MADRID, 14 Nov. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Spanish mountain runner Miguel Heras (The Elements) has claimed victory in the fifth and penultimate stage of the Everest Trail Race by The Elements and must defend his leadership on the last day, ending in Lukla, against the Nepali Summan Kulung , whom he leads by 13 minutes and 16 seconds, while fellow Spaniard Jordi Gamito (Traça) is third in the general classification.
The most demanding stage has crossed the ‘Hillary Bridge’ inside the Sagarmatha National Park and has visited Namche Bazar, the Sherpa capital of Solu Khumbu at 3,400 meters of altitude. After the ascent to the Syangboché airport at 3,700 meters, the great colossi of the Himalayas were omnipresent the rest of the stage with their views: Everest (8,887m), Lothse (8,516m), Ama Dablam (6,812m) have been spectators of the last 20km.
Starting from the Hillary School in Kumjung, the participants have traveled above 4,000 meters of altitude. The last 8 kilometers have passed by an extremely aerial road until reaching Pangboche, four kilometers from the finish in Tyangboché. Heras from Salamanca attacked Summan Kulung and was 35 seconds ahead of him at the finish line.
In the women’s category, the leader Phurwa Sherpa had to visit the race doctors as a result of the pain in her ankle, although the injury did not prevent her from winning the fifth stage with more than 20 minutes ahead of the Swedish Ester Alves , while the Argentine María Silvina Pérez was third.
The last day, of 29 kilometers between Tyangboché and Lukla and predominantly downhill, is very favorable for the second classified, the Nepalese Summan Kulung, who already in 2019 cut the six-minute margin that the until then leader Luis Alberto Hernando had, who he lost the race on the last day. The Bejarano Miguel Heras has 13 minutes and 16 seconds of margin with Kulung.