Kiriago, Gitonga break course records in Spain's Mountain Running World Cup leg
Reading Time: 3min | Sun. 10.05.26. | 11:56
The series takes a break until 19 June when they line up for the Broken Arrow showdown
The second instalment of the 2026 WMRA Mountain Running World Cup double header at Transvulcania concluded on Saturday, 9 May with Kenyans Philemon Kiriago and Ruth Gitonga delivering another Kenyan double.
Following an exhilarating Uphill race on Thursday, 7 May, in which both the women's and men's course records fell to Joyce Muthoni Njeru and Richard Omaya Atuya respectively, Saturday's winners also lowered the course marks in the longer distance.
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The races marked the first long-distance contest of the 2026 World Cup season, contested over a 25km course featuring 2,100m of ascent with competitors facing a formidable opening 17km of sustained climbing, gaining 1800 metres of elevation to the high point at Las Deseadas, before a testing eight-kilometre descent that brought them to the finish line at El Pilar, situated at 1445 metres above sea level.
In the men's race, the trio of Atuya, Kiriago and Ephantus Mwangi Njeri dictated pace, going through the first 7.5 kilometres just 15 seconds apart, in 35 minutes. Behind the leading trio Anthony Felber led the chase, two and a half minutes behind, with Linus Hultegard and Tyler McCandless sticking with the second group.
Atuya reached the summit first and it became clear that he had indeed managed to open quite a gap on Kiriago and Njeri. Kiriago reached the summit 2:24 behind him, alongside Njeri.
Unfortunately, Njeri fell and sustained an injury on a small uphill after the beginning of the descent, forcing the Kenyan to retire.
Kiriago showed his dominance on the downhill, running a perfect final section, overtaking teammate Atuya and opening the smallest of gaps. Felber also overtook Atuya and pushed Kiriago all the way to the finish at El Pilar. But Kiriago couldn’t be beaten and he won in 2:07:43, a course record, with Felber second in 2:07:47. There was a photo finish worthy of a track race between Atuya and Hultegard for third, with the runners being awarded equal third place.
Philemon Kiriago en un final de infarto se impone en la media maratón @Transvulcania Adidas !!
— Revista Trail Run (@RevistaTrailRun) May 9, 2026
1. Kiriago 2:07:43
2. Anthony Felber 2:07:47
3. Richard Omaya Atuya 2:08:15
Todos han rebajado el récord que tenÃa Luca del Pero. pic.twitter.com/QB1goggp92
Meanwhile, in the women's race, one of this year’s World Cup breakout stars, Gitonga, took an early lead with Kirsty Skye Dickson, who took a brilliant second place in the Uphill race on Thursday, Muthoni Njeru keeping chase as all three passed through the first timing point within 40 seconds.
The climb to the summit also proved decisive in the women’s race, with Gitonga arriving three minutes before Njeru, who had now overtaken Skye Dickson and opened a gap of a minute on her.
Gitonga showed dominance on the descent, winning in 2:22:50, a course record. Njeru maintained second place, finishing in 2:25:39 as Dickson held strong in third, finishing in 2:33:21.