Men's world short trail medallists Francesco Puppi, winner Stian Angermund and Jonathan Albon in Chiang Mai (© Marco Gulberti/Corsa in Montagna)
Trail action was in the spotlight on day two of the Amazing Thailand World Mountain and Trail Running Championships, where the 12 individual medals were shared between athletes from nine different nations on Saturday (5).
Blandine L'Hirondel of France retained her title in the women’s long trail race in Chiang Mai, while USA’s Adam Peterman claimed the crown in the men’s event. The short trail titles were won by Norway’s Stian Angermund and Denisa Dragomir of Romania.
The long trail races saw athletes tackle an 80km course featuring more than 4900m of elevation gain and L'Hirondel again stamped her authority in the women’s event. Sweden’s Ida Nilsson led the race until the final 1000m climb that would take athletes from 60km to the 66km mark before the last largely downhill section. But L'Hirondel caught and then passed her over the course of the climb and went on win by more than 12 minutes, clocking 8:22:14 to add another world title to the gold she claimed in 2019 as well as the bronze she secured in the World Long Distance Mountain Running Championships that same year.
Nilsson held on to second spot, securing silver in 8:34:59, while bronze went to Spain’s Gemma Arenas Alcazar in 8:46:27.
Blandine L'Hirondel celebrates her women’s long trail win at the World Mountain and Trail Running Championships (© Marco Gulberti/Corsa in Montagna)
That final 1000m climb also made the difference in the men’s race, as it saw Peterman move further away from France’s Nicolas Martin to eventually triumph by almost 13 minutes and gain USA a second individual gold in Chiang Mai after Allie McLaughlin’s classic uphill mountain race win on day one.
Martin improved on his fifth-place finish at the last World Championships, crossing the finish line in the runner-up spot with 7:28:44 on the clock, eight minutes ahead of Italy’s Andreas Reiterer.
Finishing in sixth and seventh, respectively, Audrey Tanguy and Marion Delespierre joined L'Hirondel in winning the women’s team title ahead of Spain and Italy. Peterman led USA to another team title, ahead of France and Spain.
The short trail races took place over 40km on a course with more than 2700m of elevation gain.
A strong second half secured Angermund victory in the men’s race, the Norwegian moving away from Great Britain’s Jonathan Albon, Italy’s Francesco Puppi and USA’s Max King to add another world title to the gold medals he won at the 2016 Skyrunning World Championships.
He won in 3:08:29, three minutes ahead of Puppi who secured a second successive silver after his runner-up finish in 2019.
Defending short trail race champion Albon added a bronze to his medal collection, finishing third in 3:13:05, four minutes ahead of King.
Dragomir also used her strength in the second half of the race to secure success, the 2017 long distance bronze medallist winning the women’s short trail title by two minutes in 3:49:23.
Barbora Macurova gave chase and started to reel Dragomir in but ran out of trail and finished second in 3:51:22, three and a half minutes ahead of Sweden’s Emilia Brangefalt.
Puppi led Italy to the men’s team title, with Andrea Rota and Cristian Minoggio also finishing in the top 10. France claimed silver, while Great Britain and Northern Ireland claimed bronze. The women's team title was won by Spain, led by Nuria Gil Clapera and with Sheila Aviles Castano and Julia Font Gomez also in the top 10. USA took team siver and Great Britain and Northern Ireland another bronze.
The third and final day of action in Chang Mai on Sunday features classic up and down races for senior and junior athletes.
Leading results
Long trail (80km, 4910m elevation gain)
Women
1 Blandine L'Hirondel (FRA) 8:22:14
2 Ida Nilsson (SWE) 8:34:59
3 Gemma Arenas Alcazar (ESP) 8:46:27
4 Eszter Csillag (HUN) 8:49:24
5 Rosanna Buchauer (GER) 8:50:45
Men
1 Adam Peterman (USA) 7:15:53
2 Nicolas Martin (FRA) 7:28:44
3 Andreas Reiterer (ITA) 7:36:50
4 Jose Angel Fernandez Jimenez (ESP) 7:39:19
5 Aritz Egea Caceres (ESP) 7:48:42
Short trail (40km, 2777m elevation gain)
Women
1 Denisa Dragomir (ROM) 3:49:23
2 Barbora Macurova (CZE) 3:51:22
3 Emilia Brangefalt (SWE) 3:54:52
4 Nuria Gil Clapera (ESP) 3:56:25
5 Sheila Aviles Castano (ESP) 3:56:39
Men
1 Stian Angermund (NOR) 3:08:29
2 Francesco Puppi (ITA) 3:11:47
3 Jonathan Albon (GBR) 3:13:05
4 Max King (USA) 3:17:31
5 Kristian Jones (GBR) 3:17:47
