Swiss star Maude Mathys got back to winning ways in style at the weekend at Tenerife Bluetrail by UTMB.
The Swiss runner was the winner of the Golden Trail Series in both 2020 and 2021 but a prolonged absence and then an Achilles tendon operation meant she only returned to action earlier this year.
Sprint finish for second
And she surprised even herself with victory in her comeback race at the Kobe Trail in late April, the GTWS season-opener.
However she’s since been troubled by sciatica and by her own admission didn’t return from the European Off-Road Championships in Annecy “with the expected results”.
But tackling the 47km race at the Tenerife Bluetrail by UTMB with the aim of a top-three spot to book her OCC place, she this time exceeded her own expectations with a clear-cut win.
She led from the start and clocked 4:25:50, which was nearly 20 minutes ahead of her nearest rival.
There was a thrilling battle for second though, with Marta Perez Maroto just 13 seconds ahead of fellow Spaniard Sonia Vizcaino Hungria.
‘I hadn’t run for months’
Speaking afterwards, Mathys said: “I didn’t expect anything. It was a very long race for me.
“Every muscle ached. I hadn’t run for months, although I trained a lot on the bike”.
Next up on the UTMB World Series calendar are Trail du Saint-Jacques and Trail 100 Andorra, both taking place at the end of this week.
Tenerife Bluetrail by UTMB 47km race results (women), Saturday 8 June 2024
- Maude Mathys (SUI) – 4:25:50
- Marta Perez Maroto (ESP) – 4:45:12
- Sonia Vizcaino Hungria (ESP) – 4:45:24
