Lake District Sky Trails connect with Bokami Západných Tatier based in Slovakia, both sponsored by Dynafit.

Dynafit, owned by the OberAlp Group who also own Salewa, have come on board to join forces with Salewa UK to sponsor the epic Scafell Sky Race and Lakes Sky Ultra weekend in July 2018. 

The Bokami Západných Tatier is a very extreme Ski Mountaineering Race, bringing local (Slovakian, Czech and Polish) and European top ski mountaineers and sky-runners together in order to race for 3 days across the Western Tatra’s for 2018.

This is certainly an extreme race and our own race director, Charlie, attended in 2017 for his first taste of SkiMo Racing. Having caught the bug somewhat and having a half descent winter in the UK for this season, Charlie and his race partner, Angus McKendrick who works for Silva UK, will return to Slovakia this week to finish what they both left unfinished in 2017. 

At the 'Lake Distirct Sky Trails' HQ at the heart of Sky-Running central in the English Lake District, Glenridding, the 'LDST' Team see SkiMo Racing as the expression/extention of summer Skyrunning/Technical Running that we experience here in the UK. Fast paced, extremely technical, uber fast descents, lung bursting ascents, technical rock sections, climbing in some instances and more. 

Our RD Charlie say’s; “With that in mind and the fact both races are sponsored by the same company, Dynafit, we thought we would like to entice and grow our European following and offer the Female and Male winning pairs a chance to come and race on our terrain and experience some of the most iconic and technical running the Lake District has to offer. We were warmly welcomed as the first British pair to race in the Bokami in 2017 and are really looking forward to pitting ourselves against the epic course these guys provide for us as racers. Although we have seen some Polish runners crossing the North Sea to race in the 2015 version of the LSU and subsequent years, we are looking forward to welcoming the winning pairs to the Lakes. Our mountains are somewhat similar and although the Lakeland Fells are smaller in height the Tatra’s and the Lakes share many similarities. “

With only a few days to go before preparation are underway to start the 1^st days racing for the Bokami SkiMo race, everything is all go on their part, whilst back in the Lakes we are pulling everything together to become organised for our epic weekend of ‘pure and original’ skyrunning in the Lakes. With all eyes on the UK this year it is even more important that the LDST team bring the best races possible for the build up to later in the year, as this year the Ourea Events crew (the team who bring you the epic Ring of Steal, Ben Nevis Ultra and Glencoe Skyline) build up to host the Skyrunning World Champs for 2018. 

Charlie, the RD for LDST, was also quoted saying; “ We are so excited about the Scafell Sky Race this year as it has been identified as the qualifying race for the Skyrunning UK Squad, so all eye’s will be on the SSR for this years race. With this in mind and a few course changes for the better, the SSR will literally blow runners minds as to the technicality and beauty the Lakes have to offer.”

The LDST Team are really looking forward to welcoming the Bokami Champions, both Female and Male to this years races. 

Words by Mountain Run

Photos Guillem Casanova/guillemcasanova.com and Paul Mitchell/ wildmanmitchell.com/ and Steve Ashworth - steveashworthmedia.com