Skyrunning is fast establishing a foothold in the South American continent. Peru, land of the Inca Empire, of majestic mountains and high altitude, represents the perfect location for hosting the Skyrunning South American Championships, where Marcahuasi Ultra Skyrunning will play host on June 4-6, 2025.
Skyrunning Continental Championships take place every odd year, and this year it’s the turn of Peru. After two successful editions hosted in Brazil, teams from Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador and Peru headed the country ranking in 2023.
The Championships will include the three main skyrunning disciplines: VERTICAL, SKY and SKYULTRA:
- Friday, June 6 – Marcahuasi KV
- Saturday, June 7 – Marcahuasi Ultra 60K
- Sunday, June 8 – Marcahuasi Sky 37K
The weekend’s events launch with a demanding Vertical Kilometer® that will challenge lovers of the short, steep VERTICAL discipline: 4.5 km long with a 1000 vertical climb.
Saturday is dedicated to the SKYULTRA – 59 km long with 3,400 vertical climb. Both the SKY and SKYULTRA courses are just 40m short of touching 4,000m altitude – another challenge the athletes will have to take into account.
The Championships will conclude on Sunday with the highly popular SKY discipline, a 37 km race with 2,800m vertical climb which shares part of the spectacular SKYULTRA course.
In what was once the land where the conquistadors searched for gold, today, the athletes will push their limits for the 27 gold, silver and bronze medals at stake. In addition to the individual titles assigned in the three disciplines, a combined title based on the VERTICAL and SKY results will also be awarded. Medals are also awarded in the country ranking based on the best results accrued by the runners of each team in each race.
Ricardo Rivadeneira, ISF Peru President and Marcahuasi Ultra Skyrunning race director, commented, “It is definitely a very important milestone for mountain racing and skyrunning in Peru to hold these South American Championships. It is the first time that we will host a championship of such magnitude and we hope to offer the best to all our South American colleagues.
“Bringing the Championships to Peru involves a great economic and organisational effort. We were one of the first member countries of the ISF since 2011 and with a more active presence since 2019. We aim to continue strengthening skyrunning in our country.
The organisation of this type of event gives us continuity and seriousness as a community, so we expect a great South American participation!
“We hope to at least repeat the results of the 2023 South American Championship in Brazil, where we were runners-up. This time, and for the first time, Peru will participate with the full team.”
President of the Skyrunning Pan-American Council, Willy Montenegro from Chile, declared, “The realisation of these Skyrunning South American Championships is part of the sports project that the ISF PAC and the International Skyrunning Federation have been developing since 2023. The Championships confirm the seriousness of the work and those selected from South America to be part of international level competitions.
“Our goal is to achieve a powerful, attractive and very demanding American circuit, taking advantage of the magnificent nature and mountains the continent has to offer.
“We invite skyrunning lovers across the world not to miss out on the work we are developing in South America to become a point of reference worldwide. A hug to the whole ISF family!”
The events will be overseen by ISF Referees.
