runner Esther Chesang joined the unique male champion, fellow Kenyan Mark Kangogo, with a retroactive disqualification. The ladies’s identify was once awarded to Maude Mathys, who may now have fun 4 directly wins of the development, whilst the lads’s identify was once awarded to Spain’s Andreu Blanes.
The race is a part of the Golden Path Global Sequence, the Golden Path Nationwide Sequence, and the WMRA Global Cups.
Ladies’s box
Whilst Mathys (champion in each 2021 and 2022) is out of the race, the sector continues to be filled with mythical mountain working athletes. The ladies’s elite world roster is helmed through Dutch long-distance runner Nienke Brinkman, path working and orienteering Swiss champion Judith Wyder (runner-up in 2019), American cross-country snowboarding champion Sophia Laukli and Kenyan Philaries Kisang, closing yr’s runner-up.
The U.S. has a powerful ladies’s contingent, with Allie McLaughlin at the leading edge (she received the Damaged Arrow Skyrace previous this yr, and received the uphill race on the 2022 Global Championships and positioned 3rd within the up-and-down race). Fellow American citizens Allie Ostrander and Bailey Kowalczyk (5th closing yr) sign up for her.
Different notable athletes come with Emelie Forsberg (SWE), Alice Gaggi (ITA), Theresa Leboeuf (SUI).
Males’s box
The lads’s race has Kenyan international mountain champion Patrick Kipngeno in opposition to the bold Eritrean Petro Mamu and Gruyère’s Rémi Bonnet. Kipngeno closing yr’s runner-up, is having an especially a success yr, successful Los angeles Montee du Nid d’Aigle, Piz Tri Vertical and the uphill race on the Global Championships. Mamu was once 3rd closing yr and 2nd in 2019 in the second one quickest time in this path, ever (2:26:31).
Swiss famous person Bonnet is in wonderful shape, having received the Mont Blanc Marathon this yr and positioned fourth at Zegama.
Different athletes to observe come with Robert Pkemoi(KEN) can be thrilling to apply right here, having completed 6th in 2022 and having additionally completed a 5th position at Zegama this yr, along Xavier Chevrier (ITA), Eli Hemming (USA), Andrew Douglas (GBR), Francesco Puppi (ITA) and Joe Steward (GBR).
Find out how to apply
Sierre-Zinal shall be offering are living monitoring by the use of their site and social media updates. The race begins at 4:55 a.m. ET.
