Watch: Royal Ultra SkyMarathon 2019 Highlights
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Check out the highlights from the Royal Ultra SkyMarathon. The race takes place every two years and follows the routes of historic hunting trails in Italy’s Gran Paradiso Park. The race occurred on the 21st of June 2019, and is the ninth race in the Migu Run Skyrunner World Series.
The challenging 55 km race has vertical gains of +4141 m. The race start from Lake Teleccio in the wild Vallone di Piantonetto and follows along the routes of the monumental network of the Royal Hunting trails.
Racers encountered snow covered passes, ledges and exposed sections, screes and steep meadows, and wildlife, such as ibexes and chamois. They run on the trails at the foot of the Gran Paradiso peak (13,323′) and Levanne peak (11,873′), until reaching the finish on the shores of the Ceresole Reale Lake.
In the women’s field, Ragna Debats, of the Netherlands, set a new course record in 7:52.40. She finished 13 minutes faster than the previous record set by Maite Majora, 39, of Spain, in 2017. In the Men’s field, Cristian Minoggio, of Italy, took home a victory for Italy and finished in 6:50.04.