Engelhard completes double and Kiriago retains title at Défi des Couleurs
German wins both races in Quebec as Gitonga takes women’s mountain running World Cup on countback.
Germany’s Nina Engelhard completed a mountain running double at the Défi des Couleurs in Quebec, while Kenya’s Philemon Kiriago won the classic race to seal a second successive men’s World Cup title.
The event at Mont-Sainte-Anne was the finale of the 2026 WMRA World Cup and the first time the final has been held outside Europe. A day after an uphill-only race, the runners faced a classic up-and-down course of about 16km with 1200m of ascent, featuring three climbs and descents and more technical terrain, including the gruelling ‘L’Escarpée’ singletrack climb through the woods.
The series was disrupted by the absence of some Kenyan runners because of visa issues. Kiriago looked unreachable in the men’s standings, but the other podium places and the women’s title were very much up for grabs.
Engelhard, who had dominated the uphill race from start to finish the day before, set off hard and took control early. America’s Erin Moyer and Kenya’s Joyce Muthoni Njeru, the World Cup runner-up going into the race, led the chase, but Engelhard started to pull away on the first wide climb and had a lead of more than a minute at the first summit.
A steep descent followed by a steep ascent back up Mont-Sainte-Anne stretched her advantage further and she went on to win emphatically in 1:20:34. The battle for the other podium places was decided on the fast final 4km descent, where Njeru’s downhill skill saw her pass France’s Nelie Clement with 3km to go and take second in 1:23:45. Clement was third, six seconds back. Italy’s Arianna Dentis was fourth and Moyer fifth.
Top five (women)
The men started five minutes after the women. Kiriago, who had been fourth in the uphill race the day before, led from the start and quickly stretched out a lead on the first climb. Canada’s Remi Leroux stayed in touch initially and America’s Mason Coppi worked his way through the pack to join them.
Kiriago reached the first summit with a 22-second lead over Coppi, with Leroux and Italy’s Tiziano Moia behind. He maintained that lead on the very steep second ascent of Mont-Sainte-Anne, which climbs from 480m to 800m on a ski slope, with Coppi and Leroux still in contact and Moia and America’s Adam Sjolund not far behind. Positions were changing constantly through the field, with Britain’s Edward Hobbs among those in the mix.
The final 4km descent proved decisive. Kiriago could not be caught, but Coppi chased him all the way to the line to take second, 19 seconds behind. Leroux, the local favourite, was third to the delight of the crowd. Mexico’s Brayan Rodriguez was fourth and Sjolund fifth.
Top five (men)
The women’s title could not have been closer. With Ruth Gitonga absent from the final, Njeru had the chance to catch up and she took full advantage, finishing level on 384 points. Gitonga was declared the winner because she had won more races. Kirsty Skye Dickson was third overall with 264 points.
Kiriago, who was too far ahead to be caught, won the men’s title for the second year in a row with 396 points. Richard Atuya was second on 290 and Michael Saoli third on 223.
The race also decided the classic classification. Gitonga won the women’s title with 150 points, from Njeru on 92 and Dentis on 84. In the men’s classic classification Saoli won with 100 points, with Ephantus Njeri and Atuya tied for second on 92.
Full World Cup results are at wmra.info.
