Neither the rain, nor the cold, nor even the change in date for the UTAX- Ultra Trail of the Aldeias do Xisto prevented about1500 athletes from signing up for one of the various AXtrail events, which took place in Miranda do Corvo last weekend, 18-20 March. The event, which is already a national and international reference in the world of trail running, attracted more than 2000 visitors to the Aldeias do Xisto, including athletes, family, friends, and even the AXtrail Team itself.
On Saturday 19 March, 3 events took place: UTAX (Ultra Trail Aldeias do Xisto - 110 km) TSL (Trail Serra da Lousã - 50km) and TX - Trail do Xisto - 22km). The big winners in each of the races were run.pt’s Luis Duarte (UTAX 12:25:36) Guilherme Lourenço, from CRP Ribafria Club (TSL - 04:57:45), and Miguel Reis e Silva, from Salomon Portugal (TX - 01:56:06). In the women's category the first three places went to Nutrimania’s Sofia Roquete (UTAX - 16:20:40), Virginia Pereira, from Trilhos do Costume (TSL - 07:05:43), and Inês Marques, from ProAventuras (TX - 02:25:28).
UTAX started at 00:00 on the 19th (Friday night to Saturday), and ran until 02am the next day. The first night was quite rainy and cold, which, combined with the distance, unevenness, and technical difficulty of the course (aggravated by mud and slippery ground), was the cause of most the withdrawals. In the general opinion of the athletes, UTAX persists as a high quality and technically demanding event, being considered by many as one of their main competitive goals / objectives. Completion times ranged from 12:25:36 to 26:05:41! The results are available for consultation here.
Taking place at the same time as UTAX, the Trail Serra da Lousã (50 km) and Trail do Xisto (22 km) started on Saturday morning, the latter being the event with the largest number of participants, registering a total of 500 athletes. The races ran smoothly and received the highest compliments from the athletes. Serra da Lousã is still very popular for trail running, and AXtrail is a reference in the organisation of this type of competitions.
Trail running for everyone...
The last day of the event was packed with activities, starting with the AXtrail Kids for the youngsters. This was followed by Xisto Mini-Trail, a short distance trail running race and a walk between Miranda do Corvo, and Gondramaz Aldeia do Xisto.
Nevertheless, it was the AXtrail of Inclusion that most impressed athletes, audience, and even the organisation. The 5 teams in this race, each composed of one participant with reduced mobility and 4 accompanying athletes, started from Vila Nova and ran along 9 km of footpaths, with various types of terrain, climbs, descents, mud and rock. All this by means of a “Joëlette” wheelchair - a mono-wheel all-terrain chair, designed for people with motor difficulties and supported by 2 to 4 companions (athletes, family, or friends). This was an initiative of Go Outdoors partnering with the brands Floema® and AXtrail®. The support of ARCIL - Association for the Rehabilitation In Need Citizens of Lousã and NEL - Pédatleta (Leiria's Speleology Nucleus) also contributed to the success of this activity.
During the three days of the event, a Technical Equipment, Handicraft and Regional Products Fair was held at the Praça José Falcão Square, in Miranda do Corvo. The aim was to make it easier for athletes and trail-running lovers to access specific equipment for the sport, to clarify any doubts, and to get personalised advice on the best equipment for any situation. At the same time, the aim was also to share the charms of Serra da Lousã and the Aldeias do Xisto to all participants, giving easy access to regional products and delicacies.
Around 300 people were involved in the organisation of the whole event, including qualified professionals, volunteers, members of various local authorities (Miranda do Corvo, Lousã, Castanheira de Pêra, Góis, and Penela), 5 fire brigades (the same local authorities), the National Republican Guard, and local associations. The AXtrail Team thanks all of them for their contribution and hospitality, thus contributing to the success of this 9th edition of the AXtrail®series, and the corresponding 5th edition of the UTAX.