Scout Adkin at the Zmeu X-Fest in Romania (© WMRA by Marco Gulberti)
Scout Adkin and Paul Machoka got their Mountain Running World Cup seasons off to a successful start by winning the series opener – the Zmeu X-Fest in Romania – on Saturday (3).
Held in the heart of Câmpulung Moldovenesc, the 19km race with a staggering 1750m of elevation gain led athletes through a breathtaking yet brutal course shaped by nature and legend.
The men’s race opened at a blistering pace, with Machoka and Kevin Kibet of Kenya charging into the lead on the first major climb – ascending at an incredible 2200 metres per hour. The chasing pack, led by Italian stars Henri Aymonod, Andrea Rostan, Alberto Vender and Patrick Petit along with Portuguese Marcelo Gonçalves, kept the pressure high.
As the race approached the seventh kilometre and the Runc climb, dubbed ‘The Wall’ for its unrelenting gradient, the leaders maintained their tempo, but it was Aymonod who delivered a late-race surge. Over the final 5km, he clawed back 30 seconds, closing in on the Kenyan duo with every step.
The race culminated in a thrilling near-sprint finish, with Aymonod just seconds behind the top two.
Machoka eventually secured a 21-second win, clocking 1:48:52. Kibet held on for second place, finishing two seconds ahead of Aymonod.
Paul Machoka on his way to Zmeu X-Fest victory (© WMRA by Marco Gulberti)
In the women’s competition, Great Britain’s Adkin delivered a tactically flawless and physically dominant performance. After a measured approach to the early ascent, she surged ahead on the infamous Runc climb – pushing at a phenomenal 1700 metres per hour. From there, she maintained full control, never looking back, and finishing not only first among the women but a remarkable eighth overall in 2:03:18.
Behind her, Kenya’s Valentine Rutto and Madalina Amariei of Romania fought an intense battle, crossing the line together in 2:18:57 in a rare and dramatic photo finish.
“The course is savage, but spectacular,” said Adkin.
World Cup action now shifts to Italy, where the mountain running elite will reconvene in Casto, Brescia, for a weekend double-header: the Vertical Nasego and the legendary Trofeo Nasego on 24-25 May.
Hector Rubio (WMRA) for World Athletics
