Golden Trail Series – Zegama-Aizkorri:
A First for Sylvia, an Eleventh for Kilian!

26TH MAY 2024, START 9:00 AM (CET), 42KM, 2,736M V+

ZEGAMA, SPAIN

 

Kilian Jornet and Sylvia Nordskar win the 2024 edition of Zegama, 3rd stage of the Golden Trail Series.

That makes 11 for Kilian!

17 years separate Kilian Jornet’s (ESP – Nnormal) first victory at Zegama from the one he just won today on the Basque trails.

“It’s a dream, I’d never have thought 17 years ago that I’d still be here this year for the win. I was feeling pretty confident because of my training, but I had a few stomach issues, and I wasn’t feeling particularly light during the race. I knew that in these conditions the record wouldn’t be possible, so I just tried to manage it as best as I could. I thought the others were closer to me and so I kept on pushing so they wouldn’t catch me. If I’d known, I would’ve enjoyed the race a bit more!”

 

Behind Kilian Jornet, his teammate Elhousine Elazzaoui (MAR – Nnormal) came in second, the same position as last year, but this year he seems to have enjoyed more.

“I’m really happy with my race today, I’m really pleased with how I managed it. At the start, I stayed calm in a group, sometimes I was 3rd, sometimes 6th, sometimes 5th. Then, from the 26-kilometre mark I set off with Bart. In the final downhill, I managed to overtake thanks to the experience I’ve gained in previous years.”

 

Bart Przedwojewski (POL – Salomon) had a hard job hiding his emotions at the finish line, after dreaming of a podium finish in the Golden Trail Series, and especially at Zegama, the race that made his name in 2018.

“I’m just so happy! First, I want to thank my wife. This 3rd place means so much to me, it all started here in 2018 and it’s my first podium finish since 2021, but it’s not only my result it’s also my wife and family’s. Everything has changed in our lives this year and sometimes it’s more difficult to train, but we survived together.”

Sylvia Nordskar for first!

She had never won a Golden Trail World Series race before, so Sylvia Nordskar (NOR – Hoka) certainly chose the most legendary race out of all of them as her big debut. She battled it out for a while with Theres Leboeuf, but then took the lead quite early on, never to concede it again.

“I’m the happiest girl in the world! When I overtook Theres I knew I was leading the race, but I thought ‘Don’t think about that, just focus on your race!’ The atmosphere during the race also made a difference and helped me to push hard to the finish!” 

 

Malen Osa (ESP – Salomon), this Basque native, chose to run her first marathon distance on home ground. She didn’t disappoint her public by finishing 2nd in her dream race.

“I wasn’t feeling that brilliant at the start. In the first climb my legs weren’t doing what I wanted them to and then I was lifted along by the roar of the crowds and the energy came back to my legs. I noticed that the others were dropping back while I still felt strong in the downhill. It wasn’t really my strategy, but it worked!”

 

Marta Martínez Abellán (ESP – La Sportiva) rounded off the women’s podium.

“This year I felt in much better shape than last year so I knew I could do better in the ranking. I just tried to find my groove and keep it till the finish. I’m really happy, it’s a real dream for me.”

Let’s head to Chamonix

The Golden Trail Series will now head to Chamonix for the 4th stage of the season. See you on 30th June for the Marathon du Mont-Blanc.

Results

Men

 

1 – Kilian Jornet Burgada (ESP – Nnormal): 3:38:07 (+200 pts)

2 – Elhousine Elazzaoui (MAR – Nnormal): 03:46:16 (+188 pts)

3 – Bart Przedwojewski (POL – Salomon): 3:46:54 (+176 pts)

4 – Luca Del Pero (ITA – Scarpa): 03:47:25 (+166 pts)

5 – Manuel Merillas (ESP – New Balance): 03:47:42 (+156 pts)

6 – Robert Pkemoi Matayango (KEN – Joma): 03:50:02 (+150 pts)

7 – Marcin Kubica (POL – Salomon): 03:53:24 (+144 pts)

8 – Alain Santamaría Blanco (ESP – Salomon): 03:54:11 (+140 pts)

9 – Loic Robert (FRA – Kiprun): 03:55:52 (+136 pts)

10 – Leonard Mitrica (ROM): 03:56:28 (+133 pts)

 

Women

 

1 – Sylvia Nordskar (NOR – Hoka): 04:29:12 (+200 pts)

2 – Malen Osa Ansa (ESP – Salomon): 04:35:19 (+188 pts)

3 – Marta Martínez Abellán (ESP – La Sportiva): 04:35:39(+176 pts)

4 – Theres Leboeuf (CHE – Teamleboeuf/Compressport): 04:36:16 (+166 pts)

5 – Lide Urrestarazau Agirre (ESP): 04:37:20 (+156 pts)

6 – Elisa Desco (ITA – Scarpa): 04:40:28 (+150 pts)

7 – Daniela Oemus (GER – Nike Trail): 04:41:21 (+144 pts)

8 – Rosa Lara Faliu (ESP – Compressport): 04:42:54 (+140 pts)

9 – Ida Amelie Robsahm (NOR – Hoka): 04:44:31 (+136 pts)

10 – Caitlin Fielder (NZL – Salomon): 04:46:02 (+133 pts)