With more than 220 male and female athletes from Cyprus and abroad participating, the O3 Olympus Man – Trail Run took place last Sunday (October 18), with runners testing their limits on the challenging trails around the Troodos Mountains.
The event is organized by Activate Cyprus and is included in the ITRA (International Trail Running Association) calendar, offering participants the opportunity to earn ITRA points. The race featured four courses: the Ultra (72 km), Marathon+ (47 km), Classic (21 km), and Adventure Trail Run (10 km).
ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ ΑΡΘΡΑ
The O3 Olympus Man – Trail Run, which took place for the first time in 2022—initially as part of the O3 Olympus Man – Triathlon and, starting the following year, on a separate date— has once again highlighted the value of endurance, effort, and a love for running in nature, attracting athletes who seek to push beyond their limits and achieve new goals.
All runners began their race at Troodos Square, with the routes winding through rugged trails and steep slopes of the Troodos Mountains, which lend a unique character to the event. Of course, the most demanding part of the routes was the ascent to Mount Olympus, Cyprus’s highest peak, where the athletes were called upon to overcome yet another significant challenge to reach the culmination of their efforts.
The winners of the long-distance race
In the O3 OlympusMan Ultra category, which features the longest and most demanding distance (72 km), Austrian Philipp Matter was the first to cross the finish line, completing the race in 9 hours and 31 minutes. Briton Nathan Montague finished second with a time of 9:42:34, while his compatriot Andy Grey took third place with a time of 9:44:40.
In the women’s race, Irina Masanova stood out, completing the 72-kilometer course in 11 hours, 10 minutes, and 35 seconds.
The other categories
In the 47-kilometer Marathon+ category, Maksim Petrov emerged as the winner with a time of 5:07:50. Second place went to Loizos Loizou of Cyprus, who finished in 5:19:02, while third place, with a time of 5:34:53, went to Andraz Renko, who finished second last year in the Classic 21-km category. Fourth place, with a time of 5:58:31, went to cyclist Giorgos Kouzis, in his first attempt at the race.
In the Classic category, where the distance is equal to a half-marathon (21 km) and which always attracts the most participants, Aleksei Koshkin was the winner for the second consecutive year, completing the course in 1:49:10. He was followed by Nikos Paradeisopoulos and Samuel Barna of Slovakia, who both finished with the same time, 1:52:08, while Gavin Jones was just behind them (1:52:29).
In the Adventure Trail Run category, three athletes completed the 10-kilometer course in less than an hour. They finished in the following order: Stefan Stankovic (55:48), Konstantin Kalinin (56:11), and William Keohane (58:07).
The OlympusMan – Trail Run was sponsored by Atlantic Insurance and the Troodos Hotel.
For more information about the OlympusMan – Trail Run, visit www.activatecyprus.com/o3-olympusman-trail-run.
