Elhousine strikes gold in Italy

Thirty-one-year-old Moroccan trail athlete, Elhousine Elazzaoui (Pini Mountain Racing), raced to his first Golden Trail World Series win with an emphatic victory in the lung-busting DoloMyths 22km Trail Race in Italy over the weekend (Saturday 15 July).

Elazzaoui chose one of the highest profile races in terms of prestige, quality of the field and altitude above sea level to finally make it to the top of the Golden Series podium. Many of the world’s top marathon-distance trail athletes chose to travel to the northern Italian town of Canazei to be a part of the 25^th anniversary of the great mountain race, dubbed the ‘Couloir of Hell’.

Scenic vistas from the DoloMyths trails. Photo – @Golden Trail / @DoloMyths / @Martina Valmassoi

Elazzaoui has raced to number of runners-up positions in Golden Trail series races, including the 2023 season opener at Zegama, Spain, but his win over World marathon-distance trail champion, Stian Angermund of Norway, and a field bristling with big-name athletes, is next level.

Five years ago the talented Moroccan’s life was transformed, when he moved from helping out with his grandfather’s camel train through the Sahara Desert to Switzerland to pit his distance running skills against some of the world’s top distance athletes.

Elhousine Elazzaoui – came to prominence at the Golden Trail Championships in 2020. Photo – Stephen Granger

Elazzaoui first came to prominence with a top five finish at the Golden Trail Championships on the Azores in 2020 and has now lived up to his early promise. “I felt that today would be my day and I attribute my good form to greater self-confidence, Elazzaoui reflected after the race. “I asked myself before the race ‘why not me today?’

“Also, it was my last chance to qualify for the Golden Trail final because I may not be able to get a visa to travel to America (for the Golden Trail races there).”

Norwegian athlete, Stian Angermund, crests the summit with Elhousine Elazzaoui at his heels. Photo – @Golden Trail / @DoloMyths / @Martina Valmassoi

Elazzaoui crossed the line in Canazei in 2 hrs 04 min 39 sec, more than four minutes outside Kilian Jornet’s race record over ten years ago, but on a longer course, and 53 seconds ahead of second-placed surprise-package, Swiss athlete Roberto Delorenzi (Brooks). French orienteer and trail athlete, Frederic Tranchand (Scott), slipped past Angermund in the final kilometres to take third.

2021 DoloMyths champion, Angermund (Asics), set a fast pace from the start with only Elazzaoui able to stay in touch in the second half of the long climb to Piz Boé, the highest point of the race at 3150m. The Moroccan made his move at the start of the descent, immediately opening a gap on Angermund, who was unable to respond.

A runner is dwarfed by towering rocks on the rocky descent from Piz Boe over 3000m above sea level. Photo – @Golden Trail / @DoloMyths / @Martina Valmassoi

At Refuge Piz Boé, 11,3km into the race, Elazzaoui was 22 seconds clear of Angermund, with Delorenzi, Tranchand and Italian athlete Daniel Pattis running in close formation another 30 seconds down.

Possibly paying the price of setting the pace on the climb or not having fully recovered from his World Championship win, Angermund was caught by the pursuing trio in the final quarter.  But there was no catching Elazzaoui, who swept through to the finish in Canazei for a great victory.

By his strong standards, Kenyan Robert Pkemoi (Sky Runners Kenya) had a quiet day on the mountain, finishing in 14^th place, 8 minutes off the lead.

DoloMyths Champions – Elhousine Elazzaoui celebrates with Judith Wyder. Photo – @Golden Trail / @DoloMyths / @the.adventure.bakery

Swiss athlete, Judith Wyder (Hoka One One/Red Bull), reclaimed the title she won in 2019 and 2021 in her return to the Golden Trail series following the birth of her second child. The former ski mountaineer and orienteering champion took silver in the marathon-distance race at the World Championships last month and appeared determined to return to her winning ways.

Wyder raced clear of Golden Series leader, American Sophia Laukli (Salomon), after 5km and stayed ahead until the finish.  Wyder crested the summit 20 seconds clear of Laukli before racing clear on the steep, technical descent to win by 2 min 30 sec from Laukli.  

Mexican magic – Karina Carsolio in action on her way to placing third at the DoloMyths. Photo – @Golden Trail / @DoloMyths / @the.adventure.bakery

Mexican athlete, Karina Carsolio, ran the race of her life to finish a close third, less than two minutes behind Laukli.

Africa also featured prominently at the Eiger Ultra Trail by UTMB, which took place in warm weather from Grindelwald, Switzerland, where Cape Town athlete, Bianca Tarboton, raced to second place in the 35km race, behind top American, Dani Mareno.

Mareno finished in 3:47:52, 21 minutes inside British athlete Eleanor Davis’ previous record set in 2021, with Tarboton (4:05:11) also finishing inside the record and 25 minutes clear of third-placed Swiss athlete, Jula Peter.

Bianca Tarboton – podium performance at the Eiger on the weekend. Photo – Stephen Granger

“It was a solid day – but I never felt in the race at all,” reflected Tarboton. “My motivation levels were really low for this one! So it felt like more of a harder effort training run! But I think I haven’t properly recovered from Mont Blanc Marathon three weeks ago. But it was beautiful out there and I’ve had the best week with the adidas TERREX team so I am very happy.”

If Tarboton felt underwhelmed with her effort, her teammate and crew support, British athlete, Holly Page, was certainly impressed with the South African’s performance. “Bianca ran a great race! She was really positive and looked strong when I was with her at the top of the last climb. It was a boiling hot day but Bianca is always a cool cat!”

Scotland’s Robbie Simpson in action at last year’s Ultra-trail Cape Town. Simpson won the Eiger Ultra Trail 35km on the weekend. Photo – Stephen Granger

Tarboton’s adidas TERREX teammate, Robbie Simpson, achieved a runaway victory in the men’s competition, clocking 3:21:22.

German pair, Hannes Namberger and Katharina Hartmuth, took the titles in the 101km race with Swedes Petter Engdahl and Emelie Forsberg taking the honours in the 51km.