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Today’s Short Trail at Worlds delivered exactly what it promised: punches of altitude, technical descents, and dramatic moves over 45 kilometers and 3,657 meters of climbing. In the end, the eyes gravitated toward two names: Frédéric Tranchand in the men’s race and Tove Alexandersson in the women’s.
Men: Tranchand Holds Off Spain
From the start, Tranchand (France) forced the pace, gapping the field early on a descent and then staying just ahead through the climbs. He crossed the line in 4:42:10, holding full control of his effort in the final kilometers.
Manuel Merillas (Spain) held strong in second, clocking a time around 4:45:33, while Andreu Blanes (also Spain) took third in 4:51:52. Spain put three runners inside the top four: Alain Santamaria grabbed fourth in 4:55:48, a depth move that secured gold for the Spanish men’s team on home terrain. France and Italy followed in the team standings.
Women: Alexandersson Blows It Open
In the women’s race, Tove Alexandersson (Sweden) turned a performance into a statement. She took the lead around 30 minutes in and never looked back, finishing in 5:04:20. By midrace she had a lead measured in minutes, not seconds.
Behind her, Spain’s Sara Alonso took silver with a time of 5:38:15, and Great Britain’s Naomi Lang claimed bronze, edging just ahead in a tight battle. In team competition, Sweden captured gold, with Spain and France rounding out the podium.
U.S. Watch
The U.S. had representation among the top finishers: Jane Maus crossed in 7th place (approx. 5:48:23)—solid in this field, and a notable finish given how deep the international talent stack ran. Noah Williams finished in 14th with a time of 5:02:42.
What It Means Going Forward
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- Tranchand’s win underlines the value of both early aggression and steadiness on mixed terrain; he cracked the race on descent and defended it uphill.
- Sweden’s women proved once again that Alexandersson isn’t just a specialist, she’s a generalist who can dominate across disciplines.
- Spain fishing gold on the men’s team shows what happens when course knowledge and multiple scorers align.
- Maus’s showing for the U.S. gives hope: the third scorer will matter in team formats going forward.
Later this week, the Long Trail looms. We’ll see whether the depth displayed today carries through the grandest stage of the weekend.
