Olympus Vertical winners, Lina El Kott from Sweden and Ferran Teixido from Andorra. ©VKWC
Greece welcomed the Vertical Kilometer® World Circuit with the first Olympus Vertical. Andorran VK specialist Ferran Teixido and Swedish skyrunner Lina El Kott won the first edition of the race on June 22 on Mount Olympus.
The newly designed course is 4.3 km long and climbs to an altitude of 2,063m with 1,024m vertical climb. It’s the toughest VK in Greece with steep ascents and sections with fixed ropes.
Ferran Teixido from Andorra heads for his season’s first win. ©Guillem Casanova
Ferran Teixido took the lead from the beginning and took his first win of the season. After two races placing outside the top ten, second in the last stage of the circuit in Madeira, he finally reached the highest spot on the podium in 42’07” with a two minute lead on Spaniard Mario Olmedo, second. Completing the podium was local runner Georgios Dialektos.
Swedish sisters Lina and Sanna El Kott stormed the finish line first and second, just one week after placing in the top ten at the tough Livigno SkyMarathon in the Skyrunner® World Series. They proved their strength by closing third and sixth overall.
Lina El Kott, Olympus Vertical Kilometer winner. ©Guillem Casanova
Greek runner Glikeria Tziatzia returning after injury, finished an excellent third ahead of New Zealander Anna Frost. The El Kott twins and Frost made the race an excellent training session prior to Saturday’s Olympus Marathon.
Sanna El Kott, twin sister of the winner, placed second. ©Guillem Casanova
In the men’s ranking Egli maintains the lead, with Teixido now in second. The women’s ranking remains unchanged with Christel Dewalle on the throne.
Coming up next on the Vertical Kilometer® World Circuit will be the historical Face de Bellevarde VK on July 6 in Val d’Isère, France.
Olympus Vertical results
Men
1. Ferran Teixido – AND – 42’07”
2. Mario Olmedo – ESP – 44’09”
3. Georgios Dialektos – GRE – 46’09”
4. Nikos Ponireas – GRE – 47’03”
5. Slawomir Matras – GRE – 49’35”
Women
1. Lina El Kott – SWE – 45’22”
2. Sanna El Kott – SWE – 47’45”
3. Glikeria Tziatzia – SWE – 52’02”
4. Anna Frost – NZL – 55’26”
5. Foteini Koloka – GRE – 1h02’00”
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