Njeru and Kipngeno retain titles at La Montee du Nid d’Aigle

Course record-holders Joyce Njeru and Patrick Kipngeno returned to retain their titles at La Montee du Nid d’Aigle, the latest gold label event in the Valsir Mountain Running World Cup, in the French region of Saint Gervais on Saturday (22).

The conditions were perfect for running, with cool temperatures of around 15°C at the start and an overcast sky. The 19.5km course was a relentlessly uphill one, starting at Le Fayet at 596m and climbing all the way up to the finish, which would usually be at Refuge du Nid d’Aigle at 2394m, but this year the course was changed slightly for construction work so the finish was at the ski station below it. The route offered a mix of river trail, tree-covered trail and then open mountain tracks.

While Njeru went into the women’s race as the favourite, the fact that her Kenyan compatriot Philaries Kisang was also on the start line set up an interesting duel. With two third-place finishes at last weekend’s Fletta Trail and Piz Tri Vertical, combined with a second place at the World Championships in the vertical uphill race, Kisang posed the biggest threat to Njeru retaining her title.

But with a start list that also included Camilla Magliano, who was third here last year, plus former winner Lucy Murigi, last year’s runner-up Blandine L’Hirondel, Susanna Saapunki and Sarah Carter, the podium was wide open.

Njeru and Kisang were neck-and-neck for almost the whole race. At the 12km timing point it was Kisang who just edged it, with a lead of 11 seconds over Njeru. At that point Saapunki was two and a half minutes behind them in third, with Murigi 90 seconds further back, then another 90 seconds to L’Hirondel.

In a nail-biting finish it was Njeru who came out on top (2:06:28), beating Kisang by just five seconds. Saapunki managed to maintain her third place in 2:10:42, and Murigi and L’Hirondel’s positions also remained the same as they took fourth and fifth, respectively.

In the men’s race Kipngeno was up against his Kenyan compatriot and last year’s runner-up Philemon Kiriago, hot on the heels of his win at Fletta Trail last weekend. But in an absolutely stacked field, this was a wide open contest.

Stian Angermund was a late addition to the field, which also featured Xavier Chevrier, who was 10th at the classic mountain race at the World Championships, plus Broken Arrow VK winner Andrea Rostan, Piz Tri Vertical third-place finisher Joe Steward, Timothy Kirui and Alex Baldaccini.

The men’s race was quite different to the women’s in that Kipngeno opened a lead early on. By the 12km timing point he had built an advantage of more than two minutes over Kiriago and at the point it was an all-Kenyan top three, with Kirui sitting 80 seconds behind Kiriago. Chevrier and Angermund were right on Kirui’s heels and the battle was on for third place.

It was no surprise to see Kipngeno emerge from the final climb with a clear lead and he took the win in 1:46:44. Kiriago also managed to keep hold of his second place, finishing just over two minutes behind, in 1:48:47. Eventually it was Chevrier who won the hotly-contested third place on the podium in 1:51:11. Angermund was fourth and Theodore Klein fifth.

The points won here have shaken up the World Cup rankings. For the women, Njeru – who was joint leader with Scout Adkin – has now stretched out a lead with 160 points. Adkin is now second, but Kisang jumps from sixth to third with 100 points.

For the men, Kiriago has increased his lead and now has 130 points. Kipngeno jumps up to second with a total of 100 and Rostan is now third with 88 points.

After a break of a few weeks the next gold label event in the Valsir Mountain Running World Cup will be at Sierre-Zinal on 12 August.

Kirsty Reade (WMRA) for World Athletics

Leading results

Women
1 Joyce Njeru (KEN) 2:06:28
2 Philaries Kisang (KEN) 2:06:33
3 Susanna Saapunki (FIN) 2:10:42
4 Lucy Murigi (KEN) 2:13:28
5 Blandine L’Hirondel (FRA) 2:14:18

Men
1 Patrick Kipngeno (KEN) 1:46:44
2 Philemon Kiriago (KEN) 1:48:47
3 Xavier Chevrier (ITA) 1:51:11
4 Stian Angermund (NOR) 1:51:52
5 Theodore Klein (FRA) 1:54:54