Marco Olmo wins The North Face Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc

On 25/08 Marco Olmo from Italy won the 5th edition of the Ultra Trail Tour du Mont Blanc, from Chamonix back to Chamonix via Courmayeur, beating Jens Lukas from Germany and Nicolas Mermoud from France. The women's event was won by Nikki Kimball from the USA.

59 year old Marco Olmo from Italy has just won the fifth edition of the toughest mountain race in the world, the North Face Ultra Trail Tour du Mont Blanc. In doing so Olmo has become the only person to have won this gruelling test twice.

The 163km, + 8900m challenge around Mont Blanc follows the path through France, Italy and Switzerland which trekkers usually carry out in a week. 2200 athletes (selected on the basis of their running curriculum) participated in the event which must be completed in under 46 hours and which, for the first time ever, kicked off with all winners of the last four editions: Dawa Sherpa (Nepal), Vincent Delebarre (France), Christophe Jaquerod (Switzerland) and Marco Olmo (Italy).

Starting on Friday night, Olmo won the race in 21 hours, 31 minutes and 58 seconds, 52 minutes ahead of Lukas and 59 ahead of Mermoud. Olmo's victory is striking not only because of his age, but also because of his strict vegetarian diet. Undoubtedly though this age factor demonstrates how the mental aspect, human desire and experience can be determining factors in such taxing stamina race. Nikki Kimball won the women's event in 25:23:45, almost 2 hours ahead of Monica Aguilera from Spain and 4 hours ahead of third placed Karine Herry from France.

Adapted from a news report by Lorenzo Scandroglio
 

Results The North Face Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc
Men
1	Marco OLMO	(ITA)	21:31:58
2	Jens LUKAS	(GER)	22:23:55
3	Nicolas MERMOUD	(FRA)	22:30:51
Women
1	Nikki KIMBALL	(USA)	25:23:45
2	Monica AGUILERA	(ESP)	27:18:17
3	Karine HERRY	(FRA)	29:06:03