EVEREST TRAIL RACE
Hernando Hits First And Wins The Penultimate Stage
Press Release / 13.11.2017
Luis Alberto Hernando achieved his third stage victory and widened his lead over his main opponent, the Nepali runner Suman Kulung. Tomorrow the competition will be decided on a terrain that does not favour the Spaniard. In the female category Chhechee Sherpa won for the third consecutive day and widened her lead over the Portuguese runner Ester Alves, second in the general ranking.
Luis Alberto Hernando now leads the Everest Trail Race presented by The Elements Pure Coconut Water by 6 minutes and 23 seconds from his main opponent, the runner that has pushed Luis to give his best in this race, the Nepali Suman Kulung (Traça Esquí I Esports De Muntanya).
In the 5th stage of 20km between Phakding and Tyangboche both tried to give their best to get some advantage to face the final day tomorrow a bit more relaxed. Hernando took the victory on the stage, but said that the 6 and a half minute advantage he has for tomorrow is perhaps "not enough" to beat the Nepali runner.
A western runner has never won the race and the runner from Burgos will have to compete in a terrain which is adverse for him, especially on the descents where a local specialist like the Nepali Suman Kulung, rolls down" the downhill’s. The Norwegian Sondre Amdhal crossed the finish line in third position excited and said that this was the hardest stage of the race. There's never a quiet day in the Everest Trail Race. Jordi Gamito (The Elements Pure Coconut Water) finished the stage in 4th position and keeps this position in the final ranking.
The runners did part of the Everest Trek today and ran in sight of two eight thousand meter peaks, Everest and Lhotse. The have almost reached one of the most beautiful mountains of the world, Ama Dablam and they have passed by some mythical summits in the mountaineering world such as Tamserku, Kangtega or Tawoche. They have also done two hard uphills at this moment of the race with 130km in their legs. They have climbed up to the Sherpa capital, Namche Bazar after crossing the well known Hillary Bridge.
In the female category Chhechee Sherpa kept the leader over Ester Alves (THE Elements Pure Coconut Water) who is second at the final ranking 12 minutes after the Nepali runner. The double winner of Marathon des Sables, the British runner Elisabeth Barnes, is third .
This stage moved the emotions of the runners. Many athletes arrived with tears in their eyes after seeing the indescribable landscape of Tyanboche and explained how incomparable this race is. Tomorrow is the sixth stage and the final 30 kilometres that will decide one of the most exciting editions in the history of the race.
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