Luke Grenfell-Shaw and Allison Baca, the fastest in the HOKA Val d'Aran of HOKA Val d'Aran by UTMB®
Raúl Butaci, winner of the 2023 HRC, Sebastian Krogvig, third that same year, Andreu Simón, winner in 2021, but also big names in trail running such as the South African Ryan Sandes, the New Zealander Scott Hawker, the Argentinean Sergio Gustavo Pereyra, or the Spaniards Jordi Gamito and Victor Mier. In women, Maite Maiora, fourth last year, the Norwegian Kirsten Hindhammer, the Chinese Yuanyuan Wu, or the American Allison Baca. The CHR promised a spectacle.
At 6:00 in the morning, 1,191 runners gathered at the Carrèr Ressèc in Les to take on the 110 kilometres of this race, which crosses the wildest and highest parts of the Val d'Aran.
Being the first to ring the bell was not going to be easy. However, Britain's Luke Grenfell-Shaw (849 UTMB® Index) had extra motivation. "My brother passed away five years ago. No matter how bad it was up there, all I could think about in my mind was John. He gave me the strength to keep going", said the runner, who reached Vielha in a time of 12:05:03. "If I learned anything from my brother, it's that no matter how much pain you have to endure, it's all worth it to live", he said to the hundreds of people gathered at the finish arch in the Ultra-Trail® Village in the centre of Vielha.
In second place came Andreu Simón (897 UTMB® Index), winner of the CDH in 2022, stopping the clock in 12:31:08. "I had an accident to the head, I wasn't feeling well, several runners passed me and that got me down. But the effort made by my family to help me is a lot. I finished for them, because I wanted to cross the finish line with my son", said the Catalan.
Finally, the podium was closed by the surprise of the day, as he himself indicated, the Basque Goar Lopetegui (831 UTMB® Index), with a time of 12:41:51.
In the women's category, Allison Baca (732 UTMB® Index) was very clear from the start that she came to HOKA Val d'Aran by UTMB® to win. The runner from Colorado had no rival and dominated the race from start to finish, being the fastest to reach the finish in 14:44:51, and classifying eleventh overall. "It was amazing, a really good race. The day was very long. I felt very good for 60 kilometres, and from then on I was just watching the clock, but I just got here and I was happy", she said.
Almost 45 minutes later Silvia Puigarnau (689 UTMB® Index) arrived, the first runner to complete the VDA course, with the VDA Solidaria in 2021. "I'm very happy, I'm going to cry. It wasn't easy because from Banhs de Tredòs my calf muscles were getting worse, I lost my salts... But when I got to Arties I recovered. I was lucky enough to be the first runner to do the race, the VDA Solidaria, the first edition, and I didn't finish so tired. Today I suffered more", confessed the Catalan, who completed the HRC in 15:44:03.
The podium was closed by a great regular at HOKA Val d'Aran by UTMB®, the Basque Maite Maiora (754 UTMB® Index), fourth in this same distance last year, and first in the PDA in 2022. "I am in love with HOKA Val d'Aran by UTMB®, but it is because of the people, because behind a great event there are always great people", she said with emotion after running for 15:44:03.
At 16:00 the 654 runners set off from the Ultra-Trail® Village in Vielha, under the attentive gaze of thousands of people, to tackle the 156 kilometres of the VDA, the main distance of the event, which has seen its route modified due to the forecast of adverse weather conditions on Saturday.
In a few hours, at 9:30 am, the SKY Promesas, the 15 km race for trail runners between 16 and 20 years old, will start, and half an hour later the SKY Master will start, both with an alternative route for the same reason. In addition, the Trail Festival Baqueira Beret, the outdoor festival for the whole family, will take place from 9:00 to 15:00, with children's races for the little ones. The great trail event never sleeps. HOKA Val d'Aran by UTMB® continues.
