Austrian mountain runner wins gold on home turf in the uphill-only women’s race at this week’s World Champs as Patrick Kipngeno claims men’s title

Roared on by her home crowd, Andrea Mayr of Austria claimed her seventh world mountain running title in the uphill-only race in Innsbruck-Stubai.

The 43-year-old overcame the challenge of Philaries Jeruto Kisang of Kenya to triumph in 48:14 over a picturesque but gruelling course where athletes were flanked at times by Alpe d’Huez-style crowds of supporters on the first day (June 7) of the World Mountain and Trail Running Championships.

Kisang led Kenya to team gold as she finished just over half a minute behind Mayr. Grayson Murphy, a former world mountain running champion from the United States won individual bronze, while Scout Atkin, in eighth, led Britain to team bronze medals.

Defending champion Allie McLaughlin of the United States pushed the pace to begin with in the village of Neustift in Stubai and the lead then changed a few times in the early stages of a 7.1km race that featured 1020m of ascent. But with McLaughlin dropping back to eventually finish 13^th, Mayr made her move on a narrow section through forest and the Austrian athlete built a half-minute advantage.

Kisang fought back on a flatter, faster section and re-took the lead just before the final climb but Mayr kept in touch and as they hit the final steep few hundred metres she reeled her in and passed her, with the exhausted Kisang reduced to a walk as they approached the finish at the Elferhütte – a brutal climb that involved 220m of climbing in the final 700 metres.

Mayr’s varied background includes winning the Vienna Marathon in 2009 in 2:30:43, whereas she has also competed internationally in the steeplechase on the track, mountain biking and has even won the Empire State Run-Up event in the past.

“I knew that the race would start for me as soon as we hit the steep section,” said Mayr. “I felt great and took the lead early on. Knowing that I was being ‘chased’ pushed me.

“The flatter passages are not my forte, which is why I was overtaken by the Kenyan. The atmosphere along the finishing straight was amazing with so many people, my family among them, were there to cheer me on. The final steep passage was extremely tough but I am overjoyed to have won.”

While Adkin was top Brit home, Emma Pooley, the British-born and Cambridge University-educated endurance athlete, was 11^th representing Switzerland.

The men’s race was clearcut with Patrick Kipngeno, the defending champion from Kenya, winning by a minute and a half from Ugandan Levi Kiprotich as Josphat Kiprotich of Kenya was third.

Kiriago Philemon of Kenya was the early leader but Kipngeno stamped his authority on the race at around the halfway mark as he cruised away from his rivals.

Joe Steward was the top Brit home in eighth place as the team placed seventh.

Women: 1 Andrea Mayr (AUT) 48:14; 2 Philaries Jeruto Kisang (KEN) 48:51; 3 Grayson Murphy (USA) 49:22; 4 Laura Hottenrott (GER) 49:56; 5 Valentine Jepkoech Rutto (KEN) 49:59; … 8 Scout Adkin (GBR) 51:39; … 20 Sara Willhoit (GBR) 52:58; … 23 Phillipa Williams (GBR) 53:19; … 24 Kate Avery (GBR) 53:39

Team: 1 Kenya (17 points); 2 Germany (33); 3 Great Britain (51 points)

READ MORE: Innsbruck-Stubai preview

Men: 1 Patrick Kipngeno (KEN) 40:18; 2 Levi Kiprotich (UGA) 41:50; 3 Josphat Kiprotich (KEN) 42:04; 4 Eliud Cherop (UGA) 42:16; 5 Joseph Gray (USA)  42:32; 8 … Joe Steward (GBR) 43:02; … 22 Jacob Adkin (GBR) 44:35; … 32 Chris Richards (GBR) 45:50; … 50 Andrew Douglas (GBR) 47:57

Team: 1 Kenya (11 points); 2 Uganda (21); 3 Switzerland (45)