On May 2–3, 2026, the “On the Edge of Spring” mountain running competition took place in Verkhnia Dzembronia and included the Ukrainian Mountain Running and Trail Championship. Open Race participants and athletes competing in the official championship raced simultaneously on the same courses. This article covers the event program, results, and technical support provided by the IKS team.

About the Event

A snow-covered section of the “On the Edge of Spring” course. Image: acs.ture.ua

“On the Edge of Spring” is a mountain-running competition held on trails throughout the Chornohora mountain range. In 2026, each distance featured two parallel classifications. The Open Race was open to everyone, while the Ukrainian Championship was reserved for athletes who are members of local branches of the Ukrainian Athletics Federation.

The program included three trail running distances:

• “Dovbush Trail” — 40 km with 2,250 m of elevation gain;
• “See Chornohora” — 23 km with 1,150 m of elevation gain;
• “Vertical Kilometre” — 5 km with 1,000 m of elevation gain.

The “Dovbush Trail” and “See Chornohora” races started on May 2, 2026, at Kryvopillia Pass and finished at the Bilyi Slon Camp. The following day, participants competed in the “Vertical Kilometre,” following a route from Verkhnia Dzembronia to Mount Smotrych.

All participants in each distance started simultaneously. The final standings were determined by course completion time. On the longer distances, a result was considered valid only if the athlete passed all checkpoints, finished within the time limit, and remained on the approved course.

Competition Results

The mountain routes, with their significant elevation gain, checkpoints, and time limits, demanded endurance and careful attention to the course. Despite the challenging terrain, the participants completed the races and achieved strong results. The table below lists the winners.

The IKS team created an event page for the organizer, where you can view detailed competition results.

Technical Support by IKS

Technical support covered pre-race preparation, on-course operations, and result processing.

To ensure accurate timing and online publication of the results, we:

• printed race bibs and attached passive Race Result transponders to them;
• installed timing systems along the course;
• monitored participants’ progress through the courses;
• processed data using IKS software and published the results on the IKS and organizer websites.

Mountain logistics made the work more difficult: due to the poor road conditions, part of the equipment had to be carried on foot to the checkpoints. However, the team’s experience and reliable equipment ensured accurate timing even in these conditions.

Equipment Used

To time all three distances, the IKS team combined Race Result equipment with its own software and technical solutions. The setup recorded participants’ times, processed the data, and published the results.

• Race bibs were used to identify athletes and attach transponders.
• Passive Race Result transponders were attached to the race bibs and recorded each participant as they passed through the detection zones.
• The IKS starting system ensured that each race started according to the event schedule.
• Race Result timing systems automatically recorded participants’ times at designated points along the course.
• Race Result horizontal antennas detected signals from the transponders as participants crossed the timing zones.
• Race Result vertical side antennas recorded transponder signals at checkpoints where the equipment was positioned on both sides of the course.
• IKS software processed the collected data, generated final result reports, and transferred the results for online publication.
• An IKS clock and LED screen displayed the time and current results at the venue.

Race Result decoder for automatic participant timing

The equipment accurately recorded the results across all distances and enabled their prompt publication on the IKS and organizer websites. Participants could follow the competition online and check their times after finishing.

Despite the challenging logistics of the mountain location, the IKS team delivered accurate timing and published the results online. To follow upcoming sporting events, visit the IKS calendar, and find results from completed races in the relevant section of the website.