Note: Single-source report; awaiting corroboration.
Philemon Kiriago broke the Trofeo Nasego record in the 21.5km mountain race in Casto, Italy, edging out competitor Patrick Kipngeno. The event, part of the WMRA Mountain Running World Cup, featured a demanding course with a climb of over 700 metres to Rifugio Nasego, followed by a steep downhill finish at Famea. Kiriago took an early lead and maintained it to finish first, surpassing the previous course record.
In the Vertical Nasego uphill race, Nina Engelhard returned from injury to win the women's category with a time of 39:29. Engelhard, the world champion in uphill racing, was favored to win and demonstrated strong form throughout the 4.2km course featuring nearly 1000 metres of elevation gain. Kirsty Skye Dickson and Andrea Mayr finished second and third, respectively. Mayr, who holds the course record of 38:39 from 2019, came in third.
The men's Vertical Nasego race saw Patrick Kipngeno claim first place in 33:31, narrowly missing the course record set by Richard Omaya Atuya. Atuya finished second, while Andrea Elia and Henri Aymonod battled closely for third, with Elia taking the position. Ruth Mwihaki Gitonga, the World Cup leader, finished fourth in the women's Vertical Nasego, closely trailing the podium finishers.
Conditions were challenging, with temperatures reaching into the 30s Celsius, adding to the difficulty of the steep and technical courses. The uphill races demanded sustained efforts, with the steepest gradients occurring near the end of the Vertical Nasego and a significant climb mid-way through the Trofeo Nasego.