Gerald Fister (Austria) and Irene Guembe Ibanez (Spain) have won the KAT100 2024, a 100 miles (9.900m+) race in Fieberbrunn, Austria, that’s part of the UTMB World Series. Ibanez was a class of their own. Fister had to fight hard for his victory.
Irene Guembe Ibanez led from start to finish. The Spanish Independiente athlete, who finished seventeenth last year at the Kullamannen 100 miles in Sweden, had a three hours and twenty minutes lead at the finish line over Nadine Reynartz (Belgium), who grabbed second place; 34:02:45 versus 37:22:53. Despite her lead, Ibanez had her struggles: “The first part felt easier, the second part – tougher. I had stomach problems, and I felt that the race slowed down a bit more in the second part. Without a doubt, the best part of the race is the place where it’s held. The landscape is gorgeous. I came because in summer I try to run a race outside my country and combine it with a vacation.”
Giacometti and Hausmann finish strong
Where Ibanez could run relatively relaxed, Reynartz had to look over her shoulder. The Belgium trail and ultra runner left the refreshment post at Jochberger Wildalm, 140 kilometres into the race, after 28 hours, 3 minutes and 35 seconds. With 20 kilometres it looked like she hadn’t had anything to fear of Anja Giacometti (Swiss) and Anka Hausmann (Germany) who were trailing her by almost half an hour.
However, the Malmedy AC runner started to struggle, where Giacometti and Hausmann still were going strong. But Reynartz’s lead was just enough, and she finished five minutes ahead of her pursuers. In the meantime Hausman managed to close the gap with Giacometti and the German and the Swiss finished together in 37:27:50.
Cooman steals the show
Gerald Fister’s win was a comfortable one as well, as the Austrian BOA Trailrunning Team athlete ran almost two hours faster than Michael de Cooman, who finished second; 26:08:31 versus 27:59:42. However the Belgium ultra athlete made Fister work for it, by boldly taking the lead at the start.
After the aid station at St. Johann in Tirol, almost 84 kilometres into the race, he lost that lead for a moment, but 8 kilometres later, just after Kitzbuhel he regained it. He reached the first passage of Jochberger Wildalm first, after 18 hours, 9 minutes and 45 seconds. Leading Fister by 8 minutes. However, at the second passage of Jochberger Wildalm Fister was leading. He passed after 20 hours, 30 minutes and 45 seconds. Cooman followed 6 minutes later.
Ferris comes close
At Hochwildalm, with half a marathon to go, Fister came through 23:04:57. Cooman was still on his heels: 23:12:13. After that the Belgium trail runner crashed. Fister rounded the last aid station at Larchfilzhochalm after 25 hours, 14 minutes and 36 seconds. Cooman needed 26:39:20. From there on, the Belgium ultra runner knew the race for first was over.
What wasn’t over, was the race for second. Jerome Ferris (France) was trailing Cooman at Hochwildalm by 21 minutes. Eleven kilometres later, at Larchfilzhochalm the gap was still 19 minutes (26:58:04). However in the last kilometres it looked like Ferris was going to get Cooman. In the end, the Frenchman fell 10 seconds short. 27:59:42 versus 27:59:52.
Hayden Hawks
Hayden Hawks, the American number three of Western States Endurance Run this year, used the 51k Marathon Trail (3.220m+), that’s part of the KAT100, as a preparation race for the upcoming UTMB CCC later this month. He won in 5 hours and 36 seconds. Beating Fredrik Bruseth (Norway) by a minute and a half. Stian Dahl Sommerseth (Norway) finished second in 5:06:23.
Valerie Arsenault (Canada) won the women’s race in 6:16:25. Claudia Chmielowska (Poland) finished second in 6:20:56. Anke Friedl (Germany) completed the podium. She crossed the line in 6:37:56.
Photo UTMB press
