Elbrus Race

The Elbrus Race (or RedFox Elbrus Race), is an international skyrunning competition held for the first time in 2008. It runs each May at Mount Elbrus, Russia. which at 5,642 m is the highest mountain in Europe. The race has formed part of the Skyrunner World Series circuit four times.[2]

Elbrus Race
DateMay
Location Mount Elbrus
Event typeSkyRace
SkyMarathon
Vertical Kilometer
Distance7.36 km / 1,862 m D+
12.2 km / 3,342 m D+
1,000 m D+[1]
Established2008
Official siteElbrus Race

Races
  • Elbrus SkyRace, a SkyRace (7.36 km / 1,862 m), from 3,780 m up to 5,642 m MSL[3]
  • Elbrus SkyMarathon, a SkyMarathon (12 km / 3,342 m), from 2,350 m up to 5,642 m MSL[3]
  • Elbrus Vertical, a Vertical Kilometer (1,000 m), from 2,450 m up to 3,450 m MSL[4]

Elbrus Race
  Race of Skyrunner World Series
Year Vertical Kilometer SkyRace SkyMarathon
Men's winnerWomen's winner Men's winnerWomen's winner Men's winnerWomen's winner
2008 not held Semyon Dvornichenko
2:58:00		 Ekaterina Andreeva
3:33:00		 not held
2009 not held Semen Dvornichenko
2:43:20		 Ekaterina Shubina
4:10:00		 not held
2010 Dmitry Ploskonosov
48:41		 Megan Kimmel
59:07		 Mikhail Klimov
2:27:05		 Megan Kimmel
3:22:16		 not held
2011 not held
2012 Marco De Gasperi
44:39		 Larisa Soboleva
|56:51		 Denis Provalov
3:17:37		 Zoya Spirina
5:16:30		 Luis Alberto Hernando
3:41:00		 Zhanna Vokuyeva
5:02:00
2013 Marco Facchinelli
44:48		 Larisa Soboleva
51:08		 Aggey Skopin
2:52:42		 Varvara Prokhorova
3:58:38		 Marco Facchinelli
3:30:46		 Oksana Stefanishina
4:45:01
2014 Vitaliy Chernov
47:22		 Elena Kravchenko
54:22		 Vladimir Belyay
2:31:50		 Svetlana Malova
3:28:05		 Marco De Gasperi
3:03:55*		 Oksana Stefanishina
4:32:28*
2015 Vitaliy Chernov
44:16		 Elena Kravchenko
52:24		 Vladimir Belyay
2:49:30		 Tatyana Ufimtseva
3:45:42		 Vitaly Shkel
3:29:04		 Oksana Stefanishina
4:42:00
2016 Cardona Oriol
45:43		 Elena Kravchenko
54:37		 Vladimir Belyay
Vyacheslav Khorosavin
3:11:06		 Marina Georgieva
3:40:20		 Karl Egloff
3:44:43		 Diana Zelenova
4:43:17
2017 Vitaliy Chernov
43:14		 Elena Kravchenko
54:00		 Dorjsurenkhor Otgonkhuu
2:59:13		 Oksana Stefanishina
2:49:40		 Karl Egloff
3:24:14		 Diana Zelenova
4:30:12

*record of the race

Speed ascents to Elbrus or Elbrus Race - how it all begins

In the Soviet period speed ascent competitions on Elbrus slopes — from Mir station till Garabashi station and from Priut 11 till the col — were the part of training program for the members of the soviet Himalaya expeditions (1982, 1989). Elbrus was well-known for all serious Soviet mountaineers, as the mount's location is very comfortable and its height is enough for the race. It was considered to be a prestigious action — to take part in these races, and the strongest USSR climbers had competed there.

Now the Mount is the object of the International program «7 Summits» (climbing the highest tops of all continents). Elbrus is especially lucky nowadays — in spite it is the part of Caucasus, one can reach its bottom without special frontier guard's permit, the way along Baksan valley is comfortable and safe. Hotels in Terskol, Bochki huts, Priut 11 and the new modern hut some meters higher than Priut — do Elbrus climbs more and more comfortable, and from day to day a lot of groups go to their dream — Elbrus tops. But, except some events — all of these climbs are of «tourist class». But 15–20 years ago those slopes were the place for serious mountaineers ambitions battles!

Vladimir Balyberdin (he is the first soviet/russian to climb Everest) was the first who had understood the annual Elbrus speed climb Championship perspectives. In 1989 he (with support of his friends Anatoly Boukreev, Valery Khrichtchatyi and Alexandr Sheynov) the first Elbrus Race — from Priut 11 till the col. September was chosen with a special reason – it is the best season here. There is no ice on the route usually in September, and the whole way to the tops is often safer than in other seasons.

Next Elbrus Race was in 1990. Anatoly Boukreev was a legend of that races — he won in 1990 — and his result was 1 hour 47 min (Priut 11 — East top).

Unfortunately Vladimir Balyberdin was killed in car accident at 1994, then one by one Anatoly, Valery and Alexandr gone as well and Elbrus Race of the first edition has stopped.

Taking into consideration the increase of the popularity of extreme sport and mountaineering in Russia, the accommodation convenience in Elbrus region, the experience in organization of sport events, Russianclimb.com and Top Sport Travel (high venture travel company, led by Nikolay Shustrov (Master of Sports in mountaineering, member of Balyberdin climbing team, 1990 Elbrus Race participant with 5-th result -2h12min, Camel Trophy 93 participant) decided to reborn the tradition of speed climb competitions to the highest Europe point.

So since 2005 second edition is going on every September - see http://fastestknowntime.elbrusrace.com/

Many outstanding athletes took part in the Elbrus Race in the past 13 years, Denis Urubko, Andrey Puchinin, Sergey Seliverstov, Vitaly Shkel, Killian Jornet, Artur Hajzer, Andrzej Bargiel, Ilyas Achabaev, Svetlana Sharipova, Anna Figura, Roman Gubanov, Anton Proshchenko, Yuri Klim, Sergey Furstsev , Abdulkhalim Elmezov, Luca Colli, Boris Korshunov, Anindya Mukherjee, Andrew Mariev, Marhan Milan, Valentin Vergilyush Anton Proshchenko Natalia Nikolashina, Mikhail Klimov, Aleksandra (Ola) Dzik, Maria Khitrikova, Oksana Stefanishina, Olga Rzhavsky, Haggai Skopino Ivan Moshnikov Victor Trinozov Tatiana Ufimtseva, Jakub Voytahnio, Marcin Rzheotko Vasily Bakshanov, Anzor Zhurtov, Atilla Kupas, Isabela Zatorska, Marzena Rzeszotko, Piotr Hercog, Tomasz Brzeski, Leszek Rzeszotko, Alexandra Stodolak, Anton Brichevsky, Leszek Pleskasz, Gabor Horvath, Alexei Pshenichnikov, Andrei Gurin, Ade Wahyudi, and many, many others (sorry that not everyone could be listed here)

The fastest known time to climb Elbrus (from Azau 2400m till West Summit 5642m) was fixed by Andrzej Bargiel on September 21, 2010 and is 3h 23m 37s. Since 2008 Red Fox started his race event at Elbrus using Elbrus Race name in not fair way.

Elbrus Race routes

Dark blue line — Elbrus Race Extream Class full route

Part 1 starts from about 2400 m near new cable car station — finish near refuge Barrels on ~3708 m.

  • Terrain at September easy to walk caterpillar made routes + a bit of grass + morene + a bit snow sometimes
  • Part 2 starts from refuge Barrels (3708m) till the West Top of Elbrus 5642 m)
  • Terrain at september — easy to walk snow + ice destroyed with sun .
  • The whole length of the route is around 12200 meters
  • Vertical drop of the route 3240 m

Red line — Elbrus Race Classic route

Goes from refuge Barrels (3750m) till the West Top of Elbrus 5642 m).

  • Start point is on small flat snow square just behind the hangar.
  • Terrain at September — easy to walk snow + ice destroyed with sun.
  • Length of the route 7360 meter
  • Vertical drop of the route 1934 m

Green line - Elbrus Race Anatoly Boukreev's record route

Start at 4100 m, (a bit above of place were used to be Refuge 11) - finish at East Elbrus 5621 m

Light blue line- Qualification route 3710-4800

Qualification route goes from refuge Barrels (3708m) till the Pastuhkov Rock top ~4800 m)

  • Start point is on small square between 2 row of Barrales.
  • Terrain at September — snow + ice destroyed by sun — safe to walk as the ice surface keep strong grip if one would fell down.
  • Length of the route ~3980 meter.
  • Vertical drop of the route ~1090 m

See also

References
  1. "The Elbrus Race extream and Classic routes presentation". elbrusrace.com. Retrieved 10 November 2017.
  2. "FESTIVAL RED FOX ELBRUS RACE". elbrus.redfox.ru. Retrieved 10 November 2017.
  3. "Neuer Speedrekord am Mount Elbrus, 5642 m". bergsteigen.com. Retrieved 10 November 2017.
  4. "VERTICAL KILOMETER® - MT. ELBRUS (2450-3450 M)". elbrus.redfox.ru. Retrieved 10 November 2017.
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