GOLDEN TRAIL SERIES: IT’S TIME FOR THE GRAND FINAL IN MADEIRA!

From 26th to 30th October 2022, 5 stages, 109KM, 7,382M V+ Madeira, PORTUGAL / After 6 exhilarating legs in Europe and the USA, the world’s top trail runners will be in Madeira from 26th to 30th October to fight it out on the Madeira Ocean&Trails® Stage Race, in the Golden Trail Series Grand Final.

30 elite runners for one title

The six legs in this season have delivered their verdict and now we know the names of the top 30 men and womenbefore the Golden Trail World Series Grand Final. The world’s most talented trail runners have fought it out all year on the GTWS races and are now going to meet at the Madeira Ocean&Trails® on 26^th to 30^th October. An ultimate challenge consisting of 5 stages, which will enable these athletes, for the very last time, to accumulate precious points in the aim of winning this GTWS 2022. Each stage course has been designed especially for the occasion to traverse the most beautiful trails on this magnificent Portuguese island. Each day, in addition to the daily stage ranking, the runners can try for the best times on the segments; "climb", "downhill" or "sprint", and at the end of the week a ranking will designate the fastest runners on these segments. Daily prize money will be awarded for the athletes’ performance reaching a total amount of €178,500 to be distributed throughout this Grand Final.

The starting list*

Men

-        RÉMI BONNET (CHE – Salomon/Redbull): 1^st with 524 pts

-        DANIEL OSANZ (ESP – Adidas Terrex): 3^rd with 444 pts

-        MANUEL MERILLAS (ESP – Scarpa): 4^th with 438 pts

-        ELHOUSINE ELAZZAOUI (MAR – Pini Mountain Racing): 5^th with 406 pts

-        RUY UEDA (JAP – Red Bull): 7^th with 398 pts

-        THIBAUT BARONIAN (FRA – Salomon): 8^th with 396 pts

-        ROBERT PKEMBOI (KEN – Sky Runners Kenya): 8^th with 396 pts

-        ANTHONY FELBER (FRA – Sidas X Matryx): 10^th with 384 pts

-        ELI HEMMING (USA – Aerobic Monsters): 11^th with 378 pts

-        BART PRZEDWOJEWSKI (POL – Salomon): 15^th with 314 pts

-        SAM HENDRY (CAN – Salomon): 16^th with 294 pts

-        PETRO MAMU (ERY – Scarpa): 19^th with 244 pts

-        ADRIEN MICHAUD (FRA – Scott Running): 20^th with 240 pts

-        ANDERS KJAEREVIK (NOR – Salomon): 21^st with 216 pts

-        ANDRZEJ WITEK (POL – Dynafit): 22^nd with 212 pts

-        PETER  FRANO (SVK – Salomon): 23^rd with 200 pts

-        MORGAN ELLIOTT (USA): 25^th with 194 pts

-        KONSTANTINOS PARADEISOPOULOS (GRE – Dynafit): 27^th with 150 pts

Women

-        NIENKE BRINKMAN (NDL – Nike Trail): 1^st with 600 pts

-        SOPHIA LAUKLI (USA – Salomon): 2^nd with 532 pts

-        SARA ALONSO (ESP – Salomon): 4^eth with 492 pts

-        ELISE PONCET (FRA – Sidas X Matryx): 5^th with 418 pts

-        CAITLIN FIELDER (NZL – Salomon): 6^th with 406 pts

-        BAILEY KOWALCZYK (USA – Salomon): 7^th with 372 pts

-        MARCELA VASINOVA (CZE – Salomon): 9^th with 354 pts

-        DANI MORENO (USA – Hoka One One/Rabbit): 10^th with 332 pts

-        JULIE ROUX (FRA – Salomon): 11^th with 306 pts

-        OIHANA KORTAZAR (ESP – Salomon): 11^th with 306 pts

-        THERES LEBOEUF (SUI): 11^th with 306 pts

-        TABOR HEMMING (USA – Aerobic Monsters): 14^th with 300 pts

-        ALLIE MCLAUGHLIN (USA – On Running): 14^th with 300 pts

-        PATRICIA PINEDA (ESP – La Sportiva): 16^th with 284 pts

-        JOHANNA ÅSTRÖM (SWE – Arc’Teryx): 19^th with 240 pts

-        SYLVIA NORDSKAR (NOR – Hoka One One): 21^st with 228 pts

-        IRIS PESSEY (FRA – Scott Running): 22^nd with 222 pts

-        PHILIARIES KISANG (KEN – Daudin/On Running): 29^th with 156 pts

Note that all the stages are not mandatory (an athlete can run only one stage if they wish) but, each stage can earn you up to 100 points (except the time-trial on the third stage where only half the points will be distributed), with a total of 450 points to win throughout the final. So, the GTWS 2022 overall ranking is not decided yet – anything can happen in Madeira!

Check out the GTWS overall ranking: https://goldentrailseries.com/series/gtws.htm

*Note that the starting list could still change depending on the latest athlete updates.

 
An OPEN Category and National teams 

The three best men and women from each National Series (GTNS) are invited to this grand final, in the OPEN category which is open to everyone. If the top five will go away with prize money, the top 3 men and women in the OPEN Category will receive a Golden Ticket which will enable them to participate in three of the GTWS 2023 races. In addition to competing individually at this final, these athletes will be also racing for their country’s National Series as part of the team ranking. Which GTNS will win the title of the world’s best National Series? Find out on 30^th October!

Here’s the programme!

Check out the Madeira Ocean&Trails® Stage Race programme (GMT+1):

-        26^th October, 9:00 am – Stage 1: 23.6km / 1,687m V+

-        27^th October, 9:00 am – Stage 2: 25.48km / 2,046m V+

-        28^th October, 5:00 pm – Time-Trail: 5.76km / 225m V+

-        29^th October, 9:00 am – Stage 4: 26.15km / 2,04m V+

-        30^th October, 9:00 am – Final: 27.07km / 1,320m V+

Find all the info here: https://madeiragtwsfinal.com

Follow the Grand Final!

Due to the lack of network coverage we will not be able to diffuse the race live. Instead, every evening we will be broadcasting the highlights of the daily race stage along with exclusive interviews with athletes. See you at 8:00 pm (GMT+1) after each race stage here: goldentrailseries.com/gttv/

Follow the stories LIVE during the race on the Golden Trail Series Instagram page, as well as our video productions on the Golden Trail Series Facebook page, on Golden Trail TV or at www.goldentrailseries.com