Cool mountain air and the rising sun greeted participants of the 40th Annual La Sportiva Vail HillClimb. Named best trail race by Colorado Runner in 2006 and 2011, the HillClimb tests runners with a 7.7 mile and 2,200′ of elevation gain from Vail Village to Mid-Vail along the historic gravel double-track route that has made the HillClimb a favorite among trail running enthusiasts.
Presented by the Vail Mountain Haus, the event is the third in the 2016 La Sportiva Vail Mountain Trail Running Series. Despite the grueling course, racers were rewarded with a celebratory finish and greeted by a multitude of spectators, friends and family members who were able to ride the gondola to the top for free on race day. The series – and the HillClimb in particular – always attract some of the region’s top runners.
The men’s race saw 20-year old Callan Deline of Avon take top honors in 59:25, with 26-year old Dylan Hedges finishing second in 1:01:18. Coming in a close third was 38-year old Nick Cady of Boulder in 1:01:25.
In the women’s race, 33-year old Annie Bersagel grabbed the win in 1:00:57, well ahead of second place finisher Shannon Payne, who crossed the line in 1:05:59. Rounding out the top three was 12-year old Alayna Szuch in 1:06:16.
Following the Vail HillClimb in the 2016 La Sportiva Vail Mountain Trail Running Series is the debut of the Camp Hale Half Marathon, 5K and 10K run at 8 a.m. on Sunday, July 24, taking runners along the Continental Divide Trail and the Colorado Trail surrounding historic Camp Hale. Visit www.vailrec.com for additional series information.