Traditionally in the beginning of May 10-th Anniversary Red Fox Elbrus Race took place in one of the most beautiful Russian territories – Elbrus region. The festival was organized by the Red Fox Company, a leading Russian manufacturer of apparel and equipment with the participation of the Russian Mountaineering Federation, the Russian Ministry of Emergence and the Government of the Republic of Kabardino-Balkaria.


Photo: Nikita Skorohodov
Supported by “Resort Elbrus” company, W.L. Gore&Associates, Inc. and International SkyRunning Federation, Red Fox Elbrus Race 2018 gathered the strongest sky runners, outstanding climbers, skiers, the best ski-climbers, as well as multi-sportsmen and lovers of outdoor activities.


Photo: Oleg Chegodaev
This year Red Fox Elbrus Race again broke the record for the number of represented countries. About 500 participants from 22 countries (Russia, Austria, Andorra, Belarus, Bulgaria, Great Britain, Germany, Spain, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Macedonia, Mongolia, Poland, Slovenia, USA, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Finland, Czech Republic and Switzerland) took part in an exciting program of the festival.

The International Victory Cup, in which the servicemen fought for awards in sky running and ski-mountaineering, took place for the sixth time during the festival. These competitions, dedicated to the victory in the Great Patriotic War, have become a good tradition of the Red Fox Elbrus Race.

Elbrus Ski Monsters Expedition Race®

May 2, for the first time in the 10 years festival’s history there was Elbrus Ski Monsters Expedition Race, in which the strongest athletes could climb to the top of Elbrus. The distance passed through the historical places of Elbrus region.


Photo: Andrey Chepakin
18 teams (14 men’s and 4 women’s) from Russia, Andorra, Austria and Bulgaria took part in the Elbrus Ski Monsters Expedition Race. The race was in a test mode, that’s why the distance was cut: the additional loop through Hotu Tau was removed. The total mileage Elbrus Ski Monsters Expedition Race was 35 km with a total climb of 4500 m.


Photo: Andrey Chepakin
Only 7 of 18 teams could reach the Western peak of Elbrus. Leaders laid out so much that they literally fell down on the "Saddle". But as it was far away from the finish line, they had to get up and move on.


Photo: Nikita Skorohodov
The first two teams climbed to the top of Elbrus almost one after another and with a big gap from the rest, these were the team of the Russian Defense Ministry #1 (Evgeniy Markov and Vasiliy Khrychev) and the National Guard of Russia team #1 (Ruslan Kulmuhametov and Ivan Marchenkov). The third was the National Guard of Russia team #2 (Ivan Fedorov, Ivan Makaev).

But the delay on the “Saddle” was fatal for Markov and Khrychev – both teams of the National Guard of Russia went around them. As a result, the National Guard of Russian team #1 (Ruslan Kulmuhametov and Ivan Marchenkov) took the first place, the National Guard of Russia team #2 (Ivan Fedorov, Ivan Makaev) won the second place and the team of the Russian Defense Ministry #1 (Evgeniy Markov and Vasiliy Khrychev) became the third one. Team from Andorra (Vicenc Boltas и Carles Rossell) won the fourth place.

The fifth place won the team Dynafit (Johanna Erhart and Veronika Mayerhofer). That was the only women’s team who could climb to the top of Elbrus in Elbrus Ski Monsters Expedition Race. Johanna and Veronika took the first place among women’s teams and the fifth in an absolute classification, having bypassed 13 teams.


Photo: Andrey Chepakin
Diana Zelenova and Svetlana Berezan won the silver medals, ski mountaineers from Saint Petersburg Anastasia Scherbakova and Yana Kiryanova got the third place.


Photo: Andrey Chepakin

Photo: Andrey Chepakin
Vertical Kilometer® - Mt. Elbrus, 2450-3450 m. Russian Skyrunning Championship. Victory Cup.

May 5 in Elbrus region there was the opening ceremony of Red Fox Elbrus Race. After the official part, all the participants could observe the exciting tricks of the outstanding slackliner Friedi Kuhne (Red Fox team), the world record holder of Free Solo Highline for free walking on the line. Friedi went on a highline set just above the slope of Elbrus.



Photo: Andrey Chepakin
The same day there was a start of the sky running discipline – the highest Vertical Kilometer in the world. A record number of participants - 388 athletes from 17 countries! - were standing before the starting line. The Victory Cup was also took place during the Vertical Kilometer.


Photo: Andrey Chepakin

Photo: Roman Barabonov
Sunny weather created a festive mood. But the state of the track left much to be desired: the snow, which was laid this year from the very Azau Meadow, already had time to deoxidize under the rays of the sun, which illuminated the slopes since the morning. The four leaders, as usual, were ahead. Three Russians and behind them the Austrian Dominik Salcher, who eventually came to finish third, ahead of the current record holder of the festival in this discipline, Vitaly Chernov (Red Fox team). Vitali this year became the fourth.


Photo: Andrey Chepakin

Photo: Nikita Skorohodov
The Red Fox Company director Vlad Moroz, master of sports in mountaineering, traditionally took part in the race.

Alexei Pagnuev from Sverdlovsk Oblast won the first place in Vertical Kilometer® - Mt. Elbrus, 2450-3450 m., his result is 45 minutes 31 seconds. Yevgeny Markov (Sverdlovsk Oblast) was the second who crossed the finish line (45 minutes 38 seconds). Dominik Salcher (Austria) got the bronze medal with the result 46 minutes 55 seconds.


Photo: Andrey Chepakin
Elena Kravtchenko (Red Fox team) from Irkutsk won the race among the women’s the fifth time in a row. Her result is 56 minutes 27 seconds. Multiple winner of the festival Zhanna Vokueva from Saint Petersburg took the second place with the result 57 minutes 21 seconds. The third place went to Natalya Sergeeva (National Guard of Russia team #1) from Khabarovsk Krai – 57 minutes 50 seconds.


Photo: Andrey Chepakin
As a result of the competition the gold medals of the Russian Skyrunning Championship were given to Yevgeny Markov and Elena Kravtchenko (Red Fox team). Vitaly Chernov from Irkutsk (46minutes 57 seconds) and Zhanna Vokueva got the silver medals. The bronze medals went to Ivan Marchenkov from Moscow Oblast (48 minutes 13 seconds) and Natalya Sergeeva.


Photo: Roman Barabonov
SkyMarathon® - Mt. Elbrus, 2350-5642 m. The 1-st stage of the Skyrunning Cup of Russia. Victory Cup.

Skyrace® - Mt Elbrus, 3780-5642 m. Open Kabardino-Balkaria Skyrunning Championship. Victory Cup.

May 7, the culmination event of the Red Fox Elbrus Race festival was held - a high-speed ascent to the highest point of Europe, Elbrus (5642 m). Since 2012, it’s taking place in two classes: "Sport" (SkyMarathon® - Mt Elbrus and the 1st stage of the Russian Skaranning Cup) and "Classic" (Skyrace® - Mt Elbrus and the Open Skbinning Championship of the CBD), providing the opportunity to be on the top of Elbrus experienced athletes, and non-professionals.


Photo: Roman Barabonov
173 athletes went to the start in “Classic” and 87 sportsmen ran from Azau Meadow in class “Sport”. This year track SkyMarathon® – Mt Elbrus was certified by the ITRA – International Trail-Running Association and got the highest assessments of the world's mountain complexity - 45 points.


Photo: Andrey Chepakin
Due to unfavorable weather conditions, the distance was changed. Strong wind, snow and low temperatures forced the referees to close the summit for the safety of the participants. The race passed not as usual to the Western peak of Elbrus, but to the "Saddle" (5350 m), followed by descent and finish on the "Barrels" (3780 m).


Photo: Andrey Chepakin

Photo: Andrey Chepakin
A very strong wind blew over the Pastukhov Rocks. It was the one that broke the moral of some participants. But despite the difficult weather conditions many athletes still continued to fight and decided to finish the race that is to reach the “Saddle” and then run to the finish on the “Barrels”.


Photo: Andrey Chepakin
26 years old Dominik Salcher won the SkyMarathon® - Mt Elbrus; he broke away from the participants from the very start and maintained a leading position to the finish.

Dominik ran so fast that only 100 meters before the “Saddle” learned that instead of the top, he had to run down. As a result, he overcame the distance Azau Meadow (2350 m.) – “Mir” station (3450 m.) – “Barrels” (3780 m.) - Pastukhov Rocks (4800 m.) - Saddle (5350 m.) – “Barrels” (3780 m.) for 3 hours 29 minutes 36 seconds.


Photo: Roman Barabonov

Photo: Roman Barabonov
The athlete from Kazakhstan Shyngys Baikashev (Red Fox Kazakhstan Team) took the second place: 3 hours, 38 minutes, 50 seconds. Vitaly Shkel lost him 10 seconds and became the third (3 hours 39 minutes).


Photo: Roman Barabonov

Photo: Roman Barabonov
Maxim Kotchergin won the “Classic” distance (start from the “Barrels”). He ran the route “Barrels” (3780 m.) - Pastukhov Rocks (4800 m.) - Saddle (5350 m.) – “Barrels” (3780 m.) with the result 2 hours 53 minutes 44 seconds. Ivan Sadovin (2 h. 55 m. 23 s.) took the second place; Otgonkhuu Dorjsurenkhor (3 h. 02 m. 14 s.) from Mongolia is the third.

Oksans Stefanishina (inov8 Team Russia), multiple winner and the record holder of the festival, won the “Sport” distance (Azau Meadow (2350 m.) – “Mir” station (3450 m.) – “Barrels” (3780 m.) - Pastukhov Rocks (4800 m.) - Saddle (5350 m.) – “Barrels” (3780 m.) ) among women. She ran it for 4 hours 35 minutes 25 seconds. Elena Rukhlyada (inov8 Team Russia) is the second (4 h.41 m.16 s.); Nadezhda Ermakova (4 h. 51 m. 31 s.) took the third place.


Photo: Andrey Chepakin
In the “Classic” route (start from the “Barrels”) Nadezhda Korolyatina finished the first (3 h. 30 m. 41 s.), Anna Korobko (4 h. 02 m. 18 s.) and Polina Nikitina (4 h.16 m. 25 s.) came after her.

The International Victory Cup among the servicemen was held for the sixth time within the 10-th Anniversary Red Fox Elbrus Race.

Vitaly Shkel (3 h. 39 m. 00 s.) from Kabardino-Balkaria and Natalya Sergeeva (5 h. 04 m. 52 s.) from Khabarovsk Krai became the winners of the VI Victory Cup (on the distance SkyMarathon® – Mt Elbrus), dedicated to the victory in the Great Patriotic War.

The silver medals went to Yevgeny Markov (3 h. 47 m. 13 s.) from Sverdlovsk Oblast and Julia Krasnova (5 h. 52 m. 13 s.) from Moscow Oblast. Ilyas Achabaev (4 h. 09 m. 14 s.) from Kabardino-Balkaria and Svetlana Berezan (5 h. 52 m. 40 s.) from Kamchatka Krai got the third place.

In Skyrace® - Mt Elbrus Alexander Yuryev (5 h. 33 m. 10 s.) was the first among men and Aigul Chigzhit (4 h. 51 m. 49 s.) won the race among women.

Despite the difficult weather conditions, 53 athletes could overcame the distance in “Sport” class and 92 runners finished in “Classic”.

According to the tradition, during the international festival Red Fox Elbrus Race 2018 Red Fox Alexander Edgarovich Glushkovsky, the co-founder and director of the Red Fox Company despite the bad weather that day, ascended to the highest mountain of Europe - Elbrus peak (5642 m).


Photo: Roman Barabonov
The final event of the Red Fox Elbrus Race 2018 was the snowshoeing race - the Red Fox TSL Challenge.


Photo: Roman Barabonov
In contrast to the high-speed climbing, the snowfall is only an advantage: the more snow the better for the discipline. But that day the participants ran in the rain.

Vitaly Chernov (Red Fox team) from Irkutsk was the first, then – Yevgeny Markov, Dmitry Golikov is the third.


Photo: Andrey Chepakin
Elena Kravtchenko (Red Fox team) took the first place among women. Varvara Shikanova (Red Fox team) and Elena Rukhlyada (inov8 Team Russia) have won the second and the third places respectively.


Photo: Nikita Skorohodov
We express our gratitude to all participants of the Red Fox Elbrus Race 2018. See you next year!