Day Four of the Beyond the Ultimate Mountain Ultra, known as “Altyn Arashan,” brought the runners to new heights, both literally and metaphorically. This stage, renowned for its challenging elevation, saw participants navigating the course at an average altitude of 3,000m, traversing numerous remote high passes en route to the breathtaking Jyrgalan Valley.
The day began with competitors departing from the previous camp, immediately ascending into the alpine meadows. These lush fields, adorned with a tapestry of wildflowers, gradually transitioned into forested mountain slopes.
Throughout the course of the day the runners encountered three major high passes. Each pass presented its own unique challenges, with steep ascents and descents on technical terrain demanding both physical stamina and mental fortitude. Every step made on the rough terrain required careful consideration, and with burning lungs and light heads, the challenge was dramatically increased, the thin mountain air affected all.
Frode Lein and Reinhold Hugo once again demonstrated their dominance by crossing the finish line together, clocking in at an impressive 7 hours and 48 minutes. Their joint effort not only solidified their positions as frontrunners in the race but also showcased the spirit of teamwork and mutual respect that is often seen in ultra-distance events.
Rory Warnock followed closely behind, finishing the stage in 8 hours and 28 minutes. His consistent performance throughout the race has kept him firmly in contention.
Veronique Lievin once again strode to victory in the Women’s race, massively extending her lead at the front of the pack. Veronique crossed the line alongside Graham Murdoch in 9 hours 50 minutes. behind Veronique came Katie Baker (12 hours 30 minutes) and Dawn Cassey (12 hours 38 minutes), with Dawn taking her first stage podium.
We also saw BTU Jungle Ultra Finisher Harry Edmonds cross the line alongside Katie in 12 hours 30 minutes, with Gary Chapman and Wolfgang Schoenegger making camp just minutes ahead of them.
As the runners reached the end of the day’s stage, they were welcomed into a traditional yurt camp, nestled in the scenic Jyrgalan valley. The camp provided a much-needed respite after the day’s exertions, offering a place for rest and recovery.
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| Name | Gender | Bib | Stage 4 Finish Time | Stage 4 Time | Stage Position | Gender Position | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frode Lein | Male | 10 | 3:18:00 PM | 7:48:00 | 1 | 1 | ||||||||||||||
| Reinhold HUGO | Male | 22 | 3:18:00 PM | 7:48:00 | 2 | 2 | ||||||||||||||
| Rory Warnock | Male | 24 | 3:58:00 PM | 8:28:00 | 3 | 3 | ||||||||||||||
| Thomas Evans | Male | 25 | 4:24:00 PM | 8:54:00 | 4 | 4 | ||||||||||||||
| Graeme Murdoch | Male | 12 | 5:20:00 PM | 9:50:00 | 5 | 5 | ||||||||||||||
| Veronique Lievin | Female | 26 | 5:20:00 PM | 9:50:00 | 6 | 1 | ||||||||||||||
| Peter Smith | Male | 21 | 6:31:00 PM | 11:01:00 | 7 | 6 | ||||||||||||||
| William Dobbie | Male | 27 | 6:31:00 PM | 11:01:00 | 8 | 7 | ||||||||||||||
| Wolfgang Schönegger | Male | 28 | 6:52:00 PM | 11:22:00 | 9 | 8 | ||||||||||||||
| Gary Chapman | Male | 11 | 7:54:00 PM | 12:24:00 | 10 | 9 | ||||||||||||||
| Harry Edmonds | Male | 13 | 8:00:00 PM | 12:30:00 | 11 | 10 | ||||||||||||||
| Katie Baker | Female | 16 | 8:00:00 PM | 12:30:00 | 12 | 2 | ||||||||||||||
| Dawn Cassey | Female | 5 | 8:08:00 PM | 12:38:00 | 13 | 3 | ||||||||||||||
| Katrina Wright | Female | 17 | 8:42:00 PM | 13:12:00 | 14 | 4 | ||||||||||||||
| Robin Moore | Female | 23 | 8:42:00 PM | 13:12:00 | 15 | 5 | ||||||||||||||
| Brian Bell | Male | 4 | 20:58 | 13:28:00 | 16 | 11 | ||||||||||||||
| Matthew Von Ertfelda | Male | 18 | 8:58:00 PM | 13:28:00 | 17 | 12 | ||||||||||||||
| Alison Graham | Female | 2 | – | – | 18 | 6 | ||||||||||||||
| Beibei Fan | Female | 3 | – | – | 19 | 7 | ||||||||||||||
| Eddie Avraham | Male | 8 | – | – | 20 | 13 | ||||||||||||||
| Frederick Soederstroem | Male | 9 | – | – | 21 | 14 | ||||||||||||||
| Jon Howard | Male | 14 | – | – | 22 | 15 | ||||||||||||||
| Nora Holford | Female | 19 | – | – | 23 | 8 | ||||||||||||||
| Olivia Keating | Female | 20 | – | – | 24 | 9 | ||||||||||||||
