Between April 26 and 28, 2024, Vipava Valley hosted the 9th edition of the Ultra Trail Vipava Valley I Feel Slovenia event. This event saw a record turnout of 2,150 runners and walkers from 40 countries who came to take on a new challenge in the valley.
Competitors competed in 6 different distances, including the Emperor 160 km, Centurion 110 km, Gladiator 60 km, Legionary 30 km, Asterix 15 km, and Castra City Run 10 km. In addition, there was also a non-competitive 11 km Obelix Hike & Wine event for hikers and lovers of Vipava cuisine.
The UTVV I Feel Slovenia began on Friday, April 26, in Ajdovščina, known as Castra in Roman times. The runners followed six marked routes, crossing the Vipava River and leading through vineyards and the southern ridges of the Vipava Brd. The runners then climbed to Nanos, met with freezing temperatures and snow. Due to the extreme weather conditions in the week leading up to the event, the organisers included winter gear in the list of mandatory equipment. They tightened the supervision of the mountain rescue service to ensure the safety of all runners on the course. The route then took the runners past Lijak to Sveta Gora above Nova Gorica, across the Soča River, and into Gorizia, Italy, before returning to Slovenia.
The Children’s Run also accompanied the event, organised as part of the Ajdovski tek project of the Ajdovščina Sports Institute, on Friday at 17.00 on Lavrič Square. The start of the Emperor Run, the longest race at 160 km, was met by a crowd of visitors and fans on the streets of Ajdov, and the Emperor himself, on horseback with his army, came to Lavrič Square to see them off. The much-awaited second 110 km Centurion start was enlivened by the Radio Ga Ga – New Generation team of impersonators.
The main square in Ajdovščina was also the venue of the event’s media partner, Radio Val 202, which broadcast the entire weekend programme from the centre of the ultra-running event. A total of 238 Centurions set off at 22.30 for the start of the 110 km Centurion race on a long and tiring night.
On Saturday, April 27, 413 runners started the 60-kilometre Gladiator race from Lavrič Square at 7.00. A record 784 runners set off at 9.00 a.m. for the 30 km Legionary Race to the crest of the Gora plateau. At 10:00, 90 hikers and lovers of Vipava wine and cuisine set off on the non-competitive Obelix Hike & Wine, a 10 km hike among the vineyards. Two more starts followed in the afternoon, the 15 km Asterix with 250 vertical metres, and the 10 km Castra City Run with 150 vertical metres.
On Saturday, April 27, at 9.54 am, the first runner on the 110 km route arrived in Ajdovščina, opening the finish arena. Hélio Fumo, a top runner from Portugal, broke the course record with 11 hours, 24 minutes, and 49 seconds. He was joined at the finish line by Italy’s Carlo Salvetti, with a good half-hour gap, and Slovenia’s Jon Lichteneger Vidmajer a few minutes behind him. Martina Klančnik Potrč won the women’s Centurion category for Slovenia with a record time of 13 hours, 21 minutes, and 9 seconds. Austria’s Cornelia Oswald followed her in second place.
UTVV I FEEL SLOVENIA 2024 RESULTS:
160 km – Emperor
Men:
- Aleš Frlic (SI) – 19:06:52
- Anže Sobočan (SI) – 19:44:41
- Aleš Svetina (SI) – 20:27:55
Women:
- Esther Fellhofer (AT) – 23:15:04
- ZuzanaMatúšová (SK) – 25:54:29
- Tjaša Seliškar (SI) – 26:37:39
110 km – Centurion
Men:
- Hélio Fumo (PT) -11: 24:54
- Carlo Salvetti (IT) – 11:59:32
- Jon Lihteneger Vidmajer (SI) – 12:02:27
Women:
- Martina Klančnik Potrč (SI) – 13:21:09
- Cornelia Oswald (AT) – 15h:01:09
- Diana Kuiš (HR) – 17:20:43
60 km – Gladiator
Men:
- Marko Tratnik (SI) – 5:25:56
- Matic Čačulovič (SI) – 5:26:21
- Nejc Blatnik (SI) – 5:28:39
Women:
- Petra Tratnik (SI) – 5:22:12
- Nicol Guidolin (IT) – 6:18:43
- Karolina Jelinkova (CZ) – 6:33:43
30 km – Legionar
Men:
- Alex Baldaccini (IT) – 2:55:28
- Dimitri Chapelle (FR) – 2:56:06
- Nejc Uršič (SI) – 2:59:47
Women:
- Virág Weiler (HU) – 3:33:08
- Tinkara Robek (SI) – 3:36:45
- Rebeka Petrovčič (SI) – 3:37:45
15 km – Asterix
Men:
- Vili Črv (SI) – 57:46
- Matic Tevž (SI) – 59:49
- Tadej Vehovec (SI) – 1:1:7
Women:
- Maruša Cijan Brkič (SI) – 1:9:9
- Neža Žerjav (SI) – 1:14:10
- Emma Karin Roidl (DE) – 1:15:14
10 km – Castra City Run
Men:
1. Vladislav Litvinchuk (RU) – 43:45
2. Andrej Rijavec (SI) – 44:31
3. Jernej Šemrov (SI) – 47:17