USA's Allie McLaughlin celebrates her uphill win at the World Mountain and Trail Running Championships (© Organisers)
Allie McLaughlin led USA to a women’s team title, while Kenya’s Patrick Kipngeno followed his World Cup win with a global gold on the first day of the inaugural World Mountain and Trail Running Championships in Chiang Mai, Thailand, on Friday (4).
The three days of competition began with the classic uphill mountain race, which saw athletes compete over 8.5km from Chang Mai to the village of Ban Khun Chang Khian on a rugged course that featured 1344m of elevation gain.
McLaughlin, the 2014 long distance world champion, was victorious again, winning the women’s uphill title in 55:15. Austrian great Andrea Mayr took her individual world medal count to 10 with a silver to add to a haul that so far includes six golds, finishing 26 seconds behind McLaughlin, while Switzerland's five-time European champion Maude Mathys claimed bronze in 56:00.
They are all entered for both of the mountain races in Chiang Mai, so will clash again in the classic up and down event on Sunday.
Romania’s European silver medallist Monica Madalena Florea finished 18th in the world long distance race in 2019 and improved to fourth this time around, clocking 57:44. Just behind her was Spain’s Onditz Iturbe Arginzoniz in 57:56.
With Lauren Gregory, champion at the inaugural USATF Vertical Mountain Running Championships, finishing 12th and Rachel Tomajczyk placing 26th, USA claimed the team title ahead of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, led by European bronze medallist Scout Adkin in 11th, and Switzerland, led by Mathys.
With six Gold Label wins on the Valsir World Cup circuit this year, Kipngeno was the favourite going into the championships and he lived up to that billing in the uphill race, clocking 46:51 to win the men’s event by more than a minute and a half.
Kenya's Patrick Kipngeno on his way to uphill victory at the World Mountain and Trail Running Championships (© Organisers)
That success saw Kipngeno become the first Kenyan man to win a mountain running world title and it was a Kenyan top two, as he was followed over the finish line by his compatriot Philemon Kiriago, the World Cup runner up, who clocked 48:24.
Alex Garcia Carrillo of Spain bagged bronze in 49:03, holding off Switzerland’s Joey Hadorn by six seconds. Ireland’s Zak Hanna was a further 23 seconds back in fifth, one place ahead of defending champion Joseph Gray of USA.
Cesare Maestri finished seventh to lead Italy to the men’s team title ahead of Switzerland, with Spain third.
The action in Chang Mai continues on Saturday, when the 80km long trail and 40km short trail events will take place.
Leading results
Classic uphill mountain race (8.5km, 1344m elevation gain)
Women
1 Allie McLaughlin (USA) 55:15
2 Andrea Mayr (AUT) 55:41
3 Maude Mathys (SUI) 56:00
4 Monica Madalena Florea (ROU) 57:44
5 Onditz Iturbe Arginzoniz (ESP) 57:56
6 Susanna Saapunki (FIN) 58:12
7 Elisa Sortini (ITA) 58:42
8 Christel Dewalle (FRA) 58:49
9 Tereza Hrochova (CZE) 59:12
10 Hanna Groeber (GER) 59:27
Men
1 Patrick Kipngeno (KEN) 46:51
2 Philemon Kiriago (KEN) 48:24
3 Alejandro Garcia Carrillo (ESP) 49:03
4 Joey Hadorn (SUI) 49:09
5 Zak Hanna (IRL) 49:32
6 Joseph Gray (USA) 49:39
7 Cesare Maestri (ITA) 49:45
8 Xavier Chevrier (ITA) 50:03
9 Marek Chrascina (CZE) 50:03
10 Alexandre Ricard (CAN) 50:04
