If today is anything to go by, we’re going to have plenty of battles for race positions this week.

Having teamed up early doors, seasoned ultra athletes James Izzard and Karl Alvarez take the joint win on the first day of the Jungle Ultra. Karl is on track to be one of our first competitors to complete the BTU Global Race Series and is hoping to podium at the Jungle Ultra. Stride by stride they pushed each other to the finish, banking an exceptional time of 3 hours 36 minutes.

1st woman over the line and 5th overall was Gabriella Mathisen. Gabriella is an extraordinary, one armed athlete who has taken the jungle by storm. She has a deep fight within her that was demonstrated on the course today and she’s hungry for a strong performance at the Jungle Ultra.

Good friends John Belton and Spencer Matthews were 3rd and 4th overall. With just 9 minutes between the pair you can see the rivalry has started. Spencer is thriving in the jungle and will be keen to hunt John down, who finished the day with plenty in the tank.

*You will have noticed that top of the leader board was local runner Evaristo Quehue, known to us as Ruben. Ruben is a local farmer from Pilcopata who ran in the first ever edition of the Jungle Ultra. Today, he was first over the line in an incredible time of 3 hours 30 minutes. Since the race was formed, we have invited local runners to take part and it’s amazing that year after year Ruben returns. He does not run under the same rules as our other competitors. He is not fully self sufficient and so he runs in a class of his own.

Congratulations to all of our runners today. Many enjoyed their descent down from Cloud Forest through the foot hills of the valley. Our runners are perfecting the art of putting up their hammocks, particularly as there was a possibility of rain tonight.

Stage Two race start is 6.30 Peru Time / 12:30 UK Time.