Jones clinches second Transvulcania by UTMB title, Valmassoi victorious

American Dakota Jones has won the 2023 72km Ultramaratón at Transvulcania by UTMB, while Martina Valmassoi finished on top of the women’s field.

Jones led for around half the race, winning his second title ahead of runner-up Damien Humbert and third-placed Andreas Reiterer.

Valmassoi won a tight women’s race, taking the lead from Polish runner Edyta Lewandowska on the final descent from El Roque de Los Muchachos. Meg MacKenzie came third.

Joyous return for Jones

Dakota Jones’ 2023 victory was his second at Transvulcania, having won his first title in 2012 as a 21-year-old, stunning Kilian Jornet.

11 years on he is champion on the stunning La Palma island once more, his third time back since his original victory on the Volcanic destination.

💣 Dakota Jones vuelve a dominar en Transvulcania by UTMB®️ 11 años después 💥 pic.twitter.com/RnbKDxVf1V
— Transvulcania by UTMB® (@Transvulcania) May 6, 2023

A time of 07:02:16 over the 72km route- the beauty of which has seen the race described as ‘a dream’ – was good enough to fend off the challenge of Humbert, who was eight minutes back. Reiterer, who came third at the UTMB CCC in 2022, took the Transvulcania by UTMB bronze with 07:17:26 on the clock.

It’s another title for Jones, who boasts other victories in American races Desert Rats, MOAB Trail Marathon and Broken Arrow Skyrace. It follows an impressive 2022 in which he emerged victorious at Canyons Endurance Runs by UTMB and came third at Hardrock 100.

He has now secured his qualification for the UTMB World Series finals at the legendary Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc (UTMB).

Dakota Jones after winning the 2012 Transvulcania [Photo credit: Transvulcania]

Victorious Valmassoi

In a brilliant women’s race, Martina Valmassoi chased down Edyta Lewandowska by staging a stunning descent from the highest point on the island to the finish.

Lewansowska had led Valmassoi through every checkpoint up until the penultimate point at Puerto de Tazacorte, the Italian holding strong for the final 5km to claim victory with Lewandowska holding off further challenges from behind to take second.

Valmassoi, who has wins in a number of Italian races to her name along with victory at last year’s UTMB TDS, finished in a time of 09:09:13 – around 12 minutes ahead of the Pole. South African Meg MacKenzie arrived at the finish at Los Llanos de Aridane in third.

Obaya and McCann win Volcanes

Alongside the flagship race, 50k and 20k UTMB World Series category races also took place, with South African runner Toni McCann and Spaniard Dimas Pereira Obaya taking the wins in the ‘Volcanes’ race at Transvulvania by UTMB 2023.

Obaya finished first with a final time of 04:20:28 for the 48km course. He led almost from the start at Faro de Fuencaliente to the finish at Los Llanos de Aridane, beating Andre Rodrigues who crossed eight minutes after Obaya. A further seven minutes behind, Yoel de Paz Baeza came in with 4:32:57 on the clock.

McCann finished in a time of 04:49:23, coming sixth in the overall field and five minutes clear of her closet rival for the women’s crown. That was Swede Emilia Brangefalt who narrowly pipped Julia Font Gomez to the finish by under a minute.

In the 2023 Transvulcania by UTMB 26km ‘El Roque’, both men’s and women’s races had all Spanish podiums with Josep Miret winning in a time of 02:08:03. Leire Fernandez Abete won the women’s race.