August 2022
Skip forward 3 months and the team is back in Switzerland. This time with Sarah again, joined by Daisy and Enock, thanks to successful visa applications. They have, however, swapped the flat roads around Lake Geneva for the alpine trails of Zermatt, at Ultraks. Home of the Matterhorn, although shrouded in a cloud the first few days, the iconic landscape of the area painted a perfect picture of what was to come over the next few days. A relaxed environment ensued, and good laughs were had by all in the lead up to the race. A highlight being the gondola up the mountain to watch the end of the Vertical Kilometre race.
Sarah and Enock were taking part in the 32k “Mountain” race with 2000m elevation gain while Daisy was entered in the 19km “Active” race ascending 1150m. Pointers and tips from SCOTT International Athlete, Fred Tranchand, were well received and the preparation to succeed was in place. Podium results on a new terrain were up in the air, but the grit and determination of the runners was rewarded in the result. Sarah finished 2nd, Enock 3rd, and Daisy an unlucky 4th after taking a wrong turn on the course.