The 2024 Sierre-Zinal mountain race was thrilling right until the athletes crossed the finish line. Joyline Chepngeno (Kenya) won the women’s race in a breakout performance, while Kilian Jornet (Spain, lives in Norway) took his 10th win of the men’s race, and set a course record by the narrowest of margins.
The race started at 11 a.m. local time on Saturday, August 10, in the village of Sierre, Switzerland, in the heart of the Valais Alps, and featured around 2,200 meters (7,200 feet) of elevation gain over 31 kilometers (19 miles). The event finishes in the village of Zinal.
Sierre-Zinal is an iconic European mountain race and is also known as the ‘race of five 4,000s,’ as the course sits in view of five main Swiss peaks: Weisshorn (4,404 meters), Zinal Ironthorn (4,221 meters), Obergabelhorn (4,063 meters), Matterhorn (4,478 meters), and Dent Blanche (4,357 meters).
Recently, we used data in this article to dive deep into the history and competition of Sierre-Zinal.
The race was simultaneously part of the World Mountain Running Association (WMRA) World Cup and the Golden Trail World Series.
It was a hot start to the day, with temperatures reaching 26 degrees Celsius (79 degrees Fahrenheit) at the start line. There were clear blue skies throughout and dry conditions, with temperatures only getting warmer throughout the race.
There was a shock win for Kenyan athlete Joyline Chepngeno, who had a huge lead throughout, despite it being her first ever trail race. Whilst Kilian Jornet won the race for the 10th time, he was pushed to his limits by Philemon Ombogo Kiriago (Kenya), last year’s champion who attacked near the close of the race. Read on for the full race story.
2024 Sierre-Zinal Women’s Race
This year’s Sierre-Zinal’s biggest story surrounded the women’s winner Joyline Chepngeno of Kenya, a true underdog in the race. This was Chepngeno’s first ever trail race, in fact, it was her first recorded race since running in school. After the birth of her two children, Chepngeno lost 30 kilograms and decided to run again, and this was her spectacular debut to the world of trail running.
Not only did Chepngeno win one of the most competitive trail races in the world, but she won by a huge margin. Right from the beginning, she took pole position in the women’s race, and extended her lead throughout.
Joyline Chepngeno, the surprise winner of the 2024 Sierre-Zinal. Photo: World Mountain Running Association/Marco Gulberti
There was some speculation as to whether Chepngeno was going to be able to maintain the lead, potentially going too hard at the start and unable to fend off more experienced athletes. However, she buried any of the doubts and dominated the women’s race to the end, finishing more than eight minutes clear of her closest competitor.
Whilst Chepngeno took the lead, another ascendant athlete took second place. Scout Adkin (U.K.) was taking part in her longest trail race to date, however she’s been quickly rising through the WMRA World Cup ranks this summer, with prior top performances. She passed through the checkpoint at Ponchette (7.5 kilometers) in 59:29, one minute ahead of one of the race favorites, Joyce Muthoni Njeru (Kenya).
Scout Adkin takes second at the 2024 Sierre-Zinal. Photo: World Mountain Running Association/Marco Gulberti
Running with Muthoni Njeru was Monica Mădălina Florea (Romania), who recently took second at the 2024 Marathon du Mont Blanc.
As the runners entered the next checkpoint at Chandolin, Muthoni Njeru overtook Adkin for second place, but this lead was seemingly short lived. On the descent to Tignousa at 16k, it looked as though Muthoni Njeru had overcooked it, and Adkin made a strong attack, retaining her second-place position.
Adkin passed the checkpoint 29 seconds ahead of Muthoni Njeru. Florea continued to maintain her position in fourth a minute back, whilst Philaries Jeruto Kisang (Kenya) came through in fifth a couple of minutes later.
Unfortunately for Muthoni Njeru, she continued to fade, and this worked to Florea’s advantage. She overtook to take over third place around the 20k mark, now less than two minutes behind Adkin in second. As a powerful downhill runner, this was a chance for Florea to make up ground, but Adkin maintained her position all the way to the finish line.
Joyline Chepngeno crossed the finish line in 2:54:06, taking a huge win. She was followed by Scout Adkin, who finished in 3:02:21, and Monica Mădălina Florea in third in 3:04:29. Philaries Jeruto Kisang moved up to fourth and finished in 3:05:52, and Cristina Simion (Romania) finished fifth in 3:07:51.
Joyce Muthoni Njeru dropped out of the top 10 and finished in 12th in 3:13:30.
Monica Mădălina Florea celebrates third place at the 2024 Sierre-Zinal. Photo: World Mountain Running Association/Marco Gulberti
2024 Sierre-Zinal Women’s Results
- Joyline Chepngeno (Kenya) – 2:54:06
- Scout Adkin (U.K.) – 3:02:21
- Monica Mădălina Florea (Romania) – 3:04:29
- Philaries Jeruto Kisang (Kenya) – 3:05:52
- Cristina Simion (Romania) – 3:07:51
- Anna Gibson (U.S.) – 3:08:39
- Sophia Laukli (U.S.) – 3:09:36
- Oria Liaci (Switzerland) – 3:10:46
- Julie Lelong (France) – 3:12:11
- Caitlin Fielder (New Zealand) – 3:12:54
2024 Sierre-Zinal Men’s Race
It was a bold but expected start to the race from favorite Kilian Jornet (Spain, lives in Norway), who already had nine wins to his name on the revered route. He started at the front of the race and looked to have a significant gap on the rest of the field.
Kilian Jornet winning the 2024 Sierre-Zinal in a sprint finish. Photo: World Mountain Running Association/Marco Gulberti
However, at the Ponchette checkpoint, 7.5k in, Josphat Kiprotich (Kenya) had closed the gap and came through hot on Jornet’s heels. Switzerland’s Rémi Bonnet, the 2022 and 2023 Golden Trail World Series overall winner, came through next, followed by Patrick Kipngeno and Paul Machoka of Kenya.
The first twist of the men’s race came shortly thereafter, when Kiprotich overtook Jornet. This is where the first battle at the front of the men’s race commenced and it was a cat-and-mouse chase between the two athletes, with Kiprotich running within 15 seconds of course record pace at the 12k mark.
By halfway, Kiprotich still had a modest lead, coming through the checkpoint in 1:23:15, followed by Jornet in 1:24:01.
Whilst the battle ensued for first, Kipngeno and Bonnet worked together to hold onto third and fourth positions, as they passed through the 16k mark together in 1:25:26. Philemon Ombogo Kiriago (Kenya), the 2023 Sierre-Zinal champion, had by now managed to overtake Machoka to move into fifth place.
Philemon Ombogo Kiriago is all smiles after a second-place finish at the 2024 Sierre-Zinal. Photo: World Mountain Running Association/Marco Gulberti
After the 20k mark, where most of the climbing had been completed, the race really became unpredictable. Jornet caught up with Kiprotich and they passed the 20k checkpoint in 1:43:17, but this is where Jornet made his attack. He created a 30-second lead on second place, and rolled along the trails whilst others battled it out behind.
Although Kipngeno and Bonnet hit Hotel Weisshorn at the same time (1:45:03), it was Kipngeno who went for the attack and overtook Kiprotich for second place. But that wasn’t the end. Kipngeno’s training partner Ombogo Kiriago steamed ahead, and with a polite tap on the back, powered past Kipngeno and had his sights set on Jornet.
On the technical descent toward the finish line, it looked like Jornet had a comfortable lead when Ombogo Kiriago came out of nowhere to overtake the nine-time winner and even gained on him.
This was by far the biggest shock of the race, and it wasn’t long before Jornet drove down the descent hard to reclaim first position, but he had to work for it all the way to the finish line. Ombogo Kiriago was chasing hard, and the sprint finish through the streets of Zinal led Kilian Jornet to win and also take a new course record, finishing in 2:25:34, beating his previous 2019 course record by a single second.
Philemon Ombogo Kiriago finished just behind in 2:25:36 and the two athletes collapsed as they crossed the line. Patrick Kipngeno held third position and crossed the line in 2:26:59, followed by Josphat Kiprotich in 2:31:35 in fourth, and Roberto Delorenzi (Switzerland) in 2:32:26 for fifth place.
Paul Mochoka ultimately took sixth in 2:32:35, and Rémi Bonnet faded during the latter end of the race and dropped back to ninth position, crossing in 2:33:57.
Patrick Kipngeno taking third at the 2024 Sierre-Zinal. Photo: World Mountain Running Association/Marco Gulberti
2024 Sierre-Zinal Men’s Race Results
- Kilian Jornet (Spain, lives in Norway) – 2:25:34
- Philemon Ombogo Kiriago (Kenya) – 2:25:36
- Patrick Kipngeno (Kenya) – 2:26:59
- Josphat Kiprotich (Kenya) – 2:31:35
- Roberto Delorenzi (Switzerland) – 2:32:26
- Paul Machoka (Kenya) – 2:32:35
- Sylvain Cachard (France) – 2:32:45
- Jonathan Castillo Sáenz (Columbia) – 2:32:45
- Rémi Bonnet (Switzerland) – 2:33:57
- Ezekiel Rutto (Kenya) – 2:35:21
