Patrick Kipng’eno and Andrea Mayr reign supreme at Piz Tri Vertical with new course records

Patrick Kipng’eno and Austria’s Andrea Mayr ran tactical races to clinch the Piz Tri Vertical – a Gold Label Race in the Valsir Mountain Running World Cup – held in the Italian town of Malonno on Saturday, July 15.

This year’s field included six medallists from the recent World Mountain and Trail Running Championships – including eventual winners Kipng’eno and Mayr, the gold medallists from the vertical uphill race – alongside some up-and-coming runners.

The men’s race looked to be a do-or-die battle between Kipng’eno and defending champion Andrea Rostan of Italy. Last year’s runner-up, Kenya’s Philemon Kiriago – who was seventh in the recent vertical uphill race at the World Championships, and took silver in the classic race there – was also in the mix.

As reported by World Athletics, Kipng’eno took an early lead, and it soon became apparent that, for the rest of the field, it was going to be a race for second place. He duly held on for the win and he broke Rostan’s course record by a minute and a half, clocking 32:08.

Fellow Kenyan Kiriago finished second in 34:04, while Britain’s Joe Steward had a breakthrough to finish third in 34:35, 15 seconds ahead of Rostan.

Mayr, a five-time winner and the existing course record-holder was up against Philaries Kisang, the woman who pushed her all the way at the World Mountain and Trail Running Championships.

Mayr stroke out for the front from early on in the women’s race. She was chased hard by Kisang and Britain’s Scout Adkin but Mayr proved too strong for the duo.

Mayr took the win in 37:14, taking six seconds off her own course record. Adkin was second in 38:59 and Kisang completed the podium in 39:49.