Anticipating a fiery competition, the Everesting World Championships will unfold this weekend on the volcanic slopes of Mount Etna.
The cycling community is abuzz with anticipation as the inaugural Everesting World Championships is set to take place this Saturday on the Italian island of Sicily. The event, organised by Andy van Bergen, the founder of cycling's Everesting Challenge, will see participants scaling Mount Etna, an active volcano, seven times, totalling an impressive 8,848m - the height of Mount Everest.
Among the competitors are some of the world's most accomplished ultra-cyclists. Jack Thompson, an Australian ultra-cyclist who rode one million vertical meters in a year in 2022, is set to participate, as is Illi Gardner, the current women's world record holder for Everesting. Jack Burke, holder of the Strava KOMs on the Stelvio and Mortirolo Passes, and Sarah Ruggins, who broke the John o' Groats to Land's End and back record this spring, are also joining the race.
A blind ultra-runner named Victor Asenov, who is jumping on a tandem bike with his stoker to do an Everesting, is of particular interest to the event organisers.
For safety reasons, the descents will be neutralised, with only the ascents timed. This decision was made to ensure the safety of all competitors, especially considering the challenging terrain and the active state of Mount Etna.
Andy van Bergen, the founder of the Everesting Challenge, expects "pretty spicy times" during the event but does not expect a world record to be broken. He notes that the Etna ascent for the championships is longer and shallower than the one used to set the current world record, requiring the competitors to ride more than twice the distance.
The winners of the Everesting World Championships will receive a trophy containing volcanic rock chiselled from Etna's surface. However, it's important to note that the event is not UCI sanctioned and will not award a rainbow jersey.
Andy van Bergen plans to launch a series of up to eight events next year, predominantly across Europe, welcoming all abilities and acting as qualifiers for the World Championships. These upcoming events will take place in "iconic" cycling locations.
JAM15 ITALIA S.R.L., located in Milan, is the responsible organiser involved in the future organization of the Everesting World Championships in Italy. Competitors can reach out to them at [email protected] or visit their website at jam15.com for more information.
For those who can't make it to Sicily this weekend, the excitement doesn't have to end there. Andy van Bergen hopes to participate in the event by completing a quarter Everesting (2,212m). He suggests that next year's World Championship event may have more names, as even pros and former pro riders have been unaware of the Everesting Challenge.
The total distance of climbing and descents in the event is approximately 300km, making it a challenging but achievable feat for those who dare to take on the Everesting World Championships.
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