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Pavel Toropov

Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc (UTMB) 2018 winner Francesca Canepa showed her class to win the Oman by UTMB 130km race on Friday, holding off stiff competition to take first place by just seven minutes.
For most of the race, it was a battle between the Italian and American Meredith Edwards. Canepa held pole position throughout but Edwards made a late surge and cut into her lead.
The 2018 UTMB Chamonix champion eventually crossed the finish line in 26 hours, 11 minutes and 43 seconds, only seven minutes ahead of Edwards with France’s Kathleen Leguin third.
Frenchman Olivier Romain won the 130km men’s race. Ireland’s Eion Keith and Japan’s Kaori Niwa were the first men’s and women’s runners, respectively, to the finish line in the 170km race.


Two Nepalese runners, Bhim Gurung and Sunmaya Budha, won the 50km.
Local hero Hamdan Al Khatry finished second in the 170km, setting the tone as fellow Omanis had strong showings across all three races, despite the fact the nation is not known for trail running.
In the 50km male division eight out of 15 top finishers were Omanis, who gave it all, racing hard from the front to the delight of their compatriots and managed one second and one third place across the three race distances.
In the 170km division, Al Khatry grabbed the lead from the start, having gone off at breakneck pace. A Lieutenant in Omani armed forces, who was given leave from the Army to train for the race, Al Khatry already looked out of sorts at 33km, but he held on to his lead until the monster climb to the top of Jebel Shams peak at 110km where he was finally ground down by Ireland’s Keith.
The 170km race saw a brilliant performance from Japan’s top female ultra runner Niwa. She calmly climbed from 30th to third overall by the final quarter of the race before moving into top spot.

Swiss Anita Lehmann, who was the second woman, said at checkpoint one that just 50km of Omani mountains felt like 250km of normal trails.
The 130km race saw a dominant run by Frenchman Romain, who destroyed the field, winning in 18:18:46, more than two hours ahead of his compatriot Julien Chorier. Romain said the race was “technical”. He added that there was countless ups and downs, even when the course profile map showed one single climb, which made it hard physically and psychologically.
Sebastian Chaigneau, 47, running with a severe cold, completed the all-French podium. “It is hard,” said the veteran mid-race, shrugging off his immense discomfort, “as always.” He was third in 21:05:06.

The 50km division was dominated by Nepali runners – in the male category Gurung put in a tactical performance, calmly shadowing the leaders until the final descent and then applying his famed downhill technique to clinically drop both and take the win in 5:26:22.
Nepal’s Budha led from start in the 50km women’s race and not only finished top of the women’s field but came sixth overall in 6:12:26. The 21-year old from Jumla has now won two “by UTMB” events, including a victory at the Gaoligong race in China. “I am very happy” she said.
Having grown up in Himalayan foothills, she did not find the racecourse difficult, despite a fall on the final downhill.

Holly Page, a member of the UK’s national trail-running team, was second over 50km in 6:34:18. Page ran the whole race in heavy hiking shoes, having broken her foot a few weeks ago.
“I do not take it [trail running] too seriously,” said Page. “In my line of work, you realise that trying to see who can run the fastest up and down a hill is really not that important.”
Mira Rai, Sunmaya’s mentor, was third. Rai came into the race recovering from knee surgery and it was very much a tune up race for the Nepali.

Despite many runners left reeling from the brutality of the terrain, Page said that her Oman by UTMB was a “smiling race”. Brazil’s elite runner Fernanda Maciel, fourth in the 50km, echoed the sentiment, calling the Omani mountain trails “tasty”.
Eight Hongkongers took part in the event, with Lucy Cant superbly finishing in the top five in the 130km.


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Francesca Canepa wins Oman by UTMB 130km, as Nepali runners dominate 50km and local athletes do their country proud

The starter fires the gun for the 2019 Oman by UTMB race. Photo: Lloyd Images/Mark Lloyd

UTMB by Oman. Al Hambra. 29th November 2019.  Him Bahadur Guring , TheWinner of the 2019 edition 50km race, runners pictured here crossing the finish line. Credit Lloyd Images / Kelvin Bruce

UTMB by Oman. Al Hambra. 29th November 2019.  Runners finish the 50km race,  pictured here crossing the finish line.Credit Lloyd Images / Kelvin Bruce

Sunmaya Budha the winner of female 50km division dwarfed by others at the start line Credit Pavel Toropov

UTMB by Oman. Birkat al Mawz. 27th November 2019. Pictures of the preparation pre race start tomorrow . Credit Lloyd Images

Oman by UTMB – who to watch, as Mira Rai returns from injury and Michel Poletti takes on the 170km

A runner at The Sultanate of Oman, during the first ever international UTMB event. Photo: Mark Lloyd Images

Mira Rai Sunmaya Budha and Fernanda Maciel during a pre race trip to Dimaneyat Islands this was the first time for Nepalis to go snorkeling Credit Tianlin

The start of the Sultanate of Omanâs first ever OMAN by UTMBÂ® challenge.OMAN by UTMBÂ®, which is to be held on November 29 will take an international field off the beaten track on a remote and rugged non-stop 137km (85 mile) course, with long and technical climbs through breath-taking dramatic mountainous landscapes.Hosted by Oman Sail and supported by UTMBÂ® International and the organisers of UTMBÂ® Mont-Blanc, the route is designed to highlight Omanâs natural beauty and will include the historic town of Birkat Al Mawz and the 2,200m heights of Jebel Akhdar, the Green MountainÂ©Mark Lloyd images

Jason Schlarb and Diego Pazos are first to cross the finish line at theSultanate of Omanâs first ever OMAN by UTMBÂ® challenge. which is to be held on November 29 will take an international field off the beaten track on a remote and rugged non-stop 137km (85 mile) course, with long and technical climbs through breath-taking dramatic mountainous landscapes.Hosted by Oman Sail and supported by UTMBÂ® International and the organisers of UTMBÂ® Mont-Blanc, the route is designed to highlight Omanâs natural beauty and will include the historic town of Birkat Al Mawz and the 2,200m heights of Jebel Akhdar, the Green MountainÂ©Mark Lloyd images

Nepals Bhum Gurung winner of Trofeo Klima is going for a win in Oman Credit Tianlin

UTMB’s second race in China set for 2020 debut, as Panda Trail promises a contrasting route to Gaoligong

Michel Poletti, UTMB co-founder, introduced as one of the runners at the starting ceremony of the Panda Trail trail run. Photos: Panda Trail

Runners on the race course which goes through very steep thickly forested terrain Credit Panda Trail by UTMB

Technical terrain on the course Credit Panda Trail by UTMB

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Outdoor

Trail Running


The 170km race is won by Eion Keith and Kaori Niwa, while eight of the top 15 spots in the 50km go to Omani athletes



Extreme fitness

Francesca Canepa wins Oman by UTMB 130km, as Nepali runners dominate 50km and local athletes do their country proud

.css-1mniedq{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;} The 170km race is won by Eion Keith and Kaori Niwa, while eight of the top 15 spots in the 50km go to Omani athletes

The 170km race is won by Eion Keith and Kaori Niwa, while eight of the top 15 spots in the 50km go to Omani athletes