Emma Murray (AUS) retains her title, but USA sweep the board in the men’s Pike Peak Marathon. (Colorado – USA)

Predictions about the winner of the men’s World Long Distance Challenge were correct in identifying local boy Matt Carpenter, six times winner on this course in previous years, as the one to beat. Now aged 42 he is proof that long distance mountain running can be enjoyed at the top level well into the Masters age group. The expected challenge from outside the USA did not materialize with Steidl (GER) 4th, Lopez (MEX)5th, Vencelj (SLO – last year’s silver medalist) 6th and Bolt (SUI – last year’s bronze medalist) 8th.

. His time was 3 hours 45 minutes 41 seconds for the 42km course to the summit of Pikes Peak mountain and back to Manitou Springs, an ascent/descent of 2404m
Running the same course, Emma Murray (AUS) repeated her World Challenge victory in Cauteretes (FRA) last year, thus retaining her World Champion title which she plans to defend next year when the Challenge moves to Switzerland for the Jungfrau Marathon.

Danelle Ballengee (USA), another multiple winner of the Pikes Peak had to settle for second place over four minutes behind.
800 runners took part – a number that would have been doubled had the entry numbers not been limited for safety reasons.

The next World Long Distance Mountain Running Challenge will be held on September 8, 2007 within the 15th Jungfrau-Marathon in Interlaken (SUI).

1. Matt Carpenter (USA) 3:33:07
2. Galen Burrell (USA) 3:45:41
3. Zac Freudenburg (USA) 3:54:01
4. Uli Steidl (GER) 3:56:37
5. Miguel Lopez (MEX) 4:00:13
6. Toni Vencelij (SLO) 4:06:59
8. Daniel Bolt (SUI) 4:12:18

1. Emma Murray (AUS ) 4:21:09
2. Danelle Ballengee (USA) 4:25:44
3. Keri Nelson (USA) 4:51:53