Njeri and Gitonga among winners at Vauban

Ephantus Mwangi Njeri claimed the first World Mountain Running Association (WMRA) World Cup victory of his career and Ruth Mwihaki Gitonga moved to the top of the overall standings at the Vauban Mountain Trail in Briançon, France, on Sunday (19). Their wins came 24 hours after Richard Omaya Atuya and Italy’s Francesca Ghelfi triumphed in the uphill races.

Kenya swept both podiums in Sunday’s 14km classic up-and-down contest, which featured approximately 1000 metres of ascent and descent. Njeri used his strength on the downhill section to win in 1:03:01, while Gitonga held off compatriot Gloria Chebet to take the women’s race in 1:14:03.

Atuya, who had won the uphill race the previous day, again established himself at the front during the opening climb. He was the first athlete to reach the high point at the Croix de Toulouse, about 1950 metres above sea level, and appeared on course to complete a weekend double.

But Njeri began to close the gap once the race turned downhill. The Kenyan passed Atuya during the rapid descent towards Briançon and continued to extend his advantage on the return to Parc de la Schappe, eventually winning by 27 seconds.

Atuya followed in 1:03:28 to complete a weekend featuring one victory and one runner-up finish across two contrasting disciplines. Elijah Kamau Kariuki finished third in 1:05:06, completing the first of the day’s two Kenyan podium sweeps.

Mexico’s Brayan Rodriguez Flores placed fourth in 1:05:43, one day after finishing second in the uphill race, while Kenya’s Paul Machoka was fifth in 1:06:14.

The women’s race was more closely contested at the front. Gitonga, runner-up in Saturday’s uphill event, went one place better in the classic race, reaching the finish in 1:14:03.

Chebet remained within striking distance but could not overhaul her compatriot, finishing 19 seconds behind in 1:14:22. Miriam Chepkirui completed the Kenyan sweep in 1:19:08.

Italy’s Arianna Dentis came close to breaking up the podium, finishing just five seconds behind Chepkirui in 1:19:13 to achieve her best World Cup result. Britain’s Elle Twentyman completed the top five in 1:20:08.

Gitonga’s victory, combined with her second-place finish the previous day, took her to the top of the overall World Cup standings. Sunday’s race was the final classic up-and-down contest before the category finals in Québec in October.

A day earlier, Atuya successfully defended his Vauban uphill title on the 6km course, which climbs 1150 metres from the base of the Prorel gondola to its upper station.

The Kenyan attacked from the opening stages and quickly moved away from the rest of the field before completing the uninterrupted ascent in 40:40 – exactly the same time he recorded when winning on the course in 2025.

Kariuki occupied second place for much of the race, but Rodriguez Flores closed strongly and overtook him during the final 800 metres. The Mexican finished second in 42:38, with Kariuki taking third in 42:55. Italy’s Henri Aymonod was fourth in 43:53 and France’s Theodore Klein fifth in 44:16.

Ghelfi produced the biggest comeback of the weekend to win the women’s uphill race. At the intermediate station, France’s Christel Dewalle, Britain’s Kirsty Skye Dickson and Gitonga were together at the front, while the Italian was back in sixth place.

Ghelfi then made rapid progress during the second half of the climb, catching and passing the leaders on the exposed upper slopes before reaching the finish in 49:18.

Gitonga finished second in 50:12, with Dickson nine seconds further back in 50:21. Dewalle placed fourth in 50:46 and Italy’s Benedetta Broggi was fifth in 52:35.

The two races formed stages nine and 10 of the 2026 WMRA World Cup and offered contrasting tests around Briançon, with Saturday’s continuous climb followed by Sunday’s combination of steep ascent and fast descending through the trails and historic fortifications surrounding the city. The circuit resumes at Sierre-Zinal in Switzerland on 8 August.

With assistance from Héctor Rubio (WMRA)