Kenyan athlete Patrick Kipngeno makes a triumphant return to the Vertical Nasego and Trofeo Nasego, two prestigious gold-label events within the Valsir Mountain Running World Cup, held in Italy.
On Saturday, athletes will tackle the challenging 4.3km Vertical Nasego course, which includes a gruelling 1000m ascent.
Patrick Kipngeno’s Sunday action
This race is one of the standout vertical uphill events in the World Cup series. Then, on Sunday, the action continues with the 21km Trofeo Nasego, featuring a demanding 1330m climb, making it a significant long mountain race.
The competitions boast a high level of talent, with 10 of the top 11 women and nine of the top 15 men in the World Cup standings participating. The outcomes of these races could have a major impact on the final World Cup rankings, with only two races at Canfranc-Canfranc and three races at Sky Gran Canaria remaining in the series.
Starting in Casto, athletes will initially navigate roads and good trails before facing steeper and more technical terrain as they ascend towards the finish line.
Patrick Kipngeno record
Last year, Kipngeno set a men’s course record with a time of 33:47, while Austria’s Mayr won the women’s race. Mayr has a remarkable history at Vertical Nasego, winning in 2019, 2021, and 2022. She holds the women’s course record, having run it in under 40 minutes. This year, both Kipngeno and Mayr return as defending champions and world champions from Innsbruck, making them the ones to beat.
Mayr faces stiff competition, notably from Kenya‘s Philaries Kisang, who had a memorable duel with Mayr at the World Championships and has achieved impressive results this season. Scout Adkin, who finished second to Mayr at Piz Tri Vertical and Challenge Stellina, is in excellent form. Anna Gibson, the Broken Arrow VK winner and third-place finisher at Stellina, will also make her debut. Madalina Florea, last year’s runner-up, is known for her fearless performances.
The Italian women’s field is also strong, featuring Valentina Belotti, a three-time winner of Vertical Nasego, along with Camilla Magliano, Dimitra Teocharis, and Elisa Compagnoni. The Kenyan runners Joyce Muthoni, the current World Cup leader, and Lucy Murigi are expected to contend. Other notable athletes include Julia Font, Susanna Saapunki, and British runners Alice Goodall, Philippa Williams, Sara Willhoit, and Holly Page.
In the men’s category, Kipngeno has been dominant in uphill-only races, but his fellow Kenyan Philemon Kiriago has shown that Kipngeno can be beaten when there is a downhill element, as seen at Sierre Zinal. This rivalry adds intrigue to the vertical race.
Patrick Kipngeno opponents
The Italian men’s field is also formidable, featuring Henri Aymonod, Andrea Rostan, Tiziano Moia, Andrea Elia, Luciano Rota, Micheal Galassi, Matteo Eydallin, Luca Cagnati, and Isacco Costa. Last year’s runner-up Zak Hanna and Jacob Adkin, the winner of last year’s Chiavenna Lagunc, will also compete. British athlete Joe Steward, fresh from his victory at Challenge Stellina and third-place finish at Piz Tri Vertical in July, is a rising star to watch.
Other contenders include Timotej Becan, Remi Leroux, Chris Richards, Alejandro Garcia Carrillo, and Alric Petit.
The Trofeo Nasego, now in its 22nd edition, offers a 21.5km course with mostly runnable sections. Starting in Castro at 400m, it features a gradual climb for the first 6km, followed by a flat 6km stretch, and then a challenging ascent to Rifugio Nasego at 1311m before a rapid descent to Famea for the finish.
Mayr and Kipngeno return to defend their Trofeo Nasego titles. Among the women, Joyce Muthoni and Madalina Florea aim to make a strong statement after their previous performances. The men’s race is expected to be another showdown between Kiriago and Kipngeno, but several other competitors could alter the outcome.
Italian runners Xavier Chevrier and Cesare Maestri are eager to shine on home turf, while Spanish athlete Garcia Carrillo looks to continue his impressive form. British athletes Jacob Adkin, Chris Richards, and Joe Steward will also be in the mix. Other notable contenders include Timotej Becan, Lengen Lolkurraru, Ordrej Fejfar, Scott Maguire, and Chris Allen.
