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MOUNTAIN RUNNING WORLD CUP 2019 Calendar NOW ONLINE

Today marks the launch of the 2019 World Cup calendar with an exciting series of races... 7 exciting and unique races in 7 different countries... 140km of mountain racing tracks... 9300m+ of elevation with 5600m- of descent... And a total prize pool across all of the races including the overall World Cup ranking of approximately  56,000 euro.  It is where some of the fastest Mountain Runners will be competing in 2019!

The World Mountain Running Association welcomes in some race events that for the first time are involved in Mountain Running (with the WMRA) including the two opening races, the Maxi Race in France (16km race) and the Broken Arrow Sky Race (26km race) in USA.  Maxi Race is known for their long distance trail event above the beautiful lake of Annecy and to further the appeal of a highly successful event they are excited to include a fast Mountain Running event on their programme.  

"Having a World Cup race outside of the traditional Mountain Running zone of Europe is really important," stated WMRA president Jonthan Wyatt. "And so to work with the Broken Arrow Skyrace in the USA (Round #2)  is a way to support the Mountain Running community there.  The location is fantastic and it will be great to work together with the Skyrunning folks as well."

Round 3 will take the athletes and the World Cup to Austria and the classic Grossglockner* race on the uphill track of 12.7km with Austria's tallest mountain towering above the finish area racing through a beautiful National Park.  One week later the Snowdon International is a 15.5km up / down historic mountain race in Wales (GBR), a great addition for 2019 which taps into the Fell Running scene there and promises to be a great and unique experience for all runners.  

WMRA are very fortunate to be able to continue the work with the Sierre-Zinal (Switzerland) and the iconic 31km trail beneath 5 of the 4000m high mountain peaks.  Here WMRA will team up to have a combined World Cup and Goldentrail Series event on the same race.   "Having the best mountain and trail runners competing together has always been the goal," said race co-ordinator Valentin Genoud and the WMRA is happy to be able help them with this ambition.  

Stage number 6 comes to Italy, a real home for mountain running in general and this year also to one of the most iconic mountains in the Italian Dolomiti Alps.  The unique and spectacular Drei-Zinnen (Tre Cime), where the race finishes beneath this amazing Dolomites background.  An uphill race it helps root the World Cup in the tradition of the sport.

The final stage has a familiar theme for the runners who will be finishing their World Cup season at the Smarna Gora in Slovenia. 10km of fast forest trails and a festival in 2019 to celebrate this races 40th anniversary are sure to make this years' "race of the falling leaves" something special.  

We hope you enjoy and join the full series of World Cup races in these beautiful places.

WMRA is currently putting together full details on the World Cup on the World Cup Micro Site for each race including how to enter the races and information about each race stage to help runners plan for the series.  The races are open to all runners depending on the organisations regulations.  Please check the site again later in the week.  Races are also now shown on the Calendar section of this website.

There is also a generous points bonus for any athlete completing every race of the series.  

FULL DETAILS:  World Cup 2019 calendar:

RACE #1.

24 May (start Friday 19h) - Salomon Gore-tex Maxi Race FRANCE, Annecy.  16,5 km  (945 m+ and 990 m-).  Point to point course. 

RACE #2.

23 June - Broken Arrow Sky Race USA, Squaw Valley.  26km (1550 m+ and 1550 m-). A Loop course.

RACE #3.

14 July - Grossglocknerlauf AUSTRIA, Heiligenblut 12,7km (1495 m+ and 370m-). A mainly uphill point to point course.

RACE #4.

20 July - Snowdon International Mountain Race WALES, Llanberis 15,5km (995 m+ and 995 m-) on a loop course.

RACE #5.

11 August - Sierre Zinal SWITZERLAND, Sierre 31km (2200 m+ and 1100 m-) This is a mainly uphill; point to point course.

RACE #6.

14 September - Drei-Zinnenlauf ITALY, Sexten/Sesto 17,5km (1350 m+ and 250 m-). A mainly uphill; point to point track.

RACE #7.

12 October - Smarna Gora SLOVENIA, Ljubljana 10,0km (710 m+ and 350 m-).  On a mainly uphill; point to point course.

SZ3

Photo: Sierre-Zinal

Check out last year’s Mountain Running World Cup in this season recap video: