It’s been a busy week on the international skyrunning calendar with the African Championships making the news in the Southern Hemisphere on July 26, with a Sky and an Ultra contested on the island of Mauritius.
The Extreme Dodo Trail (50km with 3,500m elevation gain) and the Ti Dodo Trail (25km with 1,500m elevation gain) represented the events hosting the championship in a magnificent mountainous arena, also a UNESCO World Heritage Site, situated 2,000 km East of the African Continent.
Skyrunning African Championship medals for the two distances went to Republic of South Africa (2 gold), Reunion (1 gold, 3 silver), Mauritius (1 gold, 2 silver, 3 bronze).
African Championship medallists:
Dodo Trail 50K
Men
Gold: Thamang Madiba (RSA)
Silver: Simon Paillard (REU)
Bronze: Desvaux De Marigny (MRI)
Women
Gold: Landie Greyling (RSA)
Silver: Sophie Blard (REU)
Bronze: Tatiana Bathfield (MRI)
Ti Dodo Trail 25K
Men
Gold: Rishi Chundy (MRI)
Silver: Willy Emma (REU)
Bronze: Civvan Petit
Women
Gold: Estelle Carret (REU)
Silver: Aude D’Abbadie (MRI)
Bronze: Candice De Falbaire (MRI)
1,608 runners from 16 countries participated in the weekend’s Dodo Trail events. The 50K and 25K were also valid for Skyrunner® World Series points.
Dodo Trail 50K race results:
Men
1. Ricky Lightfoot (GBR) Salomon: 5h40’43”
2. Thabang Madiba (RSA): 6h06’41”
3. Simon Paillard (FRA): 6h08’03”
Women
1. Landie Greyling (RSA) Salomon: 7h05’05”
2. Sophie Blard (REU)
3. Tatiana Bathfield (MRI)
Ti Dodo Trail 25K race results:
Men
1. Quentin De Maroussem (MRI): 3h33’18”
2. Dimitri Poisson (MRI): 3h51’38”
3. Roshan Teeluck (MRI): 4h02’29”
Women
1. Laura Orguè (ESP) Salomon: 2h34’36”
2. Maite Maiora (ESP) La Sportiva: 2h39’45”
3. Estelle Carret (ESP): 3h27’30”
Representing the ISF is Jordi Marimon, former Secretary General and SASA, the South African Skyrunning Association, chaired by James Hallett. Event organisers were Yannick and Dominique Doger de Speville, Yan de Maroussem and sponsor, Heritage Resorts.
