2024 VALSIR MOUNTAIN RUNNING WORLD CUP: CALENDAR UNVEILED!
Welcome to the unveiling of the much-anticipated 2024 Valsir World Mountain Running World Cup calendar! Featuring a roster spanning 8 countries, encompassing 10 events and a total of 13 races, this season promises a thrilling array of locations...
Featuring a roster spanning 8 countries, encompassing 10 events and a total of 13 races, this season promises a thrilling array of locations, beloved classics, and reunions with long-established courses, offering a spectacular racing calendar spanning a stretch of 5 months from June through October.
In conjunction with esteemed mountain race collaborators worldwide, our enduring partnership with Valsir has paved the way for several enhancements to this season's World Series. Upholding our commitment to clean sportsmanship, all Gold Label races will boast WADA-accredited anti-doping measures. Furthermore, in a bid to bolster athlete support, we've amplified travel assistance and escalated the overall prize pool, with the Valsir World Cup champions set to claim €5,000 in 2024.
Commencing in June the Valsir World Mountain Running World Cup initiates its journey to the World’s top mountain races with the United States. Returning to Lake Tahoe, California, the inaugural race begins with the adrenaline-pumping Broken Arrow Skyrace!
The opening weekend kicks off with a whirlwind of excitement, featuring 2 Gold Label races in a span of 3 days. The season's curtain-raiser commences with the Short Uphill on Friday, June 21st, followed by the Classic 23km on Sunday, June 23rd. Over recent years, these races have witnessed the presence of World Champions and World Cup winners, promising a spectacular start to the series!
Subsequently, July heralds a frenzied month of activity with races scheduled nearly every weekend! Revisiting familiar courses, July 7th sees the return of the Grossglockner Mountain Run in Austria, while July 14th marks our journey to Castro-Daire, Portugal, for the 4th edition of Montemuro Vertical Run. Notable victories by Alexandre Ricard and Scout Adkin in the previous year add to the anticipation for this leg of the series.
The Montée du Nid d'Aigle, introduced to the World Cup circuit in 2021, remains a steadfast fixture. This visually stunning 20km, 1850m+ Classic from Saint Gervais to Refuge du Nid d'Aigle presents athletes with a breathtaking backdrop of the Glacier du Bionnassay. July 20th promises to be an eagerly awaited date in the summer lineup!
As July draws to a close, an old favorite rejoins the World Cup circuit with a visit to Giir di Mont for the tour of the 12 pastures above Premana in Italy. This grueling 32km race, alternating challenging ascents with equally demanding descents, is set to captivate spectators where the atmosphere at the top of the mountain is something special.
August 10th marks the Sierre-Zinal race, renowned for its challenging trails through the Swiss mountains. The Race of the Five 4000s draws top-tier talent every year, with Philemon Kiriago clinching the title of "King of the Mountain" in 2023.
The onset of September sees the World Cup landing in Casto, Italy, the hometown of Valsir, for the Vertical and Trofeo Nasego events. This tiny town in the Brescia prealps is poised to witness a showdown among the sport's elite, vying for recognition on the esteemed Nasego honor roll.
Sky Gran Canaria enters for the second consecutive year hosting another Gold Label race, and this year the longest of the entire season with its 44km 3,344m+, 2453m- on the 22nd September.
Merely a 10 days later, the focus shifts to Slovenia for the Classic distance event at Smarna Gora, a race previously acclaimed as the "Best Mountain Race in the World," featuring a 10km course.
Wrapping up the season, the final race takes place in Chiavenna, Italy, continuing the tradition that commenced in 1986 as the inaugural officially recognized vertical kilometre.
This penultimate race will ultimately determine the final podium positions after the preceding 12 races of the 2024 Valsir Mountain Running World Cup, leaving the Val Bregaglia Trail on the subsequent day to conclude the World Cup points tally and where the World Cup hero’s will be presented with their prizes.
In the meantime, lets check the highlight video of the 2023 VALSIR MOUNTAIN RUNNING WORLD CUP!