Mediterranean Prevails in Ultra-Trail® World Tour

Press Release / 20.10.2021

Two ultra-marathon races took place on opposite sides of the Mediterranean this weekend in Spain and Turkey as part of the long-distance trail running Ultra-Trail® World Tour. In Spain it was the long awaited autumn edition of Penyagolosa CSP, while in Turkey it was the Salomon Cappadocia Ultra-Trail®, with both seeing hundreds of trail runners take up formidable 100-km routes.

After the 2020 edition of Penyagolosa Trails® was postponed, this year’s Mediterranean race – which started in the seaside city of Castellón – has been on the top-awaited list of many trail runners. And it didn’t disappoint: with excellent organisation, transportation for runner’s friends and families, as well as a local TV station, it felt that all the province’s eyes were fixated on the finish line at Sant Joan de Penyagolosa on the 16th of October.

This year it was Aleksei Tolstenko (RUS) and Anete Svilpe (LAT) who dominated the arena. The Russian runner Tolstenko won after competing for the very first time in the Penyagolosa Trails. He crossed the finish line at 11:48:45, after having an epic head-to-head race with Spanish Rodrigo Monasor. A duel of titans which Tolstenko got the best of. The great champion of the day was Anete Svilpe, who finished first in the women’s group. The Latvian runner was relentless, dominating the race during the entire 110km and finishing at 14:44:08.

The second and third places in the men’s race went to Rodrigo Monasor and the Romanian runner Robert Hajnal respectively. In the women’s group second place went to the local athlete from C.M. Vistabella club María Obrero Catalán and third place to the Biscayan Leire Martínez.

MEN'S RESULTS:
1 - Aleksei TOLSTENKO (RUS) - 11:48:45
2 - Rodrigo MONASOR ROMERO DE TEJADA (ESP) - 12:07:11
3 - Robert HAJNAL (ROM) - 12:08:50

WOMEN'S RESULTS:
1 - Anete SVILPE (LAT) - 14:44:08
2 - Maria OBRERO CATALAN (ESP) - 15:22:52
3 - Leire MARTINEZ HERRERA (ESP) - 16:08:08

Racing in Cappadocia

On the other side of the Mediterranean, it was Turkey who saw its iconic Cappadocia region converted into trail running grounds where participants enjoyed running through incredible scenery including historical rock settlements, naturally formed chimneys and famous places of worship.

This year’s edition has once again seen the potential that women athletes have and are eager to demonstrate with Dominika Stelmach (POL) finishing first in the women’s group and second overall with 13:16:12. In the men’s category it was Diego Pazos (SUI) who dominated the race with an incredible time of 11:50:22. As always, Diego was seen wearing a bowtie.

Meanwhile the second and third places for men went to Yaroslav Yaroshuk (13:29:57) and Nazarii Hnat (13:44:18) both from Ukraine. And in women’s group the second and third places went to Turkey’s Serpil Budak with 16:39:39 and Gulsen Eser with 17:24:40.

MEN'S RESULTS:
1 - Diego PAZOS (SUI) - 11:50:22
2 - Yaroslav YAROSHUK (UKR) - 13:29:57
3 - Nazarii HNAT (UKR) - 13:44:18

WOMEN'S RESULTS
1 - Dominika STELMACH (POL) - 13:16:12 (2nd overall)
2 - Serpil BUDAK (TUR) - 16:39:39
3 - Gulsen ESER (TUR) - 17:24:40