The Freetrail Podcast with Dylan Bowman

OCC Recap | Jim Walmsley & Joyline Chepngeno’s Dramatic Wins + Results and Storylines

20 snips
Aug 28, 2025
Race day excitement is captured with firsthand perspectives and live-stream thrills. Weather complications cause strategic shifts, challenging athletes on demanding terrain. The discussion dives into dynamic position changes, highlighting emotional highs and lows during the competition. Insights into sponsorship and innovative running gear add depth, while standout performances from talented competitors like Joylene and emerging East African athletes showcase the evolving landscape of ultra-running. Anticipation builds for an exciting race weekend ahead!
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INSIGHT

Course Shift Made It A Leg-Speed Race

  • The OCC course change concentrated the climbing into one long 2,000m ascent and made the final ~20K a high-speed descent and flat finish.
  • That reshaped the race into a leg-speed contest where downhill and flat running late became decisive.
ANECDOTE

Jim's Early Lead Then Dramatic Shuffle

  • Jim Walmsley established a gap into Martigny and then reappeared with a two-minute lead at Col de la Fourche before the descent into Trient.
  • The race turned chaotic after that descent as positions shuffled and Jim temporarily lost and regained the lead.
INSIGHT

Aid Station Failures Had Big Consequences

  • Aid-station failures at Martigny (no water) materially affected top athletes who rely on those stations for refilling and mixing fuel.
  • In OCC there is no outside crew, so an aid fiasco can cascade into major race consequences.
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