Andrea Mayr beat Grayson Murphy in the vertical nasego, before the American got her revenge in the longer event of the 2021 WMRA World Cup ©Getty Images

Six-times world champion Andrea Mayr won the vertical nasego in Casto in Italy in the 2021 World Mountain Running Association (WMRA) World Cup, defeating American world champion Grayson Murphy, who was racing in Europe for the first time.

Murphy initially moved into the lead, with Mayr and Kenya's Joyce Njeru following behind. 

Mayr then surged past her American rival, before establishing a lead and powering clear. 

The Austrian finished the 4.3-kilometre race, which included 1,000 metres of climbing, in 38 min 51 sec, winning stage seven of the 2021 WMRA World Cup.

Murphy finished more than two minutes behind in second, with Njeru finishing third.

Italy's Henri Aymonod held off 22-year-old compatriot Andrea Rostan to win the men's vertical nasego.

Aymonod finished in 35.38, 22 seconds clear of Rostan.

Petro Mamu of Eritrea finished third, just 12 seconds off the pace.

In the longer trofeo nasego today, stage eight of the 2021 WMRA World Cup, Murphy got the better of her rival across the 21km course, which included 1330m of ascent.

The American finished in 1hr 45min 56sec, a new course record and almost three minutes clear of Mayr, who finished in 1:48:14.

Italian Francesca Ghelfi finished third in 1:49:53.

In the men's event, Mamu moved from third to first, finishing in 1:33:55.

Italy's Cesare Maestri and Kenya's Eric Muthomi Riungu finished second and third respectively.