The Andalusian race celebrates its eleventh edition on a sunny and
sunny day and with the high area of the sierra sporting its emblematic white
emblematic white bark.
Granada, April 5, 2025. Unicaja Ultra Sierra Nevada has celebrated this Saturday
the bulk of the tests of its program. The Andalusian event, consecrated as one of
the most desired ultramarathons in Europe, has gathered in this eleventh edition to
more than 1,700 runners from 50 different nationalities, thus beating its own
record of participation. As is now tradition, everything began on Friday night
in the Paseo del Salón in Granada, where the most intrepid athletes gathered at the
starting box to face this titanic challenge of 100 kilometers and 5,500 meters of positive vertical drop
.
The route of Unicaja Ultra Sierra Nevada hides no secrets. It is a route that
connects the heart of the capital with the ski resort of Pradollano, after passing
at the foot of the Veleta peak, reaching 3,000 meters of altitude. A tough performance
but at the same time a privilege, since the Granada race has the incentive of being the highest
high of the Peninsula. Between the start and finish, iconic places of the relief of the Sierra,
as the towns of Cenes de la Vega, Beas de Granada, Quéntar or Pinos Genil.
Already the passage through the Dornajo, at km 75, marks the beginning of that last quarter imposing
where part of the kilometers run on the snow itself.
The French athlete Cédric Chavet gave a real exhibition in this eleventh edition.
Right from the start, the French runner stood out at the head of the race (closely followed by Agustín Luján from La Mancha (
) until km 50) and culminated an impeccable performance
to win with a time of 11:55:31. He was the only one of the participants
who managed to go under twelve hours, marking an impossible distance for his other
two great rivals of the day, the also French Antoine Guillon and Nicolas Riviere,
who decided to enter the finish line together with a time of 12:37:12.
“I felt very good from the beginning and I had a good feeling. In addition
the atmosphere has been very good and the scenery beautiful. It’s true that the night was hard
, but the sunrise between the sun and running through the snow was wonderful”,
commented Cédric Chavet as he assimilated his victory at the finish line.
In the women’s category the winner was Pilar Medina, with a time of 15:29:16:
“The race was harder than I imagined, very demanding, especially the last
part in that climb to the Veleta. But running in the snow has been a great tip, I’ve
loved the feeling and it’s very enjoyable. The sunrise has been spectacular, I have
caught in the reservoir of Canales”.
Second at the finish line was Piedad Quesada (16:24:21), the winner of the 2024 edition,
and third was Argentina’s Gabriela Vieitez (16:32:45).
For its part, the Trail modality, which began at 6:00 in the morning in Cenes de
la Vega, offered a route of 60 kilometers and 3,800 meters of positive difference in altitude. The short ultramarathon
of the event crowned as champion José María Garrido (6:19:35),
who sufficiently beat Jairo Sánchez (6:34:21) and Víctor Galiana (6:50:38). In
the female category the victory went to Maud Combarieu (7:45:28), who won with
comfort to Miriam Garcia (8:12:25) and the Romanian Lidia Szekely (8:38:26).
Meanwhile, the Marathon modality, of 40 kilometers and 2,700 meters of positive difference in altitude,
passed without too many surprises. In the men’s category, Antonio Alfonso Ruiz
won in a time of 4:04:18, a very tight and hard-fought victory
against the push of David Pérez, second with 4:05:44, and Aarón Romagüera, third with
4:07:18. In the women’s category, the predictions were fulfilled and Gemma
Arenas won with authority, revalidating her title of last season. Triumph
very convincing with a time of 4:26:20. Second was Natalia Máñez (4:49:28) and
third Cristina Ortiz (5:02:57).
Throughout the day on Saturday the Pradollano resort will continue to receive the
participants of the three modalities held today: the Ultra, the Trail and the Marathon. Already
tomorrow Sunday will complete the program with the shortest of the modalities, the
Media, a race of 25 kilometers and 2,150 meters of positive slope with departure at
Pinos Genil and finish in Pradollano.
