It was a double Grand Finale celebrating the VK OPEN Championships and the Skyrunner® World Series SkyMasters in the spectacular location of Limone, on the shores of Italy’s largest lake, Garda, Saturday, October 28, 2023.
The final of the 13-race VK OPEN Championships saw Italian Matteo Lora and Slovenian Mojca Koligar take the world champion titles and trophies. In this third edition of the championships, Koligar took the title for the second time after her victory last year.
The challenge facing the athletes was over the steep technical course of the Grèste de la Mughera VK which climbs 1,094m high above the lake for 4 km along a crest with sections of scrambling and fixed ropes, reaching 1,143m altitude.
The packed line-up increased the excitement and uncertainty of the race results and final ranking. Italian Tiziano Moia took the win with a tight 20” advantage over Switzerland’s Daniele Fontana.
The world title and trophy went to Italy’s Matteo Lora, only 15th today, but thanks to two podiums in the Championships, he climbed to victory based on three races including the final. Marcello Ugazio from Italy and Rafael Moreira from Brazil took the second third ranking slots.
“Before the race I did some math and knew I could do it, but I wasn’t sure until the last minute,” commented Lora. “In the end I did it and I’m super happy for this incredible result!”
Youth Skyrunning gold medallist Jan Torrella from Spain arrived fifth in the race, who at only 19 showed he can battle with the strongest vertical specialists.
With four athletes tied at 200 points and two victories each, today’s Grand Finale decided the women’s ranking with last year’s world champion, Mojca Koligar from Slovenia clinching the crown again after arriving fourth in the race, just 1’12” after Jessica Pardin from France, first to cross the line. Spain’s Silvia Lara Diéguez followed by Charlotte Cotton from Belgium made up the VK OPEN ranking podium.
“This year I didn’t race much and focussed on some key events – the VK Open being the main one. I’m really pleased to win the championships again!” exclaimed Koligar.
The 2023 VK OPEN Championships closed with 13 races in nine countries: Austria, Brazil, Bulgaria, Colombia, Italy, Peru, Portugal, Spain, Turkey. The increasing success of the circuit saw 404 athletes from 27 countries take points.
The finals of the Skyrunner® World Series, the SkyMasters, shared the same start line an hour and a half later with the classic Limone Xtreme where the € 100,000 prize purse was awarded, the top ranked man and woman taking home € 20,000 each. With 85 qualifiers at the start line, they included 31 medallists from 11 countries who qualified in the 2023 ISF Continental, Youth, Masters and Skyrunner® National Series.
The 2023 SkyMasters winners are 2022 Skyrunning World Champion, Roberto Delorenzi from Switzerland and Spaniard Sara Alonso, with the Skyrunner® World Series overall ranking going to Spain’s Antonio Martinez Perez and Clémentine Geoffray from France.
WADA anti–doping tests were carried out at the SkyMasters through the ISF which sanctions the Skyrunner® World Series.
VK OPEN Championships final ranking
Men
1. Matteo Lora (ITA) 262 points
2. Marcello Ugazio (ITA) 244 points
3. Rafael Moreira (BRA) 232 points
4. André Luiz Mapa (BRA) 200 points
5. Tiziano Moia (ITA) 200 points
Women
1. Mojca Koligar (SLO) 344 points
2. Silvia Lara Diéguez (ESP) 336 points
3. Charlotte Cotton (BEL) 324 points
4. Linabel Iramaia Pimentel (BRA) 272 points
5. Jessica Pardin (FRA) 200 points
Grèste della Mughera VK results
Men
1. Tiziano Moia (ITA) 38’02”
2. Daniele Fontana (SUI) 38’22”
3. Andrea Elia (ITA) 38’38”
4. Marcello Ugazio (ITA) 39’21”
5. Jan Torrella (ESP) 39’44”
Women
1. Jessica Pardin (FRA) 47’17”
2. Valentina Belotti (ITA) 47’44”
3. Anna Hofer (ITA) 48’24”
4. Mojca Koligar (SLO) 48’29”
5. Silvia Lara Diéguez (ESP) 48’54”
