Toni top of the trail world in Chamonix

When Toni McCann bounced back from adversity on August 31, she did so less than three months after crippling injuries ruled her out of the World Mountain and Trail Championships. At the French alpine town of Chamonix, she ran the race of her life to win the Ultra-trail Mont Blanc OCC race over 53km.

McCann injured her psoas muscle at the Transvulcania Marathon in May, which ruled her out of the World Championships, then ‘added injury to insult’ by crashing her bike while supporting her South African teammates in Austria, fracturing her collarbone.

On top of the world in the French Alps – Toni McCann races to victory at the UTMB OCC 53km. Photo – courtesy UTMB

The uncertainty of the injury cast doubt as to whether McCann would line up at the OCC start at Orsiéres in an attempt to improve on her 5^th position in last year’s race, but the South African clearly was determined to do so and looked full of running, mixing it up front with a stacked field of elite athletes – the strongest line-up in the history of the race.

“We all dream of crossing the line in first place,” McCann said after her triumph. “For me this is a dream come true – it’s surreal. Honestly, I’m speechless!

“I don’t think I’d be here today if not for my team (adidas TERREX) and my partner.”

McCann took the lead from Chinese athlete Miao Yao on the monster climb of almost 1000m up the 2537m Col de Balme just passed the half way mark and simply raced away from the best marathon-distance athletes in the world to win by 8 minutes over American Katie Schide in 5hrs 18min 21 sec.

Unbelievable – Toni McCann can scarcely comprehend her victory in Chamonix, the global capital of trail running. Photo – courtesy UTMB

Her time was almost 30 minutes inside French athlete Blandine d’Hirondel’s previous course record and over an hour inside her own time last year, but the course was 2-3km shorter than previously and won’t count for record purposes.

The pace was fast from the start, with American Allie McLaughlin going out hard as is her custom, leading the field through the scenic town of Champex-Lac after 7km. Strong-running Chinese athlete Miao Yao took over on the climb to La Giete and held onto pole position through half way on the climb to Col de Balme.

“The pace was pretty quick from the start,” McCann admitted. “My aim was to keep the leaders within striking distance. When I passed Miao (on the climb to Col de Balme) she was still looking strong.

Toni McCann in her ‘blue carpet moment’ as she crosses the line in triumph. Photo – courtesy UTMB

“I was fully expecting someone to come up behind me all the time – it keeps you on your toes and it’s exciting! It was only on the final climb to La Flegere that I thought I could win.”

French-based Schide won the 171km UTMB last year and opted to step down to the 53km this year. Only McCann prevented her from achieving a remarkable double, with the American moving up the field from 10^th to 2^nd at the finish, holding off Miao Yao by just 42 seconds in a close battle for second.

Sharing the love – Winner Toni McCann (left), second-placed Katie Schide (right) and third-placed Miao Yao share their joy on the podium success in today’s UTMB OCC. Photo – courtesy UTMB

Norwegian Stian Angermund followed up with world title at the 45km race in Austria in June with an emphatic victory at the OCC today, regaining his 2019 title and underlining his status as the world’s leading marathon-distance trail athlete.

Stian Angermund – at home in the French Alps and on his way to victory in today’s UTMB OCC. Photo – courtesy UTMB

“It was my wish to win today, but when I saw the super-strong athletes on the start line, I knew it would be difficult,” Angermund admitted. “The start was really fast, too fast, but it was fun seeing it play out like the 2019 race.  Then I was 6 minutes behind after the first quarter. Today it was just two minutes!”

Like McCann, Angermund’s time of 4:42:40 was 20 minutes inside the previous best but on a shorter course, with ever-improving and fast-finishing Italian, Francesca Puppi, finishing two minutes off the pace, just 21 seconds faster than Spanish athlete Antonio Martinez Perez, who again made the podium following his second-place last year.

Stian Angermund cross the finish line in Chamonix in triumph in his second win at the UTMB OCC. Photo – courtesy UTMB

Meg Mackenzie, Sam Reilly and Jada Linstrom with other leading South African finishers in the women’s race, placing 27^th, 33^rd and 52^nd respectively.

Mvuyisi Gcgco moved up the field after a slow start in the men’s race to place 73^rd, while Johardt van Heerden ran into difficulties in the final quarter, dropping from 29^th to finish 116^th .