A woman from Kelowna let her airplane arms fly with the worlds best at El Cruce, a three day stage race taking place in Argentina.
On Dec. 1, Michelle Reddy crossed the finish line with outstretched arms and a big smile alongside Grayson Murphy– the current mountain running World Champion, and Keelah Barger from Utah.
El Cruce is a three day stage race from Dec. 1-3, totalling 100km.
The first two stages of the race are 30kms in length and the last day is a gruelling 40km. Athletes from around the world have descended on Patagonia for the event.
Reddy won her spot on the start line after a dominating race at the Shuswap ultramarathon in June.
After a summer and fall spent skiing, biking and running across Canada, Reddy’s love for mountain adventures and ‘type two fun’ shined as she raced through Patagonia with the lead pack of women.
“We got to experience all the seasons in 30km; snow, rain, heat and river crossings,” said Reddy in a message to Capital News after her Dec. 1, podium finish.
“We took turns leading and enjoying the views.”
The three winning woman spent the entirety of the first stage of the race neck and neck. Instead of a sprint for the finish, they decided to cross the line together and all three were awarded a time of 3:04:03.
There will be plenty of time for racing over the next two days and 70 km of trails.
After each stage, racers grab their tent and bags from the shuttle bus and set up base camp for the night. There, athletes relax, eat, hydrate and prepare for the morning’s run. At the end of the three stages an overall winner with the shortest combined time will be crowned.
To learn more about the race visit elcruce.com.ar.
