Matt Carpenter lived up to expectations by leading the Pikes Peak Marathon from start to finish, sailing home to victory in 3h37’2”.  The much anticipated match with Series leader Ricardo Mejia failed to take place due to the Mexican’s no-show at the fifth Skyrunner® World Series race Sunday, August 16, in Colorado.  Mejia was the last person to beat Carpenter, twelve times winner on America’s favourite fourteener and a confrontation between the two skyrunning “veterans”, 46 and 45 respectively, was an interesting prospect. 

The women’s race was won by Colorado’s Anita Ortiz, 45, in 4h28’20” a good half hour ahead of the second finisher.

World Series’ competitors included Britain’s, John Heneghan in eighth position and Italian competitors Giorgio Compagnoni and Matteo Ghezzi, 24th and 31st in the 711-strong field. 

America’s ISF member represented by Nancy Hobbs, executive director of the American Trail Running Association, presented a $1,000 award between the two winners.

The next and second last race in the Skyrunner World Series will take place in Scotland on Britain’s highest mountain with the historic Ben Nevis Race on September 5 where top ranked competitors from across the world will battle for points to take them to the  final e in Malaysia on October 24th and 25th  where double points will be awarded.

Full results