Many line up at the start, but only a select few have the honor of writing their name into the Sierre-Zinal winners’ list. Even fewer get the chance to do it twice. That was the case for Philemon Kiriago (Kenya – Run2together On Trail) and Joyline Chepngeno(Kenya – Salomon Milimani Runners), who each claimed their second victory in this legendary race (31 km, 2,200 m+). This marks the perfect closing to the regular season of the Golden Trail World Series (GTWS) 2025, before everything is decided at the Ledro Sky Trentino Grand Finale next October.

MEN’S RACE

Sierre-Zinal offers no room to breathe. After the starting gun and barely a kilometre of tarmac, the runners hit the most demanding section of the course. In just the first 8 kilometres on the way to Ponchette, they climbed over 1,300 metres—more than half of the race’s total elevation gain. It was here that Kiriago tried to set a winning pace from the outset, but he was soon caught by Josphat Kiprotich (Run2gether On Trail) and Adrien Briffod (Switzerland – Atlet). Local hero Briffod, a former triathlete, was the first to crest the most gruelling part, followed by Kiriago, Kibett, Rolli and Kiprotich, all within two minutes.

With the hardest climb behind them, the Sierre-Zinal roller coaster began—the famous “Fast & Furious” section that defines part of this race’s essence. The gradient eased, though elevation continued to accumulate, and Briffod still led, with Kiriago closing in. Behind them, new threats were emerging: Timothy Kibett (Kenya – Salomon Milimani Runners) and Dominik Rolli (Switzerland – Salomon), both running around two minutes off the front.

As the course continued to rise, it was in the final stretch—heading towards the highest point before the descent to Zinal—that Kiriago seized the lead. Briffod held off the final push from the Kenyan pack of Patrick Kipngeno, Michael Selelo Saoli (Run2gether On Trail) and Paul Machoka (Atletica Saluzzo), who were chasing hard behind.

On the downhill to Zinal, only Kipngeno managed to close the gap slightly to his compatriot Kiriago, but not enough to prevent him from taking a second victory in one of the most prestigious races in a trail runner’s career. Selelo Saoli completed the podium for Run2gether On Trail, while Briffod—the local and unexpected protagonist of the day—and Machoka crossed the line in fourth and fifth place, respectively.

At the finish, even the double win didn’t seem enough for the ambitious Kiriago, who spoke about leaving a mark here: “I’m very happy to win Sierre-Zinal again. My teammates dream of dominating Sierre-Zinal as much as possible. My goal is to get close to five wins here before turning my focus to other races like Zegama-Aizkorri. Achieving five victories here is my dream.”

WOMEN’S RACE

After the start, Chepngeno and Caroline Kimutai (Kenya – Salomon Milimani Runners) led the women’s race in the opening kilometres of the climb to Ponchette. Midway up, Kimutai managed to open a small gap on her chasers. Germany’s Laura Hottenrott (Asics) also had her moment at the front, taking the lead on the steepest gradients. Once the most demanding section was behind them, Kimutai regained the lead, followed a minute later by defending champion Chepngeno. Hottenrott was a further minute and a half back. At kilometre 12, the top five was completed by Madalina Florea (Romania – Scott) and four-time Sierre-Zinal winner (and women’s course record holder) Maude Mathys (Switzerland – Asics), both two and a half minutes off the lead.

Near Chandolin (kilometre 12), Joyline caught Kimutai and moved into first place, a position she would not relinquish until the finish. Almost three minutes behind came Hottenrott, Florea and Mathys. At Nava, the highest point of the route, Chepngeno held a lead of over a minute and a half on Kimutai, maintained a three-minute advantage over Hottenrott, and was four and five minutes ahead of Mathys and Katie Schide (USA – On), respectively.

Back in Zinal, Chepngeno crossed the line victorious once again, claiming her second consecutive win. It was here in 2024 that she made her breakthrough in a major trail race, stunning the world with her victory—a time 46 seconds faster than this year. Kimutai, Schide and Mathys held on to second, third and fourth place, respectively, while Switzerland’s Oria Liaci (Brooks) overtook Hottenrott to claim fifth. “I didn’t expect to win this race,” an emotional Chepngeno said at the finish.

TOP 10 MEN

  1. Philemon Kiriago (Kenya – Run2gether On Trail) 2:28:32
  2. Patrick Kipngeno (Kenya – Run2gether On Trail) — 2:29:09
  3. Michael S. Saoli (Kenya – Run2gether On Trail) — 2:29:15
  4. Adrien Briffod (Switzerland – Atlet) — 2:32:07
  5. Paul Machoka (Kenya – Atletica Saluzzo) — 2:33:02
  6. Martin Nilsson (Sweden – VJ) — 2:33:53
  7. Dominik Rolli (Switzerland – Salomon) — 2:34:10
  8. Andreu Blanes (Spain – Hoka) — 2:35:20
  9. Elhousine Elazzaoui (Morocco – NNormal) — 2:36:00
  10. Francesco Puppi (Italy – Hoka) — 2:37:50

TOP 10 WOMEN

  1. Joyline Chepngeno (Kenya – Salomon Milimani Runners) 2:54:50
  2. Caroline Kimutai Kenya – Salomon Milimani Runners) 2:55:34
  3. Katie Schide (USA – On) 2:58:32
  4. Maude Mathys (Switzerland – Asics) 2:58:57
  5. Oria Liaci Switzerland – Brooks) 3:00:22
  6. Laura Hottenrott (Germany – Asics) 3:00:32
  7. Miao Yao (China – Salomon) 3:01:36
  8. Susanna Saapunki (Finland – On –) 3:02:31
  9. Anna Gibson (USA – Brooks Running) 3:05:14
  10. Joyce Njeru (Kenyia – Nnormal) 3:06:05

TOP 10 MEN - OVERALL STANDINGS

  1. Elhousine Elazzaoui (Morocco – NNormal) — 600 points
  2. Patrick Kipngeno (Kenya – Run2gether On Trail) — 588 points
  3. Philemon Kiriago (Kenya – Run2gether On Trail) — 588 points
  4. Michael S. Saoli (Kenya – Run2gether On Trail) — 498 points
  5. Daniel Pattis (Italy – Brooks) — 470 points
  6. Taylor Stack (USA – Brooks) — 453 points
  7. Roberto Delorenzi (Switzerland – Brooks) — 436 points
  8. Cesare Maestri (Italy – Nike) — 434 points
  9. Dominik Rolli (Switzerland – Salomon) — 432 points
  10. Pierre Galbourdin (France – Brooks) — 423 points

TOP 10 WOMEN - OVERALL STANDINGS

  1. Madalina Florea (Romania – Scott) — 576 points
  2. Sara Alonso (Spain – Asics) — 566 points
  3. Malen Osa (Spain – Salomon) — 540 points
  4. Joyce Njeru (Kenya – NNormal) — 538 points
  5. Caroline Kimutai (Kenya – Salomon Milimani Runners) — 532 points
  6. Lauren Gregory (USA – Nike) — 481 points
  7. Rosa Lara (Spain – Compressport) — 459 points
  8. Philaries Jeruto Kisang (Kenya – Run2gether On Trail) — 456 points
  9. Naomi Lang (United Kingdom – Salomon) — 451 points
  10. Takako Takamura (Japan) — 443 points

ALL TO BE DECIDED AT LEDRO SKY TRENTINO GRAND FINALE

After a season that began in Asia (Kobe Trail and Jin Shan Ling Great Wall Trail Race), continued in Europe (Il Golfo dell’Isola and Zegama-Aizkorri) and also crossed into the Americas (Broken Arrow Skyrace and Tepec Trail), last week’s Salomon Pitz Alpine Glacier Trail and Sierre-Zinal have brought the GTWS 2025 regular season to a close. The final stop will be the Ledro Sky Trentino Grand Finale, taking place from October 9 to 12 with a format different from any race so far, as it will also feature a time trial prologue and men and women will compete on separate days. As for the points, double the amount of a regular race will be awarded, meaning everything is still to be decided in the overall standings.