Sierre-Zinal results 2025: Kenyan duo Chepngeno and Kiriago double up at ICONIC race

Many line up at the start, but only a select few have the honour of writing their name into the Sierre-Zinal winners’ list. Even fewer get the chance to do it twice.

But that was the case for Kenya’s Philemon Kiriago (Run2together On Trail) and Joyline Chepngeno (Salomon Milimani Runners), who each claimed their second victory in this legendary race over 31 km and with over 2,200 metres of elevation gain.

It tees things up perfectly for the regular season of the Golden Trail World Series before everything is decided at the Ledro Sky Trentino Grand Finale next October.

Women’s race – Chepngeno defends in style

After the start, Chepngeno and Caroline Kimutai (Kenya – Salomon Milimani Runners) led the women’s race in the opening kilometres of the climb to Ponchette.

Midway up, Kimutai managed to open a small gap on her chasers. Germany’s Laura Hottenrott (Asics) also had her moment at the front, taking the lead on the steepest gradients.

Once the most demanding section was behind them, Kimutai regained the lead, followed a minute later by defending champion Chepngeno. Hottenrott was a further minute and a half back. At kilometre 12, the top five was completed by Madalina Florea (Romania – Scott) and four-time Sierre-Zinal winner (and women’s course record holder) Maude Mathys (Switzerland – Asics), both two and a half minutes off the lead.

Near Chandolin (kilometre 12), Joyline caught Kimutai and moved into first place, a position she would not relinquish until the finish.

Almost three minutes behind came Hottenrott, Florea and Mathys. At Nava, the highest point of the route, Chepngeno held a lead of over a minute and a half on Kimutai, maintained a three-minute advantage over Hottenrott, and was four and five minutes ahead of Mathys and Katie Schide (USA – On), respectively.

Back in Zinal, Chepngeno crossed the line victorious once again, claiming her second consecutive win. It was here in 2024 that she made her breakthrough in a major trail race, stunning the world with her victory.

Kimutai, Schide and Mathys held on to second, third and fourth place, respectively, while Switzerland’s Oria Liaci (Brooks) overtook Hottenrott to claim fifth.

It was super impressive from Schide especially given she excels at much longer distances.

“I didn’t expect to win this race,” an emotional Chepngeno said at the finish.

Joyline Chepngeno wins Sierra Zinal 2025 [Photo credit: Golden Trail World Series]

Men’s race – Kiriago looking for five!

Sierre-Zinal offers no room to breathe. After the starting gun and barely a kilometre of tarmac, the runners hit the most demanding section of the course. In just the first 8 kilometres on the way to Ponchette, they climbed over 1,300 metres – more than half of the race’s total elevation gain. It was here that Kiriago tried to set a winning pace from the outset, but he was soon caught by Josphat Kiprotich (Run2gether On Trail) and Adrien Briffod (Switzerland – Atlet).

Local hero Briffod, a former triathlete, was the first to crest the most gruelling part, followed by Kiriago, Kibett, Rolli and Kiprotich, all within two minutes.

With the hardest climb behind them, the Sierre-Zinal roller coaster began – the famous “Fast & Furious” section that defines part of this race’s essence. The gradient eased, though elevation continued to accumulate, and Briffod still led, with Kiriago closing in. Behind them, new threats were emerging: Timothy Kibett (Kenya – Salomon Milimani Runners) and Dominik Rolli (Switzerland – Salomon), both running around two minutes off the front.

As the course continued to rise, it was in the final stretch – heading towards the highest point before the descent to Zinal – that Kiriago seized the lead. Briffod held off the final push from the Kenyan pack of Patrick Kipngeno, Michael Selelo Saoli (Run2gether On Trail) and Paul Machoka (Atletica Saluzzo), who were chasing hard behind.

On the downhill to Zinal, only Kipngeno managed to close the gap slightly to his compatriot Kiriago, but not enough to prevent him from taking a second victory in one of the most prestigious races in a trail runner’s career. Selelo Saoli completed the podium for Run2gether On Trail, while Briffod – the local and unexpected protagonist of the day – and Machoka crossed the line in fourth and fifth place, respectively.

At the finish, even the double win didn’t seem enough for the ambitious Kiriago, who spoke about leaving a mark here: “I’m very happy to win Sierre-Zinal again. My teammates dream of dominating Sierre-Zinal as much as possible. My goal is to get close to five wins here before turning my focus to other races like Zegama-Aizkorri. Achieving five victories here is my dream.”