Kenyan Pkemoi Wins Trail 100 Andorra 50km, Arenas Dominates Women

Kenyan Robert Pkemoi won the Trail 100 Andorra by UTMB 50km race on Saturday, marking his first UTMB World Series victory in 5:13:28. The Skyrunners Kenya athlete led from the initial checkpoint at Coll d’Ordino through La Cortinada and Refugi de Comapedrosa at kilometre 27.9, then held off Belgium’s Maximilien Drion of ASICS Trail Team, who finished second in 5:16:31. Catalonia’s Daniel Castillo, the 2022 world under-23 skyrunning champion, took third in 5:24:34. Pkemoi said the heat and distance tested him severely, but he persevered for the debut success.

Spain’s Gemma Arenas dominated the women’s 50km in 6:34:36, placing 17th overall in the 45-49 age group for Joma Trail. She struggled at Comapedrosa but gained six positions on the descent through Parc Natural de Comapedrosa’s 3,414m of positive elevation. Italy’s Anna Ongaro was second in 6:47:38, with Spain’s Lourdes Puiggrós Parayre third in 7:14:16 after climbing from 54th to 26th overall. Arenas called the course beautiful yet punishing.

The sixth edition opened Friday in Ordino with Andorran Samu Ponce of FAM and Altra Running Europe taking the 80km in 7:39:01 over 3,900m of elevation. He broke away early on the climb to Mirador Solar, building a 13-minute lead, before Spain’s Julen Calvó narrowed it to just over one minute at the finish. Spain’s Pablo Villa placed third. Ponce said he attacked early to gauge rivals, then paced himself to win before family and friends in his hometown UTMB triumph.

Germany’s Juliane Rössler led the women’s 80km from start to finish in 9:19:57, ahead of America’s Allison Baca by more than six minutes. Spain’s Alba Villanova took third, followed by Spain’s Marta Jiménez and Romania’s Biborka Fazakas.

American Rod Farvard won Saturday’s 105km ultra in 13:32:35 across 6,800m of elevation as the sole finisher under stable conditions, with Italy’s Martina Valmassoi topping the women in 14:54:05.

Sunday closed with Austria’s Wendelin Mörtendorfer and Spain’s Dalia Alonso Pedreño winning the 21km (1,350m elevation), while France’s Guilhem Rimailho and Spain’s Núria Tarragó claimed the 10km (500m elevation). Local resident Laura Orgué took third in the 21km.

The four-day event drew a record 3,800 runners from over 50 countries—600 more than 2023—with all distances selling out faster than before. Crowds lined routes, boosting the atmosphere amid high sporting standards. Safety included 34 medical staff, 12 ambulances, two doctors, 25 staff and 80 IRONMAN Andorra volunteers. Agustí P. Capdevila of The IRONMAN Group praised the event’s growth in the UTMB World Series, local engagement and spectator turnout, with Andorra Turisme partnership talks extending beyond 2027.