Patrick Kipngeno and Joyce Muthoni Njeru at the Broken Arrow VK (© Jonathan Wyatt)
The 2024 Valsir Mountain Running World Cup started with a bang on Friday (21) in Palisades Tahoe, California, where Kenya’s Patrick Kipngeno and Joyce Muthoni Njeru dominated the Broken Arrow VK – the first gold label short uphill race in a double header weekend.
The course takes athletes on a short, sharp uphill section on a ski slope before hitting a more run-friendly road section, which eventually takes them over the summit of KT-22. A flatter and more runnable section doesn't last too long as they embark on some technical terrain to the ‘stairway to heaven’ ladder, then it’s one last push over the snowy section to the summit.
In a high quality men’s field, it was something of a surprise to see renowned ultra-runner Jim Walmsley hitting the first timing point at the front of the race. He was chased hard by two-time world uphill champion Patrick Kipngeno, last year’s World Cup winner Philemon Ombogo Kiriago, 2023 breakout performer Christian Allen, and Eli Hemming, the winner of last year’s Skyrace.
When the runners started to emerge over the ladder, Kipngeno had beaten Walmsley comfortably in the race to the summit, eventually winning in 36:21, with Walmsley a distant second in 37:49. Meikael Beaudoin-Rousseau came through to complete the men’s podium in 38:03. Allen took fourth and Hemming kept his fifth place.
In the women’s race, Allie McLaughlin was the early leader, followed by Muthoni Njeru, the 2023 World Cup winner, and defending Broken Arrow VK champion Anna Gibson, who’ll be contesting the 1500m at the US Olympic Trials in the coming days.
But in the final climb, Muthoni Njeru emerged first and won convincingly in 45:39. In a close battle for the other podium places, Gibson came through for second place in 47:35, with McLaughlin just behind in 47:50. Hali Hafeman moved up a place to take fourth and Jessica Brazeau came through to take fifth.
The other gold label race of the weekend, the Broken Arrow Skyrace, will take place on Sunday (23).
Kirsty Reade (WMRA) for World Athletics
