The women take off at 11 AM on the dot, ready to determine the World’s best on the 7.5-kilometer trail with up- and downhills covering a total of 374 vertical meters. To do so, they have to run part-way up the Nordkette on steep and narrow trails before turning back down and heading into the center of Innsbruck across the Innbrücke. Outside Innsbruck’s landmark, the “Golden Roof”, the athletes take the final sprint for Gold on an artificial trail of approximately 200 meters. The field comprises 55 young runners.
The first split time at the Ölberg sees Briton Rebecca Flaherty, 17, leading the field with an impressive 24 seconds. She is in the lead along with fellow Brits Eve Whitaker and Amelie Lane, for the first ten minutes of the race, with three of the top nations in mountain running, namely Spain, Italy and Switzerland, in hot pursuit. The Brits are able to keep their leading position all the way up to the Gramartboden, with Flaherty increasing her margin to an incredible 38 seconds.
Just as was the case among the men - who were only four minutes faster than the ladies - the field keeps mixing up on the downhill with a total of 374 meters in descent. While Flaherty stays in the lead, Spaniard Ines Herault fights her way into second position, with Lauren Russel from Great Britain following close behind until she takes a wrong turn and lost precious seconds. Lucia Arnoldo from Italy comes behind and the overall distance between the leading field and the pursuers keeps decreasing.
On the final two kilometers, Gold, Silver and Bronze are all within six, and later on eight, seconds of each other. Meanwhile, Lucia Arnoldo (ITA) is able to secure third place and keeps attacking Ines Herault (ESP) in second place. The gripping race is finally decided on the flat passage leading back into the city, with Briton Rebecca Flaherty keeping up a brave fight and repeatedly turning around to keep track of her pursuers who were hot on her heels with some eight seconds deficit. She finally crosses the finish line in first place, taking home Gold, with Ines Herault coming in second.
It is the second medal for Spain, the nation set to host the next edition of the World Mountain and Trail Running Championships in the Pyrenees in 2025. Fabiola Fortschegger was the fastest Austrian, finishing in 40th place. It was a suspenseful race that was neither short of changing leaders nor emotions.
