It was all there, as if not a single day had passed. The incredible track crossing Rose Valley giving us the opportunity to admire a natural miracle from above. The trails crossing Love Valley and taking us past the characteristic phallic shaped pillars. The lunar landscape of the large plateau in kilometres 46-50, providing an incredible view of the surrounding valleys and mountains, as far as the eye could see. The dry landscape of the area, broken by a refreshing circuit of the lake in the 110k race.

 

 

It was all there, as if not a single day had passed. The incredible organization and professionalism displayed by the organizers of the Salomon Cappadocia Ultra Trail, which was evident from the very beginning, i.e. the registration process and the electronic processing of all participation documents, continued with more than 1,300 athletes from 67 countries being punctually collected from the airport on the date and time declared at registration, and culminated in three flawlessly executed races with impeccably supplied aid stations.

 

 

While watching the setting up of the starting area, the mobile kitchens, the massage and physiotherapy tents, the hundreds of trestle tables for the pasta party and rich post-race meal (with a DJ playing throughout the race!) in the mystical space beneath the rock faces and caves of Urgup, we were truly amazed - we have rarely seen an equal level of efficiency in our extensive travels to races around the world. 

 

 

It was all there, as if not a single day had passed. The aid stations with everything you can think of, in quantities adequate to serve even the very last runner (various types of cake, cheese, bread, ham, halva, tangerines, bananas, lemons, small sweets and snacks, coca cola, tea, coffee, energy gels and bars, pasta and hot soup at the main stations, and more...).

 

 

The excellent signposting, with flags, ribbons, signs and pointers sending you in the right direction, as well as a very large number of other volunteers, executing their tasks with professionalism and great enthusiasm, friendliness and warmth. The latest timekeeping and live monitoring system in the world, Livetrail (uRTime - Electronic Timing System), with two timing chips for extra security (one on the runners' bib and one hanging on their rucksack).

 

 

Perhaps the best T-shirt in terms of quality and design that we have ever seen, a beautiful finisher's fleece jacket for the 60 & 110k runners, a very useful and high-end booklet with information about the race, free top-quality photographs from different locations of the races, a comprehensive pre-race briefing in two languages, with videos and images of the routes in a modern viewing hall at the registration area, the enthusiastic awards ceremony under the masterly guidance of Ayse Karanfiller, and of course the unique hot air balloon ride above the unique morphology of the Cappadocian landscape, at 1/3 of the normal price, a special offer by Voyager Balloons, one of the race sponsors!

!

 

 

It was all there, as if not a single day had passed. The footpaths through the sandy/volcanic earth of Cappadocia, sometimes deep enough to make running difficult, and sometimes over rocks and stone slabs.  The difficult, long uphill climb after the Cavucin aid station, at the 44^th kilometer, and the hilly terrain of the entire plateau thereafter. 

 

 

Over the last few kilometres of the 110k route, the three tough climbs that tested athletes in the dark, with demanding off-trail sections where their feet sank into the sand. The early-morning chill, the midday heat, and then the night-time cool in the endless temperature cycle of an area with a desert-like climate, even though this year the conditions were much more favourable, with less cold in the morning and evening and lower temperatures when the sun reached its zenith. “Gülü seven dikenine katlanır”, meaning "if you love roses, you must put up with their thorns”, goes an old Turkish saying, and how true it rang when you looked at the eyes and smiles of the 1,300+ athletes who reached the finish-line after a gruelling race, but carrying beautiful images and profound emotions.

 

 

And yet.... it was also so different this year. Last year, we enjoyed everything that such a top-level international event had to offer, feeling that we had to share our experience of the race and the area in general, with the entire Greek mountain running community.  Our acquaintance with Koray Murmann – head of the Salomon Cappadocia Ultra Trail – which has evolved into a beautiful friendship, led us to try and find ways to bring Greek runners closer to the Cappadocian experience. Our ideas bore fruit, and working alongside Koray, we produced something unique by Greek standards.  We were able to collaborate with the race organizers through Advendure, and offer a very attractive participation package, so as to allow our friends and co-athletes to share this amazing experience with us! Thus, no fewer than 32 runners and 13 companions came together to enjoy the adventure!

 

 

One very important - or perhaps the most important - part of the participation package, was an all-day tour of the area's best visitor attractions, on the day before the race. A tour that is essential for any visit to the area to be complete.

 

Our tour began at the Goreme open-air museum. The museum is essentially a monastic complex composed of scores of monasteries placed side-by-side, each with its own fantastic church. Its historical and cultural value is immense.  We were able to admire beautiful frescoes from the 10^th, the 11^th and the 12^th century, and were amazed to see the incredible mastery with which the monks carved the volcanic rock in order to create their homes and places of worship. The Goreme museum was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1984, and is the 2^nd oldest such site in Turkey. 

 

 

We continued our tour with a visit to the underground city of Kaymakli, one of 36 in Cappadocia, and the largest among them in terms of surface area. The underground city of Kaymakli is built under the hill known as the Acropolis of Kaymakli, and was opened for visitors in 1964. It consists of 8 underground floors, only four of which are open to the public today. We will never forget the low, narrow, slanting passageways leading us from one floor to the other, and the practical way in which the city's inhabitants carved out their homes, storerooms and cellars through the centuries. 

 

 

And since the tour was extensive and some carb loading was imperative for the next day's races, the event organizers were prepared and none of us had any cause for complaint. Our next stop was in Sinasos, or Mustafa Pasa as it is known today.  Sinasos was one of the 4-5 Greek-speaking villages in Cappadocia, and its inhabitants were Greek Orthodox Christians.  Before the population exchange between Greece and Turkey in 1924, the village had a population of around 3,000 Greeks and 500 Turks.  Our visit to this village, with its aroma of Greece and Orthodoxy, was a unique experience. A small town in the depths of Anatolia, with the Greek language, its schools, its churches, its culture, its songs and dances, which kept Hellenism and Orthodoxy so very alive in Turkey until the Exchange in 1924. It was in Sinasos, in an old Greek guest-house, that the organizers made sure that a rich meal with several "meze" and good food was waiting for all of us, leaving us with the very best impressions!

 

 

After this delicious break, the tour continued around the town of Avanos, located on the shores of the Red River and famous for its pottery, which we were able to discover in person, as we visited one of the best pottery workshops in the area.  The locals use clay from the riverbanks as raw material for the pots and decorative items they sell throughout Turkey and of course to millions of tourists from all over the world. After a brief presentation of the technique potters use to turn the pottery wheel with their feet, a technique passed down from generation to generation, we were able to admire and purchase some truly beautiful ceramic souvenirs and gifts.

 

 

The last stop of our wonderful tour was truly the icing on the cake. The amazing geological formation of Pasabag gave us a unique glimpse into what nature is capable of on a good day! We visited some of the most impressive rock columns, the "fairy chimneys" that are Cappadocia's trademark. Carved out of the area's unique geological strata over the centuries, the rocks are formed into shapes that resemble man-made statues.

 

 

An amazing and unforgettable full day was drawing to an end as we returned to our base in Urgul, to collect our bib packages and attend the pre-race briefing. The cultural part of our visit was now passing the flame to the racing part in the best possible way. It was time to run - and what an exciting run it was!

 

 

110K Race 

How could it not be, when the incredible Lithuanian Gediminas Grinius smashed the 100k race, effortlessly winning an uncontested first place with a time of 10:56:07, setting an amazing new race record and breaking Russian Alexei Tolstenko's record by a whole hour and seventeen minutes! Second place on the podium went to our familiar Bulgarian Andrey Gridin, also with a very good time of 12:21:19, after a battle with Romanian Radu Milea, who placed third with a time of 12:26:41.

 

 

In the women's race and after American Amy Sproston (one of the favourites) was forced to drop out, first place in the 110k went to Bulgarian Mariya Nikolova (also a familiar face from races in Greece), with a time of 14:26:16, just one minute over the race record, held since last year by British Ann-Marie Watson. Second place went to the Italian Cristiana Follador, with a time of 14:57:41, and the winners' podium was completed by Russian Elena Polyakova, with a time of 15:22:14. 

 

 

"Cappadocia is a land of wonders, because it has everything" says Gediminas Grinius to Advendure on his way to China for another race. "It is one of the place Christianity was born, it has nice creatures of nature like fairy chimneys and it is something unique you cannot see anywhere in the World. The course is diverse; you can find different kind of terrain. There is sand, trails, valleys and mountains where you can struggle like in Marathon des Sables. Actually during the race I felt very well from beginning to the end. İ had some pain previously from my injury but at Cappadocia I felt all good at race morning. İ did not suffer much from that. My feeling was 9/10, I had some small problems but all went good in the end. The pace was fast and comfortable for me. I ran together with Radu and Mohammed till Urgup while I was waiting for my moment. Before the second loop when I was engaged with people, family and organization.  When you know, they are waiting for you it is the biggest motivation for  the victory. Organization was amazing with many super runners from many countries. The standards were high in every aspect of the race!"

 

 

The Greek athletes in the 110k race did a great job and all crossed the finish line, with Giannis Koutsouradis making an excellent time of 14:42:55 and finishing 16th overall in the race.  The table below shows results for all Greek athletes in the 110k race..

 

Gender Ranking	Name	Time
16	KOUTSOURADIS Giannis	14:42:55
29	KOUGIOUMTZIS Giorgos	15:52:13
54	MPAGIOS Giannis	18:13:09
118	MILILIS Alexandros	22:32:21
15	CEJOVIC Dragana	23:19:36
128	KOURTELIS Kostas	23:19:36
128	DIAKOUMAKOS Pavlos	23:19:36
128	DIONYSOPOULOS Dionysis	23:19:36

60K Race 

In the 60k race, the leading man was a German named Moritz Auf Der Heide, who amazed us all with an incredible 05:14:00, naturally a new race record and almost 50 minutes faster than Olda Janecek's 2016 record.  Mohamed El-Morabity from Morocco, known for his successes in the Marathon Des Sables, proved that he has speed as well as endurance, coming second with a time of 05:36:42. Third place went to the Italian Mirco Cocco, with a time of 05:47:30. As an indication of the level of this race, suffice it to say that the first five runners crossed the finish line in less than 6 hours and below the previous race record!

 

 

In the women's race, Turkey was able to celebrate top place on the podium, with Meryem Kilinc Gundocdu finishing in 06:29:43 and setting a new race record. Second place went to Natalie White from Britain, with a time of 06:56:59, and Romanian Georgeta Manolache finished third, with a time of 07:23:08. 

 

 

The Greek team also did very well in this race, with all runners crossing the finish line, as you can see in the following table. 

Gender Ranking	Name	Time
40	TROUPIS Dimitris	7:32:33
44	APOSTOLIDIS Grigoris	7:45:52
44	TSOGKARAKIS Takis	7:45:52
74	LEIVADIOTIS Spyros	8:22:13
216	VALVIS Sokratis	10:31:36
44	XYGGI Hrysa	11:21:45

"When I arrived in Cappadocia, I did not expect to be dazzled by the beautiful footpaths", we were told by Moritz AUF DER HEIDE  of Scott Running, winner of the 60k race with a time of 05:14:00, a new race record. "Of course I had heard that the area is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and also how well-organized the race is.  And yet I was overwhelmed by the entire experience of the Salomon Cappadocia Ultra Trail 2017. Naturally, my victory in the 60k race added to the beauty of my visit to Turkey. But any other place would not have made the experience any worse.  Besides, we travel to races in order to discover new trails, new cultures and new people. Right? I was lucky enough to run with Gediminas Grinius for part of the race. We ran next to each other about half-way through my race, and he showed me some amazing landscapes.  Even as we run, we sometimes forget that we are pushing our bodies to the limits, and focus on the beauty of nature!"

30K Race

In the 30k race, Ahmet Arslan from Turkey repeated last year's victory, with a time of 03:15:22. Second place went to Russian Alexandr Konstantinov with a time of 03:20:10, and third place to Kamil Inak, also from Turkey, with a time of 03:23:15.

 

 

The women's podium was made up by Catherine Martens from Belgium in first place, with a time of 03:31:39;  Russian Diana Musatova in second place, with a time of 03:35:15; and Romanian Daniela Marin in third place, with a time of 03:37:12..

 

 

All of the Greek runners crossed the finish line in the 30k race, as you can see from the following table.

 

Gender Ranking	Name	Time
26	KOUKAKI Katerina	4:34:26
28	DEVENTZI Anastasia	4:35:03
289	GITSAS Kostas	5:12:40
99	ANAGNOSTOPOULOU Vicky	5:40:18
117	KALFOPOULOU Aspasia	5:46:58

Overall results from all of the races in the Salomon Cappadocia Ultra Trail 2017 are available here.

 

At this point, we would like to include testimonials from friends and fellow runners who joined us on our trip to Cappadocia thanks to Advendure's race package, and ran one of the event's three races; they have written short accounts of their experience of both the trip and the race in which they chose to participate:

 

Ioannis Bayios (110k)

I decided to attend the race mainly because of the low cost of registration, food and lodging secured by Advendure for Greek participants.  Five days in a five-star hotel with full board, registration for the 60 or 120 kilometre race, transfers to and from the airport, a free tour of the archaeological sites, etc.  All of the above came to no more than around 200 euros for two athletes. An impressive package. It turns out that top-level races with a low cost of attendance do exist! 

The race was impressive, especially the first 60 kilometres of it. The route passed through narrow gorges lined with cave-like dwellings, with a history going back many centuries in time. Ancient caves, underground cities, and generally sights that are completely new and incredible to us.

As for the race organization, I have to say that my general impression is exceptional.  The supply of food and water at all aid stations was exemplary, the people were especially hospitable, there was full medical coverage, frequent signposting and mileage markers throughout the race, and everything else you would except from a race of this level. The race start and finish was located in the centre of the area, also surrounded by impressive underground homes and caves.  The race secretariat was efficient and the briefing was very informative.  

The Salomon finisher fleece jacket is warm and well-fitting, while the race logo T-shirt is beautifully designed.  All the race gear was top-of-the-range. I can say, without a shadow of a doubt, that this race would satisfy even the most demanding of trail runners.    

By contrast, I would like to say that I did not find the second half of the 120k race very satisfactory as a route. But you can't have everything.  

Pavlos Diakoumakos (110k)

"In the land of beautiful horses... a thank you feels inadequate for the guys from Advendure who organized this magical trip in time, with the very best of benefits, accommodation, transfers, tours. Dimitris Troupis and Takis Tsogkarakis, well done to you, and to the excellent organizer of the Salomon Cappadocia Ultra Trail, Koray Murmann, and the young volunteers, most of whom were my son's age; these people may have discovered the secret recipe to using great politeness in order to earn what some of us take for granted and simply pass by..." ... continued in Pavlos Diakoumakos's personal blog, and accompanied by beautiful photography.

Dragana Cejovic (110Κ)

I feel so lucky to have travelled to the enchanting, fairytale Cappadocia, a place I have always wanted to visit; Advendure really prepared an attractive package for all of us who wanted to try something new, with a variety of race distances, wonderful organization, more than adequate aid stations, smiling volunteers who would not let you lift a finger, with the locals giving us a warm welcome - I will never forget the grapes a local offered me as I ran through the vineyards! I also feel very fortunate to have tried a race that is more than 100k and completed it successfully. 

Koray Murmann, the chief organizer of Salomon Cappadocia Ultra Trail - who I was lucky enough and honoured to meet in person (he gave me my medal for the first place in the 50+ age category) - and his co-organizers ensured that all athletes and their companions received special rates at local hotels, free transfers from the airport to Urgup, and truly attractive deals for the area's highlight - the hot air balloon ride!!!! 

If you would like to run somewhere new, in a unique and beautiful setting, or if you would just like to visit Cappadocia as a tourist, I definitely recommend adding this race to your race calendar!!! You will not be disappointed! What's more, we have been told that the package Advendure and the race organizers are putting together for next year will be even more attractive!!! 

Kostas Kourtelis (110k)

A trip to Cappadocia, land of the beautiful horses. A trip to a unique land, on occasion of an ultra trail race. This time last year, Dimitris Troupis from Advendure returned from there full of wonder. Having read his articles and spoken to him on the phone, he told me that it was something I should experience for myself. Other friends had said similar things and, all in all, I wanted to visit Cappadocia too. But how? Dimitris said, "Wait, don't book anything, I'm setting up something good!". What could it be? I had already spoken to my friends, and Pavlos and Dionysis were good to go. And then came the package. Five days in a very respectable hotel (with endless breakfast and dinner buffets), transfers from the airport to the hotel (1 hour's drive) and back on the last day, a full day tour (8 hours) of the surrounding villages and the underground city, including all tickets to archaeological sites and with lunch (in a beautiful old Greek mansion now operating as a tavern), with the race fee (110k) and even a taxi to take us back after we finished the race: all this at a price of € 190. That is no typo. That was the price of the package!!!!

To my mind, this place is wonderfully unique. Desert all around, underground cities, homes made of thousand year-old lava, welcoming people, and a race where for the first 60k you can't stop taking photos, while the terrain is as smooth as a carpet.  What else could an amateur runner ask for? I won't add any more, because everyone should discover these beauties in person. I would like to close with a huge 'thank you' to the guys!

Grigoris Apostolidis (60k)

Volcanic earth full of 'fairy chimneys' in various shapes and colours, narrow ravines with just enough room to pass through single-file, galleries that you had to pass under on your knees, and an open air museum (a UNESCO monument) with rooms carved into the rock face.  The Salomon Cappadocia Ultra Trail terrain in a few words! A very beautiful, fast-paced race, with mild ascents and a wild beauty that leaves you with the very best impressions! A different race that manages to keep your attention undiminished throughout the course, thanks to the amazing sights waiting for you over every hill and around every corner! 

The organization of the race was exceptional, managed by people who want to make their event truly international. The signposting was very good, the volunteers flawless, and the food at the aid stations satisfactory.  At this point, I would like to note how well-organized the excursion arranged by Advendure was, and how helpful for all athletes who wanted to attend! I returned to Greece full of wonderful images; believe me, my mind is still somewhere in the pink valley and open air museum of Goreme, in the scented gardens of Uchisar and the fairy chimneys!

Katerina Koukaki (30k)

All of us adventurous trail runners often seek unusual race experiences outside of Greece, in mountains and natural landscapes of unique beauty, combining our love for running with the exploration of new destinations.  A few days ago, we had the opportunity to discover one of the most amazing and unreal places in the world, the famed Cappadocia! Thanks to the complete and amazingly cost-effective package put together by ADVENDURE, one of the race's communication sponsors, several Greek runners were able to travel to the heart of Anatolia, the blessed land of Cappadocia, to live the Cappadocia Ultra Trail adventure in a land that enchants you at every turn! We were truly impressed by the impeccable organization, the hospitality and all the benefits for athletes and companions: transfers to and from the airport, a long tour of the area's main attractions, a wonderful meal in the courtyard of an old Greek home, excellent pre-race & after-race parties, special rates for the unforgettable hot air balloon ride above the impressive rock formations of Cappadocia!! 

And of course, an unusual race route that had a bit of everything: wide dirt roads in a volcanic landscape with plenty of dust and sand, narrow tracks through dense vegetation, mountain passes through gorges and low-ceilinged galleries, roped descents down steep rocks, traditional village streets, aid stations that resembled expensive hotel buffets, and magical views throughout! What more could we ask for? Only for the time to pass quickly until Advendure takes us back to the otherworldly setting of Cappadocia in October 2018, to enjoy even more kilometres!

"This year we had a lot pressure and felt more responsible against to our runners with our passion to sports" says Coray Murmann to Advendure. "As we organize many other sports events during the year, Salomon Cappadocia ultra-Trail is now something different. All runners, supporters and sponsors are a very big family and it is getting bigger every year. We have enlarged 50% than last year and number of Turkish runners is 30% more than last year. But we got happier for the fact that about 50 Greek friends came in Cappadocia which was a great improvement for us. 

Organization is now part of UTWT calendar something that will also happen in 2018 calendar. We are proud to have been nominated for the best international running event award as well, so we are waiting your votes for that at running awards website.

Our 2018 aim will be to concentrate on a more environmentally friendly and sportively event and celebrate our 5th version.

We would like to thank Advendure team for their support and belief to our organization and hoping to see you next year too"

 

Salomon Cappadocia Ultra Trail is one of the Challenger category races in the Ultra-Trail® World Tour; this year, the organizers were able to boast more than 1,300 runners from 63 countries, a significant increase from last year, making the event one of the most popular races in the world. The Argeus team, with its extensive experience, and major sponsors such as Salomon, Suunto,  Turkish Airlines, Voyager Balloons, as well as many other local sponsors, designed and implemented an event that is a bright example at every level, for ultra-trail races and trail running in general.

 

 

However, they also managed something that is equally important. They succeeded in providing a warm, welcoming and hospitable family atmosphere for all of us who visited Cappadocia from every corner of the planet.  They made us feel 'at one' with the geo-morphologically unique and culturally rich area, and this made our stay especially pleasant and our participation in the race a wonderful and emotionally charged experience.  It is no easy feat for such a popular event, with more than 1,300 athletes from dozens of countries, to keep the warm atmosphere and hospitality that we all felt from the moment of our arrival, yet the Salomon Cappadocia Ultra Trail team succeeded in this, making the race very special for yet another reason, and all of us very happy to be a part of it. 

 

 

Advendure was official communication sponsor for the event, for the second consecutive year. This year, however, we worked with the organizers of the Salomon Cappadocia Ultra Trail, to put together a full race package for Greek athletes, which was welcomed by dozens of friends and fellow runners from our country, making the Greek team one of the largest in this race, and races abroad in general. We had a wonderful time, full of laughter and emotion, and we enjoyed an excellent event in the historical land of Cappadocia, as one big, united group.  In the belief that other friends and fellow runners from Greece should have the opportunity to take part in this great race, admire the history, the monuments and the incredible geo-morphological beauty of Cappadocia, at the lowest possible cost, we have already reached an agreement with the organizers so as to plan a similar, or perhaps even better, race package for the 2018 event.  There will also be other surprises as regards Advendure's participation in the Salomon Cappadocia Ultra Trail 2018, so do expect exciting announcements in the near future. 

 

 

We would like to extend our gratitude to our friend Koray Murmann and the whole Salomon Cappadocia Ultra Trail organization team, for the honour of including us in the event as communication sponsors for one more year, for the race package offered to Greek athletes and their companions, and for the warm and generous hospitality extended to the entire group that travelled from our country to Cappadocia.

 

We would also like to thank the management of Fresco Cave Suites and Dinler Hotel-Urgup for their excellent services, professionalism and warm hospitality.

 

The appointment stands for Salomon Cappadocia Ultra Trail 2018, hopefully with an even bigger Greek team and many surprises. Stay tuned to Advendure!

 

Dimitris Troupis

Translation in English: Sofia Vlavianou

Photo ©:Salomon Cappadocia Ultra Trail, Advendure

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
•  

View this photo set on Flickr