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British phenom Adkin claims first WMRA overall crown as Kipngeno retains men’s title

Jonathan Turner
News Director
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Britain’s Scout Adkin and Kenya’s Patrick Kipngeno have been crowned the overall winners of the 2024 Valsir Mountain Running World Cup at the finale at Val Bregaglia Trail on Sunday.

The women’s competition turned into an absolute nail-biiter, with Joyce Njeru taking the race win but missing out by just a single point as it all came right down to the wire in Chiavenna after four months and 12 exciting races in seven countries.

Saturday’s Lagunc KM Verticale had seen Adkin (HOKA EU) secure some important points while Kipngeno extended his lead in the men’s competition over Philemon Ombogo Kiriago (both Run2gether On Running) but it was the Val Bregaglia Trail that decided the final placings.

Just ten points separated Adkin from Njeru (Atletico Saluzzo) at the start of the final race but, importantly, calculations would still need to be applied in terms of number of races to count (the best eight results) and bonus points for participation in the finals. So the women’s World Cup competition was still very much up in the air, though the men’s was more clear cut as Kipngeno knew a top-five finish in the Val Bregaglia Trail would see him retain his title.

Here’s how it all played out on a perfect, sunny day in Chiavenna.

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Women’s race – Adkin just does enough

It was Jeruto Kisang (Run2gether On Running) who decided to take it out and she led at Soglio, approximately 3k in and after the first climb. But Adkin was right on her heels and looked comfortable and in control. There was then a slight gap back to Njeru and Susanna Saapunki (New Balance). Just behind them sat Naomi Lang (Salomon) and Sara Willhoit (Scarpa), with Alice Gaggi (Recastello Radici Group) a little way back.

It remained incredibly close at the front by the 10k point. The top three women remained in sight of each other but by now Njeru had made a move and led. Kisang sat in just behind her and there was very little between her and Adkin. The race was really on at this point with nobody giving an inch.

By the time the women reached the Cascate Acquafraggia there was still very little in it. This was the podium for this race, and in fact for the World Cup, but the order of both was still to be determined! Njeru had edged away slightly, but she was still being chased hard by Kisang and Adkin in that order. The spray of the waterfall must have been a welcome relief for them. Behind the battle for the podium it was equally competitive, with Lang overtaking Saapunki and closing the gap to Adkin. Behind Lang, Gaggi and Beatrice Bianchi (Recastello Radici Group) were moving through as well.

As we have seen at many World Cup races over the last few years, on this type of fast course Njeru cannot be caught and she took the win in 1.47.45. Kisang never gave up the chase and held off Adkin in an exciting sprint finish, taking second in 1.48.51, with Adkin third in 1.48.58. Lang had a very strong race and finished fourth in 1.50.07 with Saapunki fifth in 1.52.08.

And when all the calculations were done it was Adkin who had prevailed by that single point – 339 to 338 – to go one better than 12 months ago and notch arguably the biggest result of her career.

Scout Adkin wins WMRA World Cup title 2024 Photo credit: Marco Gulberti for WMRA
Scout Adkin on her way to the title [Photo credit: Marco Gulberti for WMRA]

Men’s race – Kipngeno a class apart

Saturday’s Lagunc KM Verticale didn’t change the top five in the men’s World Cup rankings, but it did shake up the points. Kipngeno looked the likely World Cup victor statistically, but Ombogo Kiriago and Josphat Kiprotich (Run2gether On Running) still had a very interesting competition on their hands for second and third.

It was Kiprotich who led out to the 3k point, with Paul Machoka (Atletico Saluzzo) just behind him, followed by Richard Omaya Atuya (Run2gether On Running). Next in this small group was Theodore Klein (Scarpa), then Kiriago. There was very little in it at this point and it was already clear it was going to be a fast race.

By the 10k point Machoka was still leading, but with now Kipngeno on his shoulder. But Klein remained in contact with them. It remained close with Michael Selelo Saoli (Run2gether On Running) chasing, followed by Kiriago and Kiprotich. Omaya Atuya remained in contention as did a number of strong Italian athletes including Michael Galassi (Unione Sportiva Aldo Moro), Henri Aymonod (The North Face) and Luca Merli (SA Valchiese).

By the waterfalls Kipngeno had made his move and he was now in the lead. Klein was just behind him and he was chased by Machoka. But it was all changing from places four to ten. By this point Ross Gollan (Scottish Athletics) was coming through the field to challenge, and beginning to catch Saoli and Kiprotich.

Kipngeno could not be caught in the end and he won in 1.34.03. Machoka did manage to catch Klein to take second in 1.34.22, with Klein in third in 1.34.53. Just 50 seconds separated first from third, showing just how close this was. Kiprotich and Gollan had a duel in the finishing straight, both clocking 1.35.24, though Kiprotich was awarded fourth place.

Patrick Kipngeno wins WMRA World Cup title 2024 Photo credit: Marco Gulberti for WMRA
Patrick Kipngeno takes another big victory [Photo credit: Marco Gulberti for WMRA]

Category results

In addition to the overall World Cup winners, the top three athletes in each individual category were as follows:

Classic

  1. Scout Adkin / Richard Omaya Atuya
  2. Joyce Njeru / Josphat Kiprotich
  3. Gloria Chebet / Philemon Ombogo Kiriago

Long

  1. Joyce Njeru / Patrick Kipngeno
  2. Scout Adkin / Philemon Ombogo Kiriago
  3. Philaries Jeruto Kisang / Michael Selelo Saoli

Uphill

  1. Joyce Njeru / Patrick Kipngeno
  2. Philaries Jeruto Kisang / Henri Aymonod
  3. Scout Adkin / Andrea Elia

Under 23

  1. Gloria Chebet / Klemen Spanring
  2. Ellen Weir / Lukas Ehrle
  3. Klara Velepec / Philemon Ombogo Kiriago
Jonathan Turner
Written by
Jonathan Turner
Jonathan Turner is News Director for both TRI247 and RUN247, and is accustomed to big-name interviews, breaking news stories and providing unrivalled coverage for endurance sports.  

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