START OF A NEW ERA FOR SCOTT RUNNING

The recently grown International Scott Running team was built on attitude. Andy SYMONDS had shown solid results but yet had to prove that he was capable of competing at international level. François GONON has been for years at international level, but had yet to put his orienteering skills to use on a Vertical Kilometer. But one thing made it all happen: They are good people. 

Thursday afternoon allowed for some catch up and quality time at the Scott House, rented for the occasion. The tone is set, we are taking SCOTT Running to a whole new level this weekend.

“You can’t expect world class results, if you don’t offer world class assistance. Potential is one thing, but you must be able to fully exploit it, and for that athlete deserve to be in the best pre and post race conditions.” explains GAFFURI, Sports Marketing Manager at SCOTT Running, based on his past experiences as an athlete himself.

 Creative director, Greg Lever O’Keefe, had also come for the weekend to discuss the future of SCOTT Running Footwear and collect valuable athlete feedback.

The hardest thing at the end of the weekend wasn’t walking down the stairs – yet a close second – or even coping with the lack of sleep. Alike summer camp, saying goodbye to people, who went from strangers to team mates and good friends within the space of only a few days, showed that the first stone of something beautiful had been put down.

The SCOTT Running team is setting forth and we’re all looking forwards to discover what it will turn into over the upcoming seasons.

Results in a nutshell are as follow

80k : Andy Symonds (UK), who recently joined the international Scott Running Team (http://www.scott-sports.com/global/en/teams/running/run-individual/andy-symonds/ ) has had a very solid race. After racing a lot this first half of the season, he stepped up his game at the second race of the Skyrunner World Series Ultra. After a fierce battle with second place runner, Franco Collè (IT), Andy took third and confirmed he was back at international level.

Vertical Kilometer : François Gonon, also new to the International Scott Running Team, made quite the impression for his first step into Skyrunning Vertical Kilometer. In a race where all the specialists of the discipline lined up, he earned himself the Skyrunning European Champion title, and to top it off broke by 11 seconds the course record previously held by a local runner from Les Houches, also known as Kilian Jornet!

Cross : The next day, François Gonon chose to also run the Cross. First place runner Stian Hovind-Angermund (NOR) – who finished second to François in the VK the day before - built a solid lead in the second part of the race, but François held on for second place, with great spirit.

3 podiums in two days, these men clearly delivered for his first race under SCOTT Running Team!

Marathon : To wrap up a weekend of racing, the Mont Blanc Marathon was held on Sunday morning. Elisa Desco, longtime member of the Scott Running International Team, had a fantastic race, letting her experience and strength play in her favor.

She went through the first half of the race conservatively, running together with Oihana Kortazar (Salomon international). At the first major climb of the race, Elisa pulled away and started building from a 2’30” lead at the half way point, to winning by over 10 minutes over runner up Oihana.

All results of the weekend can be found here : http://mbm.livetrail.net/classement.php?course=80km