Anne-Lise Rousset Séguret and Peter Fraňo Storm to Victory – iRunFar

The 2025 Transvulcania Ultramarathon acquired underway at 6 a.m. native time on Saturday, Might 10. An exhilarating day of racing, wrought with troublesome climate circumstances, noticed Peter Fraňo (pre-race interview) of Slovakia and Anne-Lise Rousset Séguret of France storm to victory.

The 73-kilometer (45.4 miles) race takes place on La Palma, one of many Spanish Canary Islands off the northwest coast of Morocco. The course accumulates a staggering 4,350 meters (14,270 ft) of elevation acquire via a whirlwind of contrasting landscapes, from stark volcanic terrain to lush leafy forests and sweeping coastal views.

The course climbs steeply from the beginning line on the Faro de Fuencaliente lighthouse on the southern tip of the island, following volcanic ridges as much as the rugged peak of Roque de Los Muchachos at round 50k (30 miles). Standing at a formidable 2,426 meters (7,959 ft), that is the very best level of each the race and the island. From right here, a brutal descent takes runners right down to sea stage at Puerto de Tazacorte, earlier than the ultimate climb to the end within the metropolis of Los Llanos de Aridane.

Blustery winds and rain made circumstances troublesome for runners, particularly on the uncovered segments and technical downhills, which have been awash with mud, rainwater, and slippery stones. Race group was additionally disrupted, with the Roque de Los Muchachos help station having to be displaced, and a rerouting of the course within the closing part between Puerto de Tazacorte and the end line.

The ladies’s race was fiercely contested, and dominated by previous Transvulcania podium finishers. Ruth Croft (pre-race interview) of New Zealand was the clear favourite, having received final yr’s version in a course file of 8:02:49. Nevertheless, sufferer to the cruel climate circumstances, she was compelled to withdraw round 30 miles (50 kilometers) into the race as a consequence of hypothermia.

Rousset Séguret ran a spectacular race from begin to end. Sticking with early chief Croft, she took management across the midway level, then used the descent from Roque de Los Muchachos to construct on her lead. She powered throughout the end line over 18 minutes forward of second place Ekaterina Mityaeva (pre-race interview). This was Rousset Séguret’s fifth time racing Transvulcania, after putting fifth in 2014, and second in 2016, 2017, and 2019.

Mityaeva completed fourth in each the 2024 and 2019 editions of the race, and within the prime 10 twice earlier than that. She was constant from begin to end, staying within the prime three all through, and keeping off stress from third-place girl Martina Valmassoi (pre-race interview) of Italy within the closing miles.

Valmassoi, who received the 2023 Transvulcania, appeared robust all through, tirelessly working to stick with the leaders and ending lower than 30 seconds behind Mityaeva.

For the lads, Fraňo ran a superbly executed race, sticking with the lead pack earlier than making a transfer within the steep climb to Roque de Los Muchachos at round 50k. This was his second participation in Transvulcania, following on from his debut in 2018.

Regardless of stress from Andreas Reiterer of Italy within the relentless descent to sea stage, Fraňo was in a position to draw back within the last three miles, crossing the end line three minutes forward of his rival. This was additionally Reiterer’s second time at Transvulcania after a 3rd place end in 2023.

Manuel Anguita ran the race of his life, shifting up via the ranks from twentieth place at 17k, and shifting into third place within the final 10k. This efficiency follows on from seventh place within the 2024 Transvulcania.

2025 Transvulcania Ultramarathon Girls’s Race

Ruth Croft (pre-race interview) of New Zealand misplaced no time in breaking away from the remainder of the sphere, putting out via the wind and rain at Faro de Fuencaliente and coming via the primary help station (7.5k) two minutes forward of Anne-Lise Rousset Séguret of France. Ekaterina Mityaeva (pre-race interview) got here via one minute after, with Italian runners Martina Valmassoi (pre-race interview) and Marina Cugnetto an additional two minutes behind.

Earlier than El Pilar at 22.5k, Rousset Séguret had gained a while on Croft, passing via simply over a minute after the chief. Behind them, Mityaeva and Valmassoi adopted in third and fourth place forward of Cugnetto in fifth.

A short hole within the clouds provided runners some respite as they made their manner throughout to El Reventón at 31.5k. Rousset Séguret used the phase to El Reventón to maneuver previous Croft, and the 2 started to drag away from the remainder of the sphere. They handed via 5 minutes forward of Mityaeva and 9 minutes forward of Valmassoi.

The course was particularly unforgiving on the part between El Reventón and Roque de Los Muchachos (51k). The uncovered ridge and excessive altitude made for prime wind chill, and the rain was coming down in torrents. However, Rousset Séguret got here via wanting robust in 6:34 elapsed, six minutes forward of Croft. Mityaeva was shut behind, additionally working confidently regardless of the circumstances. Croft was there as nicely, in podium place. Nevertheless, issues took a flip for the more serious for her, and she or he’d drop on the subsequent help station with some assist from the group as a consequence of hypothermia.

Climate circumstances improved for the runners as they made their manner down from the excessive level of the course. Rousset Séguret’s victory gave the impression to be inevitable as she headed towards Mirador El Time at 64k, 14 minutes forward of Mityaeva in second. Three minutes behind, a decided Valmassoi was shifting nicely. Giulia Marchesoni of Italy and Cugnetto adopted in fourth and fifth, 36 minutes off the lead.

Anne-Lise Rousset Séguret sailed down the remainder of the descent, constructing on her lead out of Puerto de Tazacorte and crossing the ending line in 8:18:17, over 18 minutes forward of Ekaterina Mityaeva, who completed in second place in 8:36:58. After a terrific effort within the descent and the final climb, Martina Valmassoi needed to accept third place in 8:37:25, simply 27 seconds behind Mityaeva.

Marina Cugnetto and Giulia Marchesoni rounded off the highest 5 in 8:58:31 and eight:58:31, respectively, sealing a terrific day for the Italian contingency.

2025 Transvulcania Ultramarathon Girls’s Outcomes

1. Anne-Lise Rousset Séguret (France) – 8:18:17
2. Ekaterina Mityaeva (Impartial) – 8:36:58 (pre-race interview)
3. Martina Valmassoi (Italy) – 8:37:25 (pre-race interview)
4. Marina Cugnetto (Italy) – 8:58:31
5. Giulia Marchesoni (Italy) – 9:00:18
6. Anaïs Duval (France) – 9:25:29
7. Alba Villanova  (Spain) – 9:32:43
8. Lisa Watson (U.Ok.) – 9:40:19
9. Michelle Hassel (Germany) – 9:43:23
10. Jessica Tipan Gutiérrez (Ecuador) – 9:44:16

2025 Transvulcania Ultramarathon Males’s Race

Regardless of the blowing rain, runners moved effectively from the beginning line at Faro de Fuencaliente. The U.S.’s Matt Daniels, Spain’s Andrés García, and the U.S.’s David Sinclair (pre-race interview) got here via the primary help station at 7.4k on the head of a dense pack of runners.

The rain was coming in sheets earlier than El Pilar (22.5k) as Italy’s Andreas Reiterer, Slovakia’s Peter Fraňo (pre-race interview), and France’s Robin Juillaguet led the lads via in 2:19:40 elapsed. Daniels got here via simply seconds later, adopted intently by Sinclair.

Sinclair pushed arduous throughout to El Reventón at 31.5k, popping out of the help station within the lead with slightly below three hours elapsed. Fraňo adopted lower than a minute behind, intently adopted by Reiterer and Juillaguet. Australia’s Charles Hamilton rounded off the highest 5, not fairly 4 minutes behind the chief. We consider Daniels dropped out between right here and the following summit.

The subsequent part continues up alongside the island’s well-known ridgeline path, previous the Pico de la Cruz earlier than climbing towards the mighty Roque de Los Muchachos at 51k. Within the day’s  troublesome climate circumstances, this was to be the important level within the race earlier than the leg-destroying descent to sea stage. And that is the place Fraňo made his first huge transfer, powering as much as the race’s highest level in first place, 5 minutes forward of Sinclair, with Reiterer and Juillaguet chasing. Circumstances have been exceptionally powerful, with torrential rain and gales, and Sinclair and Juillaguet each bowed out on the help station.

Reiterer flew down the primary half of the descent, catching up with Fraňo earlier than Mirador del Time (64k) simply in entrance of Fraňo in 7:13 elapsed. García adopted determinedly in third place, 34 minutes behind the leaders, chased by a strong-looking Anguita.

Reiterer held the lead right down to Puerto de Tazacorte at 68k, however Fraňo refused to be shaken off. Whereas Anguita got here via in third place a complete 20 minutes later, one minute forward of García, it was a two-man race for the victory over the ultimate 5k with 338 meters of climbing.

Peter Fraňo efficiently held off Andreas Reiterer within the final climb to the end in Los Llanos de Aridane, crossing the road in 06:55:36. Reiterer adopted in 06:58:27, and Manuel Anguita rounded off the rostrum in 7:19:18. García and Ramon Manetsch (Switzerland) took fourth and fifth locations, ending in 7:22:07 and seven:31:55, respectively.

2025 Transvulcania Ultramarathon Males’s Outcomes

• 1. Peter Fraňo (Slovakia) – 6:55:36 (pre-race interview)
• 2. Andreas Reiterer (Italy) – 6:58:27
• 3. Manuel Anguita (Spain) – 7:19:18
• 4. Andrés García  (Spain) – 7:22:07
• 5. Ramon Manetsch (Switzerland) – 7:31:55
• 6. Thibault Leroy (France) – 7:40:47
• 7. Patrick Ehrenthaler (Germany) – 7:43:09
• 8. Pablo Villa (Spain) – 7:44:48 (pre-race interview)
• 8. Charles Hamilton (Australia) – 7:44:48
• 10. Gilles Roux (Italy) – 7:46:35