British runner excels in Austria as Timothy Kibett takes the men’s race at this Golden Trail World Series event
On a rainy morning amid the towering peaks of the Pitzal Valley and along one of the most alpine and rugged courses on the 2025 Golden Trail World Series calendar, Timothy Kibett (Kenya – Salomon Milimani Runners) and Naomi Lang (United Kingdom – Salomon) claimed their first-ever GTWS victory at the Salomon Pitz Alpine Glacier Trail.
The course was shortened to 20km and 1000m of elevation gain due to extreme conditions at the highest point of the route.
Caroline Kimutai (Kenya – Salomon Milimani Runners), Philaries Jeruto Kisang (Kenya – Run2gether On Trail), and Faith Kiplagat (Kenya – Salomon Milimani Runners) set a strong pace in the opening loop. However, the race dynamics began to shift after that first segment. It was at this point that Lang and Malen Osa (Spain – Salomon) worked together from behind to catch the lead trio and break away. By 5km, the duo held a 45-second lead over a chase group led by Andrine Benjaminsen (Norway – Lillomarka o-lag).
On the day’s only climb – due to the course being shortened – the front group bunched up again, with Lang, Osa, Kimutai, Kiplagat, Benjaminsen, Kisang, and Maria Fuentes (Spain – Kailas) all running within a minute of one another. Everything pointed to the technical and demanding Tyrolean downhills between the course’s highest point and at the 14km mark in Mandarfen—start and finish line—as the decisive stretch. By the end of the descent, Lang had opened up a one-minute gap over Osa and a two-minute lead over Kiplagat and Benjaminsen.
On the final loop, Lang held her advantage to cross the finish line in first place, with Osa securing second and sealing a 1–2 for Salomon. Kiplagat couldn’t maintain the pace and was eventually passed at the finish line by Benjaminsen and Fuentes.
Lang thus claimed her first Golden Trail World Series victory. “The race started out really fast and I decided not to go with the front runners,” she said. “When the course got more technical during the first loop, I went with Malen Osa and we worked together. Having a team-mate and room-mate there was fantastic. On the climb, I gave it everything because it was the only real ascent of the race, so the plan was to hold on until the top. Kiplagat and Kimutai caught up with me, and on the descent I just went for it and tried to open up a gap. I’m really…
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