Ultra running icon Kilian Jornet's Broken Arrow Sky Race attempt thwarted by illness; focuses now on Western States competition instead.
Tale of Kilian Jornet's Misadventure at the Broken Arrow Sky Race Ascent
Hoping to conquer the Western States Endurance Run this week, ultrarunning ace, Kilian Jornet faced an unexpected hurdle, as a runny nose and sneezes marred his plans.
Hurrying to the US last week, Jornet geared up for the iconic 100-mile Western States Endurance Run in California. He planned to prep with the Broken Arrow Sky Race Ascent, a brief yet treacherous race that rises a whopping 1,800ft (349m), similar to a familiar route he's honed in Norway for years.
However, his social media posts revealed that the long transatlantic journey had zap his energy levels, and he landed in 23rd place. "A nasty cold after traveling thwarted my ambitions. The body simply didn't jive with going full throttle, but that's par for the course in this sport."
Organizers scrambled to adjust the course due to raging winds at the Washeshu Peak summit, re-routing the finish to KT22, but this wasn't much of a wrinkle to the US runners, who bagged the top spots on the podium.
Christian Allen, with his glorious mullet, clinched the victory in 23:49, trailed closely by 16-time USA National Champion, Joe Gray (24:12), and Cam Smith in 24:24 to secure the podium spots. In the ladies' race, it was another US runner, Anna Gibson, who clinched the gold in 23:49, followed by Kenya's Joyce Muthoni Njeru (29:06) and Canada's Jade Belzberg (29:23).
Although the race didn't go as planned, Jornet is now pointing his sights squarely at WSER, which kicks off this Saturday at 5am Pacific. This marked Jornet's comeback after 15 years since his victory at WSER in 2011, where he's the reigning favorite amidst a stiff field of elite ultrarunners[1][2].
Feeling better post his easy reconnaissance of a 15-mile section of the WSER course, Jornet is optimistic, "Cooler weather than anticipated for race week! Legs feel great, and the trails feel like old friends again after all these years."
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[1] Kilian Jornet's Performance Hampered by Illness at the Broken Arrow Sky Race Ascent, Race Results.[2] A Look at Kilian Jornet's Return to the Western States Endurance Run, WSER News.[3] Competitive Field Expected for Western States Endurance Run, Elite Runners to Watch.
Despite a setback at the Broken Arrow Sky Race Ascent due to illness, ultrarunning star Kilian Jornet remains optimistic for the upcoming Western States Endurance Run, a sport he hopes to conquer this week.
Facing a stiff competition of elite ultrarunners, Kilian Jornet's comeback at the Western States Endurance Run, which kicks off this Saturday, is highly anticipated in the world of sports.
