This past weekend, the “Cordillera Blanca” 2015 Andean Festival of Mountaineering was celebrated in Huaraz, one of the most renowned adventure sports events in the South American region. This event took place from June 26 to 29 and brought together a large number of tourists and sports enthusiasts who love outdoor activities. The festival featured Aerothlon, Mountain Biking, Ultra Trail, Paragliding, Off Road competitions, as well as other entertainment activities such as traditional food and live music.
Andean Festival Schedule
This year, the festival began on Friday, the 26th, with the presence of local authorities and event organizers in an opening ceremony held at the Huaraz museum around 5 pm. A large number of fans, locals, nationals, and internationals attended the event in search of sports, adventures, and lots of adrenaline. The rest of the days were dedicated to carrying out all the planned festival activities.
The action started on Saturday, the 27th, with two simultaneous events beginning at 8 am in different locations. The first event was the "Experience the White Range" truck journey, where along with great drivers and their trucks, a large caravan departed from the main square heading towards Aija, Recuay, and Chavín de Huantar. This route allowed participants to appreciate the beautiful landscapes of this region, as well as the routes suitable for Off-Road activities.
Photo: Andean Festival 2015The second event was the Aerothlon, which undoubtedly captured all the attention of the day. The Aerothlon is a speed and endurance competition that can be individual or team-based (up to 3 members), involving three consecutive sports in the following order: Trail Running, Paragliding, and Cycling. This event took place in the town of Wilcahuaín, where the runners departed towards the Wilcahuaín cross, the highest point in the town, from where they took off in paragliders to continue the race.
The winners were:
In the individual category, Patrick Vogin Pacheco from Cusco (Peru) took the 1st place with a time of 1 hour and 5 minutes. In the relay category, the winners were Domingo Elías Townsend (Trail), Thomas Schwarzer (Paragliding), and Jenn Hrinkevich (Cycling) with a time of 56 minutes. The rest of the day was used to distribute the sports kits for the next day's Ultra Trail.
Photo: AerothlonOn Sunday, the second day of competitions, activities started at 6 am with one of the most challenging tests, the Ultra Trail Cordillera Blanca at over 4,000 meters above sea level. This marathon was divided into 3 categories: 10, 21, and 50km, testing the physical and mental endurance of the participants, as well as their adaptation to the terrain and altitude.
Photo: Aerothlon
Part of the Ultra Trail route (50k) included the Llaca lagoon located at over 4,500 meters above sea level, where the Quebrada Llaca refuge is found, allowing competitors to rest and regain strength. The final destination of this race was in the town of Wilcahuaín.
The winners of this competition were: In the men's category, Manuel Figueroa took first place. In the women's category, Maybel Antezana claimed the top spot.
While the Ultra Trail was taking place, the mountain biking race in Cross Country Downhill mode was happening in Wilcahuaín, on the mountain slopes where the Wilcahuaín cross is located. Over 20 cyclists participated in the race, descending rapidly through paths with abundant vegetation, rocks, and mud.
The rest of Sunday featured paragliding exhibitions, traditional food tastings, and live music. Amidst a spirit of camaraderie, excitement, and positive vibes, the competition results were announced, and the winners were awarded.
The event concluded with performances by the Giannico Banda and Tremolo bands on Sunday evening, entertaining the crowd with their songs.
On Monday, the final day of the festival, the Ski and Snowboard competitions were scheduled to take place at Pastoruri. However, due to safety reasons for attendees, participants, and athletes who would visit the location, these events had to be canceled the day before. Thus, the Cordillera Blanca 2015 Andean Festival of Mountaineering concluded, leaving a positive impression of the growth of adventure sports in the country, as well as the interest from fans, tourists, and the press. Thank you Huaraz, Thank you Independencia, Thank you to the participants, we will meet again at the 2016 Andean Festival of Mountaineering, it's a fact.
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