American runner Katie Schide sets a record of 00:47:31, 3 minutes ahead of German Lena Laukner
Aymonod and Tranchad go head to head for the victory in the men’s category, but The North Face Italian ultimately edges out the Frenchman by 00:01:24
Estela Guerra and Álvaro Escuela are the first leaders of the KV Fecamon Tour circuit
American Katie Schide and Italian Henri Aymonod, athletes of The North Face team, won on Wednesday in the first race of The North Face Transgrancanaria, the Vertical Kilometer El Gigante, held this afternoon with the start in the San Pedro neighborhood of Agaete and finish in the Tamadaba Natural Park.
Nearly a hundred runners faced the fastest race of The North Face Transgrancanaria on a sunny afternoon in the Agaete Valley. In the women’s category, there were no surprises as the favorite, Katie Schide, covered the nearly 5.5 kilometers distance and 1,130 meters of positive elevation between the two points in 00:47:31. Behind her, the second and third places were hotly contested between German Lena Laukner and Canarians Moana Lilly Kehres and Estela Guerra. Laukner eventually secured the second-best time (00:50:45), completing the course 10 seconds faster than Kehres (00:50:49) and 14 seconds ahead of Guerra (50:59).
Poland’s Dominika Stelmach was fifth, 0:06:11 behind the winner, with Brazil’s Fernanda Maciel following at 00:11:18 behind Schide. Nuria Muñoz (00:54:49), Dunia Cruz (01:01:14), Frenchwoman Manon Lallemente (01:01:27), and Judit Henríquez (01:04:18) completed the top ten positions in the women’s category.
In the men’s category, there was a head-to-head battle between the two favorites for victory, Italian Henri Aymonod (00:39:19) and French Frederic Tranchand (00:40:43), who were separated in the end by just 00:01:24. Arista Pro Team’s Álvaro Escuela completed the podium, stopping the clock at 00:41:56. Behind them were Spaniards Diego Menéndez (00:42:28) and Marcel Palau (00:43:36). Italian Dionigi Gianola was sixth, 00:05:51 behind the winner (00:45:10), while Miguel Benítez and Jehosua Medina finished seventh and eighth (00:45:10 and 00:46:36, respectively). The top 10 was completed by Polish Karol Matyseek (00:46:48) and Spaniard Andrés Santana (00:47:36).
Estela Guerra and Álvaro Escuela, first leaders of the KV Fecamon Tour circuit
The Vertical Kilometer El Gigante was the first stop of the Canary Mountain Federation’s KV Fecamon Tour circuit, where, in the women’s category, Arista Pro Team runner Estela Guerra took the lead, although the fastest Canarian was Moana Kehres, but in the promises category. Behind them were Nuria Muñoz and Dunia Cruz. Meanwhile, in the men’s category, Álvaro Escuela, of the Arista Pro Team, secured the first victory of the Fecamon circuit, followed by Jehosua Medina and Andrés Santana.
The North Face Transgrancanaria continues tomorrow with the Starter race, 21.4 kilometers long starting in Tunte, and the Promo, Youth, and Family races, 12 kilometers long starting in Artenara. Both will finish in Tejeda, one of the focal points of the race in the coming days as all the races pass through its center.
The North Face Transgrancanaria is an event organized by Arista Eventos to be held between February 21 and 25 this year. It is sponsored by the institutions Cabildo de Gran Canaria, through Gran Canaria Tourism and the Insular Sports Institute; the Canary Islands Government with Canary Islands Latitude of Life; Maspalomas Costa Canaria; the Municipal Sports Institute of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria; and the Tejeda City Council. Additionally, it is supported by companies The North Face, San Roque University Hospitals, Fred. Olsen Express, 226ERS, Sonocom Audiovisuales, Lopesan Hotel Group, Expomeloneras, and Aguas de Teror.
