Alessandra Boifava (Italy) and Marek Causidis (Czech Republic) have won the 100 miles races (6,590m+) at the UTMB Istria 100 in Croatia. Monika Stejskalova (Czech Republic) and Janosch Kowalczyk (Germany) were the fastest over 110 kilometres (3.860m+).
Boifava, 7th overall, was with her time of 20:51:24 more than 35 minutes faster than runner-up Ida Sophie Hegemann (Germany), who finished in 21:27:38, 9th overall. Claire Bannwarth (France) came in third in 22:26:28 (13th overall).Last year Boifava won the 103 kilometres (7.150m+) Dolomiti Extreme Trail.
Czech party
Marek Causidis (18:58:00) struggled with his stomach in the first couple of hours of the race. As his legs felt great, he didn’t want to step out. After 100 kilometres he took the lead and kept Jan Prochazka (Czech Republic) behind him. Although: “The last 20 kilometres were the longest of my life”, he said on his Instagram. “But I knew I wasn’t going to let go of this big win. I’m happy it turned out like this in the end.”
Prochazka made it a one-two for the Czech Republic by finishing second in 19:21:24. Juuso Simpanen (Finland) completed the podium (19:35:46). It was Simpanen’s first podium finish in the UTMB World Series, after missing the podium at the 100 miles of Kullamannen last year by 27 minutes.
110 kilometres
Monika Stejskalova completed the Czech party in Croatia by winning the 110 kilometres race. With her time of 11:59:43 she finished 9th overall. Ines Marques (Portugal) finished second in 12:13:07, Biborka Krisztina Fazakas (Romania) came in third in 12:36:04.
Kowalczyk was the only runner staying underneath the 10 hours; 9:52:43 in the men’s race. Pablo Villa Gonzalez (Spain) finished second in 10:19:14. Pau Capell (Spain), 7th at the Ultra Trail Chianti Castles only two weeks ago, completed the podium. He needed 10:31:38 for the 110 kilometres.
69 kilometres
In the 50k category there were two races: 69 (2,220m+) and 42 kilometres (950m+). Simon Gosselin (France) and Kristyna Cerna (Czech Republic) won the longest version.
Behind Gosselin Hans-Peter Innerhofer (Austria) finished second. Dominik Milewski (Poland) came in third in the men’s category. Melodie Gilbert (Canada) and Martina Klancnik Potrc (Slovenia) finished second in the women’s category.
Simon Schappi (Switzerland) won the men’s marathon. Peter Cudrnak (Slovakia) finished second, before Egill Gunnarsson (Island). Andrea Kolbeinsdottir (Island) won the women’s race. Claudia Tremps (Spain) finished second, Alexandra Tremblay (Canada) came in third.
