Author: Tomo Sarf

Saluzzo will be the scene of the International Under 18 Cup 2022. Between Saturday 25th and Sunday 26th of June, at least 90 young runners will compete in the hills of the Italian city.

With the summer solstice behind our backs, we can only think of warmer days and the International Under 18 Mountain Running Cup, a yearly event for junior runners between 16 and 17 years old. Tomo Sarf, president of the WMRA, mentioned that the age range that has been set is an excellent stage to start looking for a new level, and younger athletes should enjoy the game pressureless. The first edition of this Cup was in Italy in 2006 under the name “International Mountain Running Youth Challenge”. After two years of a pause due to the pandemic, the Under 18 International Cup is back in its birth country.

Eleven different nations will be running in this 2022 International Under 18 competition. The countries competing will be Wales, France, England, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Italy, Poland, Scotland, Slovenia, United States, and Hungary. The athletes will be grouped into teams of maximum of five runners. The expectation is high in each participant because “the athletes are very young, most of them have not competed in international events yet. We will see this weekend who we will need to keep an eye on in the next future”, mentioned Arianna Dentis, member of the Local Organizing Committee.

The 15th edition of the Cup will have an uphill/downhill course on two loops that start and finish at the same place. The first will be the shortest, composed of 550 m followed by the second round of 3800 m. The total distance of the course will be 4350 m with an ascent descent amount of +/- 155 m. The terrain consists mainly of cobblestone and grass, with small sections of asphalt. The racetrack will pass close to historical monuments such as the ancient residence of the Marquises and the Civic Tower. The start line will be located 550 m from the race village.

The Local Organizing Committee has established a Race Village with a Technical Information Center (TIC) to facilitate the communication with Team Leaders, the LOC, the WMRA Delegate, and the competition Management. Results will be handed out and protests forms can be generated at the TIC in Caserma Mario Musso, Piazza Montebello 1. Team members must get an accreditation card that has to be worn at all times. This accreditation can be obtained at the Race Office at Caserma Mario Musso. The cards will allow them to access the warm-up area, changing facilities, and shuttle service.

Team members will be able to perform a course inspection. The route will be fully marked and accessible from Saturday 25th between 9h00 and 15h30. The technical meeting will be celebrated during the opening on Saturday 25th at 17h00. The competition will take place on Sunday 26th. The WMRA Under 18 Cup will start at 10h15 with the Girls race, followed by the Boys at 11h00. Athletes must report to the Call Room 20 minutes before their turn; failure to do so may result in their exclusion from participation. The Award ceremony will take place at 18h00 in Piazza Ludovico Vieneis.

Saluzzo will host the Cup for the first time. Located in the province of Piedmont, this city became Italy’s first European Region of sport. Saluzzo consists of an area of 80 km2 and 17,348 inhabitants. Arianna Dentis points out that “is the ideal scenario for this IU18MR CUP because it lays in the alpine foothills, at the same time it is a lively and young city. It’s the perfect mix between nature and city life.” Mount Viso is the most iconic peak visible from the zone.

Saluzzo was the capital of the ancient Marquisate from 1142 to 1548. The Marquis Manfredo I ordered the building of a massive castle called Castiglia, which is still standing there. The oldest part of the city has a history dating from medieval gates with cobbled streets and noble houses.

Check out the results of previous editions here. The winners from the last celebrated U18 Cup were Italy on the Girls category with six points and France on the boys with the same punctuation. We invite you to follow the competition on our social media and look for the official results on our web page to find out this year winners.

Written by María Ávila for WMRA, photos by Damiano Benedetto. Find a full gallery here.

Castro Daire, Portugal provided the stunning setting for the Valsir Mountain Running World Cup’s first Gold Label race of the year.

It was also the World Cup’s first taste of Portugal, so many of the runners weren’t sure what to expect of the 10.2km course with 980m of ascent. Would it be a fast and furious route, or would there be technical sections? With a top field of athletes from Kenya, Italy, Spain, Finland, Ireland, and of course Portugal, who would emerge at the summit of Montemuro Mountain first?

The promised rain stayed away on race morning, and an overcast sky provided near perfect race conditions, at around 20 degrees Celsius. The route started in a small village just outside of Castro Daire, with a reasonably flat kilometre loop round the streets, and then made its way up, up, up to the summit at 1200m with one downhill kilometre in the first half. The track was mainly wide and runnable, with just one nasty, steep, technical section right at the end.

The women set off first, at 10am, and Joyce Njeru (KEN) set the pace, with Susanna Saapunki (who is from Finland, but lives in Italy) right on her heels, leading the chasing pack. Those chasing athletes included Camilla Magliano (ITA), Lorenza Beccaria (ITA), Maria Ordonez Marina (ESP), Vivien Bonzi (ITA), Charlotte Cotton (BEL) and talented Portuguese athletes including Rosa Madureira and Joana Soares. We were in for a great race.

By the halfway point Njeru was in the lead, but she wasn’t running away with it. Saapunki was chasing hard and was going to make her fight for it. Around a minute separated the two, then Magliano was just under a minute behind. It was still anybody’s race, with Madureira, Soares and Beccaria not far behind.

The men set off 10 minutes after the women and it was a fast kilometre loop to start out with. With no Henri Aymonod, due to injury, we might have expected to see Geoffrey Ndungu (KEN), who had some great results last year to finish third in the overall World Cup standings, taking it on. But it was fellow Kenyan, Patrick Kipngeno, who we haven’t seen in our World Cup races before, who led from the start. But with a field including Zak Hanna (IRL), Marek Chrascina (CZE), Andrea Rostan (ITA) and Paulo Gomes, Cesar Costa and several other strong runners from Portugal, it wasn’t going to be plain sailing.

But Kipngeno has a 10k PB of 29.22 and a half marathon best of 1.02.42, so it was clear he could set the pace, but could he sustain it and beat runners with much more experience in the mountains? At halfway he was looking comfortable and he wasn’t letting up on the pace! Hanna kept him in his sights though, and continually tried to close the gap. Rostan, Chrascina and Ndungu were also chasing hard for third at this point.

Because the women started 10 minutes before the men we waited at the summit finish to see whether it would be a man or a woman crossing the finish line first. Njeru and Kipngeno actually looked like they may finish together but in the last few metres Kipngeno just overtook his compatriot, taking the win for the men in 50.45. Njeru crossed the line moments later to win the women’s race in 1.00.33.

Saapunki was just under a minute behind Njeru (1.01.19), showing what an exciting prospect she is for the women’s World Cup this year. Magliano completed the women’s podium in 1.04.23, having a great run.

For the men Hanna held onto second, finishing in 52.37. Afterwards he said that he could see Kipngeno ahead of him at many points of the course, but when Kipngeno surged he just wasn’t able to match his pace without risk of blowing up. While Kipngeno is clearly a runner to watch this year, Hanna has also had a great impact with his first World Cup race of the year. Rostan rounded out the men’s podium with a strong run, finishing in 53.02.

A notable name in the men’s top 10 was Cesar Costa, who finished in eighth place. He lives in Switzerland now but Montemuro Vertical Run is in his home town, so he returned to take part. He is a vet 45 now and his past mountain running achievements include a second place at Sierre-Zinal in 2011, finishing in 2.31!

Athletes said afterwards that they enjoyed the course, with its wide, runnable tracks and mix of terrains. Montemuro has definitely put Portugal on the radar for mountain running races, and that reputation looks set to grow as we head back to Portugal for our next Valsir Mountain Running World Cup race on July 3^rd: the Silver Label One Hundred Douro-Paiva, our next long mountain race.

Find the full results for Montemuro Vertical Run here: https://resultados.stopandgo.pro/751/Live

Written by Kirsty Reade for WMRA. All images by Marco Gulberti, Corsa in Montagna

You can find a full album of Marco’s race photos here.

World Cup results after 2 races are here.

More photos from the race can be found on the Montemuro Vertical Run Facebook page.

Tipperary County community comes together to organize the 21st edition of this prestigious international mountain running race as it prepares to welcome the world in September.

Written by Richard Bolt for the World Mountain Running Association

On Saturday evening, 18 June 2022, international delegates, local community leaders, sponsors and event organizers gathered at the historic Clonmel Town Hall to kick off an official welcome for the 21st World Masters Mountain Running Championships scheduled for this coming September 2nd – 4th. This press event was followed on Sunday by the Great Irish Trail Runs, a test race on the same courses that will be run in September by the top masters mountain runners in the world.

Saturday’s press event was hosted by Clonmel mayor Michael Murphy inside the ornate wood paneled chambers of the Dutch Renaissance-style town hall dating back to 1881. Joining the mayor were several other community leaders who made this event possible including Tipperary County Councilor Andy Maloney, Tourism Development Officer Marie Phelan and Hillview Sports Club president Seamus O’Doherty.

“Clonmel is the perfect location to host these championships. It has a lot to offer with its history including our famous resistance to Oliver Cromwell 1650. Much of our history is reflected in our wonderful public realm including St Patrick’s well from the 5th century, Old St Mary’s Church dating from the 10th century in the historic heart of Clonmel. There isn’t a better place to experience a taste of Ireland’s great outdoors including the great Slievenamon [mountain], the Suir Greenway connecting Clonmel and Carrick-on-suir and of course our Comeragh mountains.” – Mayor Murphy, Mayor, Clonmel Borough District

Clonmel (Irish: Cluain Meala, meaning ‘honey meadow’) was founded in 1601 and is the county town and largest settlement of County Tipperary, Ireland.

No race of this stature is possible without the generous support of local business leaders. Representing just a few of the many World Masters sponsors at the press event was avid mountain runner Micheal O Mullain from O’Flynn Exhams Solicitors based in nearby Cork. Charlotte Kitto was present to represent New Leaf, a health store and online retailer popular with mountain runners for carrying products like Colorado based Tailwind Nutrition.

Bringing years of mountain running experience to the world masters in Clonmel were two honored guests; World Mountain Running Association (WMRA) technical delegate Wolfgang Münzel from Germany and Ireland’s own John Lenihan from County Kerry.

Wolfgang was a member of the WMRA Council for 27 years and one of the top mountain runners in the world in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s. A contemporary of Wolfgang’s, John won the short course race at the 1991 World Mountain Running Championships in Zermatt, Switzerland; the only Irish man to win this championship in its 35 year history.

“In the name of the World Mountain Running Association and World Masters Athletics with their chairpersons Tomo Sarf and Margit Jungmann, I’m happy to send their kindest regards and to wish the 21st World Masters Mountain Running Championships a lot of success. This year the Irish Mountain Running Association is celebrating its 40th anniversary and isn’t there anything more important that honoring this anniversary with staging the World Masters here in Clonmel, Tipperary.” – Wolfgang Münzel, WMRA Technical Delegate

“Being here tonight is a little like coming home because I’ve been removed from the sport of mountain running recently but it’s great coming back here, meeting old teammates from years gone by and catching up. It’s like I’ve never been away from the sport. There’s something very special about the camaraderie of mountain running so having the World Masters here is massive for Ireland, and massive for the sport in the country, and I’m really looking forward to it.” – John Lenihan, 1991 World Mountain Running Champion

No event of this stature is possible without someone to germinate the idea, build a committed team of volunteers and run with it. Veteran participants in past World Masters Mountain Running Championships, it was Tricha Blackburn and Tom Blackburn who came up with the idea to bring the championship to Ireland and now lead the local organizing committee.

With support from the Irish Mountain Running Association (IMRA) led by president Laura Flynn, Tricha, Tom along with Edel Hennessy, John Hayes, Brian Flannelly and many more volunteers; the team was all in Clonmel this past weekend for the press event and to organize the Great Irish Trail Run, a test race for September’s world championship.

We are looking forward to meeting you all and offering you a warm Irish “Céad Míle Fáilte” – Tricha Blackburn, Tom Blackburn and the local organizing committee

The Race

Sunday morning featured the Great Irish Trail Run, an event to challenge runners and an opportunity for the organizers to test their logistics and procedures prior to September’s world masters. Runners started in age group waves beginning at 11:00 AM from nearby the Hillview Sports Club before heading up to the trails and pastures overlooking Clonmel.

Just as will happen in September, Sunday featured two races; an 8.4km with 510 meters of climbing for athletes over 55 and a 10.6km with 602 meters climb for athletes aged 35 to 54. Both courses started with a brutal 2 km road climb ascending over 200 meters. From there both courses turned off road over a mix of rough open sheep pasture, rolling forest roads and single-track trails. Near the end of the course the younger age groups ran an extra 2 km to Knockingadotha peak before returning to the finish line at the Holy Year Cross overlooking Clonmel.

The fastest time of the day for the 10.6km course was 48 minutes and 25 seconds run by John Kinsella (M40-44) representing Bilboa AC from County Limerick. The top female time was 57 minutes and 55 seconds run by Lorraine Bolster (F40-44) representing Mallow AC from County Cork. 84 runners finished the 10.6km long course and 31 runners finished the 8.4km short course. The oldest finishers were Jim Patterson (M75-79) from County Down and Hazel stapleton (F75-79) from County Waterford.

“It’s a tough course and I felt every kilometer. There’s good variation of terrain, a bit for everybody, so it’s a course that has parts that will suit everybody. Clonmel is a small little town and very accessible.” – Becky Quinn, County Dublin, 1st place F45-49

“The course is unbelievable, [Clonmel’s] hospitality is second to none and the Irish people are friendly. Putting on your countries singlet to me it’s the most important thing, it’s a privilege to represent your country.” – William O Donoghue, County Tipperary, 1st place M60-64

“It was a lovely race; I ran and thought it was a great chance to race the (world masters) course. I’m not mad on roads but I love the mountains, the hills and I love going downhill. I find with the mountain running there is great camaraderie, the people are friendly and the views are fabulous.” – Majella Diskin, County Kerry, 1st place F65-69

Complete Great Irish Trail Run race results including finishers by age group and distance can be found on the IMRA website: https://imra.ie/events/results/id/2229

Registration for the 21st World Masters Mountain Running Championships is open now at: https://www.sportsreg.ie/e/world-masters-mountain-running-championship-7885

For runners under 35 years of age there will be an open race available.

More information about the 21st World Masters Mountain Running Championships including how to get there, where to stay and what to do can be found on the event website: https://www.wmmrch2022.ie/

Great Irish Trail Run race images by Richard Bolt can be found on Google Photos: https://photos.app.goo.gl/vfj43V5q2zukn2Mg9

World Masters press launch at Clonmel Town Hall images are available at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/jsnqoSADYYtw53NA8

Montemuro Vertical Run will be the first Gold Label World Cup race of the year, the first classic mountain race of the series and the World Cup’s first ever visit to Portugal.

Following on from the successful launch of the 2022 Valsir Mountain Running World Cup at the Seven Sisters Skyline in Dunlewey, Ireland, Castro Daire in Portugal will be the venue for the second World Cup race on Sunday 19^th June. 

The Region

The Montemuro mountain range has been described as something of a well-kept secret in Portugal, but its credentials as a location for mountain running are clear. It’s a geographically diverse area, with everything from dry, rocky paths to rich, green river valleys, which will provide a stunning route for runners.

There is a big push underway to promote the area’s potential for mountain sports, both running and cycling. This began with the establishment of (Per) Correr Castro Daire, a local circuit consisting of 8 races in 2022, and has shown remarkable progress year on year. The municipality once again hosts the Portuguese championship in 2022, this time in the up and down format, on the 5th of June.

The region is also steeped in history, with architectural remains and ancient settlements, and boasts wildlife such as the Iberian wolf, otters and rare gold-striped salamanders.

The Race

This is the second edition of the Montemuro Vertical Run. The first edition in 2021 staged the 23^rd National Mountain Running Championships for Portugal.

The race starts at 434m in Parada de Ester, just above the Paiva River. The opening kilometre takes the runners through the streets before they turn left, heading north toward the summit of Montemuro. This where the climbing really begins in earnest and athletes get little or no respite as it goes on more or less continuously to the finish at 1,317m.

All in all it is 9.6km, 980m+ and 106m-, putting the race in the Classic Mountain category. The times to beat from last year are Rui Muga’s 50:55 for the men and Joana Soares’ 56:13 for the women.

The Favourites

With a stellar World Cup field lining up alongside Portugal’s finest it’s sure to be a fast and exciting race.

In the women’s race all eyes will be on last year’s World Cup champion, Joyce Muthoni Njeru (KEN). With wins at Grossglockner Berglauf, Krkonossky, Trofeo Ciolo and Zumaia Flysch Marathon, she proved herself to be adaptable over a wide range of courses and terrain. She is currently leading the women’s World Mountain Running Ranking.

Lorenza Beccaria (ITA) is expected to be a strong contender, having had some impressive results in last year’s World Cup, achieving a 5^th place in last year’s Grossglockner Berglauf and a 4^th at Tatra Race Run.

Camilla Magliano (ITA) will also be one to watch in the women’s race. She has proved herself to be very strong in uphill-only races, with top 10 finishes last year in Grossglockner Berglauf, Vertical Nasego and Chiavenna Lagunc, as well as finishing 5^th in the Italian uphill-only mountain running championships.

Susanna Saapunki (FIN) burst onto the mountain running scene in 2021, having switched to the sport after a successful career in cross-country skiing. She immediately enjoyed success with a 4^th place at Grossglockner Berglauf and 5^th spot at Vertical Nasego. She could well feature on the podium at Montemuro.

Other women to watch include Maria Ordonez Marina (ESP), 2^nd in the 2021 Spanish cup of vertical kilometres, Vivien Bonzi (ITA), who achieved a couple of top 10 finishes in last year’s World Cup, and Charlotte Cotton (BEL), the World Masters Mountain Running champion from 2019, who was 3^rd in last year’s international Skyrunning vertical kilometre championship.

In the men’s race Henri Aymonod (ITA), 2021 World Cup men’s champion and the current leader in the men’s World Mountain Running ranking, will surely be the runner to beat. Last year he won Chiavenna Lagunc and Vertical Nasego and finished 3^rd at La Montee Du Nid d’Aigle and Tatra Race Run. It will be exciting to see him in action again here.

Geoffrey Gikuni Ndungu (KEN), who finished 3^rd in the 2021 World Cup standings, will be toeing the start line. Last year he won the Zumaia Flysch Marathon and Krkonossky and was 2^nd at Trofeo Ciolo, but a 58^th place at Zegama this year could suggest he isn’t firing on all cylinders yet.

Andrea Rostan (ITA) could also feature, having had some impressive results in uphill-only races, including a 2^nd in last year’s Vertical Nasego and a 3^rd place at Piz Tri Vertical.

Zak Hanna (IRL) has been steadily and impressively building his mountain running CV over the last few years and he could well challenge for the podium here. With a win at the Mont Blanc Vertical Kilometre and a 4^th place at Vertical Nasego last year, as well as an 8^th place in a stacked field at Grossglockner, he will be hoping for some good results in the World Cup this year.

Marek Chrascina (CZE) was our bronze medallist at the 2019 World Championships in Patagonia and also finished 3^rd in Krkonossky last year. He is always a strong competitor.

Other men to watch include Alex Garcia Carrillo (ESP), winner of the recent up and down mountain running championships in Spain, and Patrick Kipngeno (KEN), winner of this year’s Mont Kenya Mountain Run.

There will be some strong local runners on the start line, including the reigning junior and senior national mountain running champions of Portugal: Joana Soares, Rui Muga, Eduardo Pestana and Mariana Pedreira.

We look forward to bringing you all the action live from the races on Sunday. Pedro Pontes, of the race organisation, says, “We are very excited and proud of the inclusion of the Montemuro Vertical Run in the World Cup. This project is the result of work that the Municipality of Castro Daire has been developing in Mountain Running, together with the Portuguese Athletics Federation and local associations.”

Find out more about the race here.

Find out more about the full 2022 Valsir Mountain Running World Cup calendar of events here.

Newly elected WMRA president Tomo Sarf recently made his first official trip to Clonmel, Ireland to review preparations for the 21st World Masters Mountain Running Championships scheduled for September 2nd to 4th, 2022.

The visit was a chance to meet with event organizers, deliver the official finisher medals, walk the course and strengthen connections between the WMRA and Irish mountain running community. Joining Tomo for the visit was Irish Mountain Running Association (IMRA) president Laura Flynn. Now in its 40th year, IMRA is the governing body of the sport of Mountain Running in Ireland and is affiliated through the Athletic Association of Ireland (AAI) to the WMRA for the purposes of competing in International Events.

Organized in conjunction with World Masters Athletics (WMA), the World Masters Mountain Running Championships has been the premier global off-road running event for thousands of athletes 35 years and older since 1998 when the championship was hosted by Kitzbuehel, Austria. September 2022 will mark the first time Ireland will organize this masters championship and the second time it’s hosted a WMRA event since the U18 International Mountain Running Cup took place in Glendalough in 2012.

Located just 20 meters above sea level, Clonmel (Irish: Cluain Meala, meaning ‘honey meadow’) is the largest settlement of County Tipperary, surrounded by rolling farmland and straddles the River Suir. Overlooking the town from the South are the hills where the mountain running action will play out reaching up to 387 meters above the valley floor.

Straddling the border between Counties Waterford and Tipperary, Clonmel is ideally situated to host the hundreds of international mountain runners coming to race in the masters championship. The town is a great jumping off point for exploring Ireland’s Ancient East, an area of cobbled streets in medieval towns, gorgeous gardens, distilleries, castles and great country homes. Runners looking for a flat warm-up run can check out the Suir Blueway, a 21 kilometer path from Clonmel to Carrick On Suir. For even more mountain running, Slievenamon (721 meters), a mountain peak featuring panoramic views from atop the lush peak with a network of low-key trails, is just 15 minutes North of Clonmel.

“We designed the World Masters Mountain Running Championship course to have something for everyone. Strong climbers will love the first 2 km on a road which climbs 200 vertical meters. Athletes who like cross country races will enjoy the open sheep pastures on the upper sections of the course and fast descenders will cruise down the wide, straight, gravel forest roads.

What would a good mountain running course be without some technical single-track so we added a bit of that in the dense, green forests on the slopes above Clonmel. We think Everybody will find something they love about the course and certainly won’t be disappointed with the 360 degree views of the rolling hills straddling the border of Counties Waterfowl and Tipperary.” – Tom Blackburn, Course and Event Manager

On his trip to Clonmel, Tomo had the opportunity to walk the course, review event facilities, see the start/finish areas and met with several members of the Local Organizing Committee including Laura, Tom, Tricha Blackburn (Race Director), John Hayes (Treasurer) and Edel Hennessy (Event Planner / AV).

About the event Tricha writes, “I am so proud to be part of the team that has worked so hard to bring the World Masters Mountain Running Championships to Ireland and especially to the historical town of Clonmel in County Tipperary.

There’s a familiar song that goes:- It’s a long long way to Tipperary- Thankfully that is not true anymore as Clonmel is a very accessible town today with the motorway connecting it to all our main cities. It is an old medieval country town with some of the structures like walls, castles, gates and towers of that time still standing but it is also a modern working home for over 17,000 residents. It makes a magnificent base for our race at the foot of the Comeragh Mountains which by the way are actually in Co. Waterford.

In Ireland we are blessed with plenty of rain and believe it or not sunshine too and it produces the most beautiful array of flora and fauna that adorn our route. We Irish are famous for our traditional song and dance and you will not be disappointed with what we have in store for you. This will be a championship that you will remember not only for the amazing challenging route but also for the wonderful and friendly” Cead Mile Failte” that you will receive while here. We look forward to meeting you all and wish you success in the 21st Championships. Best wishes.”

Mountain runners won’t have to wait until this Fall to test out the scenic course above Clonmel. Coming up on 19 June, the Great Irish Trail Run will be a chance for athletes of all ages to race the 10 km course with 643 meters of total climbing. More information, course maps and registration is available at: https://www.imra.ie/events/view/id/2229

The 21st World Masters Mountain Running Championships 2-4 September is open to all runners between the ages of 35-79. Information on travel to Clonmel, accommodations, things to do and more is available at: https://www.wmmrch2022.ie/

World championship race registration is open now!

An international welcome from the local organizing committee:

GAEILGE

Ar son, Cumin Reathaíochta agus Sléibhe na Mumhan, tá áthas orainn fáilte chroíúil a chur oraibh go léir go hÉirinn le haghaidh an 21ú craobhanna reathaíochta agus sléibhe. Is pribhléid é imeacht mar seo a óstail agus táimid tar éis ár seacht ndicheall a dhéanamh cúrsa dúshlánacha agus iontaofa a cur ar fáil daoibh.

Táimid ag tnúth go mór chun bualadh libh agus céad míle fáilte a thabhairt daoibh.

ITALIANO

Per conto di l’associazione Irlandese di corsa in montagna, saremmo lieti e onorati di darvi il benvenuto in Irlanda per il ventunesimo Campionato del Mondo Master di Corso in Montagna. E un privilegio ospitare un evento cosi prestigioso e ci siamo sforzati di offrire un corso stimolante e degno.

Non vediamo l’ora di inontrarvi tutti e offrirvi un caloroso benvenuto Irlandese “Céad Míle Fáilte”

DEUTSCHE

Im Namen der Irish Mountain Running Association möchten wir euch recht herzlich zu den 21. World Masters Mountain Running Championships willkommen heißen. Es ist uns eine Ehre, diese renommierte Meisterschaft auszurichten und wir sind sehr darum bemüht, einen anspruchsvollen und würdigen Kurs anzubieten.

Wir freuen uns euch alle kennenzulernen und möchten euch mit einem warmen “Céad Míle Fáilte” willkommen heißen.

FRANCAISE

Anglais au nom de l’Irish Mountain Running Association, nous sommes ravis et honorés de vous accueillir en Irlande pour le 21ème World Masters Mountain Running Championships. Il est un privilège d’accueillir un événement aussi prestigieux et nous nous sommes efforcés de fournir un cours stimulant.

Nous sommes impatients de vous rencontrer tous et de vous offrir un chaleureux Irlandais “Céad Míle Fáilte”.

ESPANOL

En nombre de la Asociación Irlandesa de Carreras de Montaña, estamos encantados y honrados de darle la bienvenida a Irlanda para el 21º Campeonato Mundial Masters de Carreras de Montaña. Es un privilegio ser sede de un evento tan prestigioso y nos hemos esforzado por proporcionar un curso desafiante.

Estamos deseando conocerles a todos y ofrecerles un cálido Irlandés “Céad Míle Fáilte”.

USA’s Olivia Amber and Ireland’s Ruairi Long set course records against a record field in the Seven Sisters Skyline 30K race. 

You can find full results of the Seven Sisters Skyline here and the standings of the Valsir World Cup here.

The old adage ‘if you don’t like the weather; just wait 5 minutes’ held true in the rugged, windswept Derryveagh mountains of County Donegal, Ireland at the 5th running of the Seven Sisters Skyline 30K and 55K races. Over 500 hearty mountain runners faced temperatures barely breaking into the double digits (centigrade), drizzle, wind, cloud covered mountain tops and even a touch of sun along their journey over seven craggy mountains. Further challenging runners, what little flat ground could be found along the 30K route was wet, boggy and uneven.

The 30K point-to-point event with 2134 meters of total ascent and descent kicked off the 2022 Valsir Mountain Running World Cup – a series of 17 races in 10 countries. The start took place at the foot of Muckish (666m), in an area where old mines have been reclaimed by a blanket of lush green bog. High energy music got runners rocking to stay warm prior to the 8:15 am start up a short section of pavement that soon gave way to a steep trail. 

A few hundred spectators and aid station volunteers greeted runners at the 8K mark after they zig-zagged down off Muckish for a brief respite before heading uphill again to Crocknalaragagh (471m). It was here where Ruairi Long (IRL), Paddy O’Leary (IRL) and Shaun Stewart (IRL) were separated by less than 1 minute. 

On the women’s side, Olivia Amber (USA) made her mark early with a healthy margin over Kathryn O’Regan (USA) and Sarah Brady (IRL). Except for the GPS enabled live tracking, this would be the last time these runners would be seen until after all seven sisters had been crossed and only 5K remained to the finish. 

By the time Ruairi Long reached the final aid station at the Dunlewey Viewpoint, he had a healthy margin over Paddy O’Leary who had moved into a solid second place. A few minutes later, Shaun Stewart trundled over the road crossing and into a mucky downhill for the final 5K around Dunlewey Lough (Lake) and up to the finish. 

Just as runners departed the far side of Muckish to the sound of music, they could hear the sound of the finish long before it came into view around a bend in the road. The finish arch framed a picture perfect view of Errigal (751m) as it welcomed runners to the end of the Seven Sisters Skyline. Job well done; burgers and craft beer from race sponsor Kinnegar brewery helped refuel those who completed this first and northern most event in the 2022 Mountain Running World Cup. 

Women’s Podium

1st – Olivia Amber (USA) – 4:07:36
2nd – Kathryn O’Regan (USA) – 4:33:14
3rd – Sarah Brady (IRL) – 4:47:18

“The bog definitely got me a lot and I’ve never experienced any conditions like it. [While] I never figured it out, it was fun. It was an amazing experience and I’ve never done a race like it. It’s honestly one of my favorite races I’ve ever done.” – Olivia Amber

Men’s Podium

1st – Ruairi Long (IRL) – 3:29:59
2nd – Paddy O’Leary (IRL) – 3:36:46
3rd – Shaun Stewart (IRL) – 3:37:35

“Errigal is a great classic Irish straight up and straight down, no messing kind of hill. It was great to have that near the end but that last slightly uphill section is tough on the legs but that’s what you want, it’s a nice challenge. I had a feeling coming off Errigal that I had a gap but I was thinking Paddy [O-Leary] is going to love these last fews kilometers on the road so [I had to move].” – Ruairi Long

Check out the official race video by Eoin O’Callaghan of Amelia Films!

Words and photos by Richard Bolt for WMRA media.

The World Cup’s new title sponsor aims to support mountain runners as they face the challenges of training and competing at their very best.

This is a year of firsts for the World Cup; the introduction of Gold and Silver Label designations is making the series accessible to new races, and with first visits to three new countries in Ireland, Portugal and Peru, athletes in new areas are getting the opportunity to experience mountain racing at the highest level.

Perhaps the biggest development though is that for the first time, the 2022 World Cup has a title sponsor; Valsir.

About Valsir

Since 1987 Valsir have been manufacturing advanced systems for waste, drainage and water supply in the Italian province of Brescia.

Their headquarters are in Vestone in Valsabbia, a long valley descending from the Brenta Dolomites at one end to Lake Garda at the other. It’s an area with a strong tradition of mountain running with Casto, home of Trofeo Nasego, just ten minutes away.

It is also an area with a strong history of industry. The damming of the Chiese has provided power for everything from metal production to manufacturing, boosting the economic fortunes of the valley in the process.

It is here that we find a cross over in values between industry and sport, between Valsir and the WMRA. The qualities which have ensured the growth and prosperity of Valsir and Valsabbia are the same as those which make great athletes; commitment and dedication.

To pursue excellence, to learn and to grow; the language that describes Valsir’s drive to continue moving forward could just as well apply to a mountain runner who seeks to continue improving, race after race, year after year.

In the words of Mattia Gandini, Valsir’s director of marketing, “As a runner, you train a lot during your day, during your week: you aim to compete in races, and the goal is to reach the summit. It’s very difficult but you never give up because once you reach it, it’s incredible.

“It’s just a question of mental attitude.

“In our company, we work together as a team: we share our passion in difficulties, and we help and support each other to reach our target. And we never stop there: like a runner who seeks to compete in the next race, we go on to the next goal, to reach a new success.”

Recognising this common ground, Valsir are stepping in to support the continued growth of the World Cup, which now becomes the Valsir Mountain Running World Cup.

Supporting Opportunities for Athletes

In Valsir’s home in Italy, as in most countries, the most popular sports are usually those with the biggest budgets; cycling, football, motorsport.

Valsir see a connection between their company philosophy and the dedication of athletes in smaller sports like Mountain Running; when an athlete is driven by their own goals, motivated just by the curiosity of what they can do, their actions retain an authenticity and a trueness to themselves. Among these athletes we often find the greatest champions and stories of real sporting beauty.

The motivation of Valsir in partnering with the WMRA, and specifically with the World Cup, is to help support these athletes as they face the challenges of training and competing at their very best. This year sees a greater than three-fold increase in prize money for the overall series and, just as important, a doubling of the support which is available to athletes travelling to and from races.

For the WMRA, increasing opportunities for athletes is at the heart of the mission to grow the World Cup and this is a huge positive step on that journey.

There is a famous quote from Valsir’s founder, Silvestro Niboli: “Sono le gocce che fanno il mare.” The sea is made up of water drops. Without the drops, there is no sea, and even small things should not be disregarded, as they all contribute in a larger context.

Both Valsir and the WMRA believe that every enthusiast should have the opportunity to realise their goals, and it would be a pleasure to know that this partnership contributes a few drops to that ocean.

Photos – Alexis Courthoud and Marco Gulberti, Corsa in Montagna.

The WMRA World Cup kicks off this coming Saturday, May 21st with the 5th edition of the Seven Sisters Skyline 30 km in scenic Dunlewey, Ireland. Located in the rugged, windswept Derryveagh mountains of County Donegal, this will be the Northernmost race in the 2022 WMRA Mountain Running World Cup.

The Terrain

Donegal is a mystical, magical place, which boasts wild rugged unspoilt landscapes, and an incredible coastline with some of the most spectacular views in Europe. The Derryveagh mountains are the major mountain range in Donegal. Commonly known as the “Seven Sisters”, each of the seven mountains have their own gaelic names of Errigal (751m), Mackoght a.k.a. Little Errigal (555m), Aghla More (584m), Ardloughnabrackbaddy (603m), Aghla Beg (564m), Crocknalaragagh (471m) and Muckish (666m).

Like its namesake suggests, the 30 km race route with over 2134m of total vertical climbing, runs along the top of all of the Seven Sisters from Muckish to Errigal. The technical course is renowned for its variabile terrain and amazing beauty, along with a route that is very demanding on wild open mountains. The route also has many wonderful features, and makes this course unique in Ireland. The miners path, Heart-attack Hill, Altan Castle, Mackoght with amazing views of Errigal.

The Athletes

In addition to many talented runners from the island of Ireland, several international elite mountain runners are expected to toe the starting line. These include U.S. resident and Wexford native Paddy O’Leary who competed for Ireland in the 2019 World Long Distance Mountain Running Championships. Paddy was also featured in the 2021 film “Coming Home – Ag Teacht Abhaile” about his fastest known time attempt on the self-navigated 115 kilometer Wicklow Round.

The Wexford man will have to deal with two young challengers in Seek Vert teammates Ruairi Long (IRL) and Matthew Mc Connell (IRL), both regulars on the top step of Irish Mountain Running Association (IMRA) races.

Enda Cloake (IRL) comes into the race having placed second at the Ballyhoura qualifier for the Irish European Championship team and will surely be in the hunt for the win. Local man and two-time winner of the 55 km event, Shaun Stewart (IRL) will also be in the mix. His focus has mostly been on multisport racing this year but the lure of a WMRA Mountain Running World Cup race on his doorstep is hard to pass. Other strong contenders include Aiden McMooreland (IRL), Pearse West (IRL) and Luke McMullan (IRL).

On the women’s side, North Face athlete Olivia Amber (USA) should be a strong contender for the podium. Amber is a cross country skier turned mountain and trail runner who finished 3rd at California’s iconic Lake Sonoma 50 Mile just last month. Also crossing the pond for Seven Sisters Skyline and no stranger to racing in Ireland is Kathryn O’Regan (USA) who finished 3rd at the 2019 Gaelforce Mountain Run 22 km in Leenane. Joining them is strong Irish runner Sarah Brady (IRL) is fresh off winning the 24 km Copper Skytrail in Wales.

It’s not just elites running Seven Sisters Skyline. Mountain runners of many ability levels are converging on Donegal from around the globe for this challenging event including athletes from the United States, United Kingdom, Spain, Isle of Man, Netherlands, Switzerland, France, Germany and the Czech Republic.

Tune in Saturday to see if anyone can challenge course records set in 2021 by Ryan Stewart (Scotland) in 3:40:15 and Hannah Shields (Ireland) in 4:56:07. LIVE track of the race is available at: http://live.primaltracking.com/skychallenge22/

The Race

In spite of this event’s young age, the Seven Sisters Skyline has grown quickly and is on pace to become a bucket-list race for all mountain runners. In 2018 the race had just 120 participants for what was then a 21 km and 42 km pair of events. In 2021 there were over 200 participants for the 30 km in spite of the ongoing pandemic. This year there are over 650 registered across two events – a 30 km and 55 km – making it Ireland’s premier event, and biggest Mountain Running event ever on the Island.

According to race director Eunan Quinn, “As they say up here it’s different (Donegal), and this route is different to anything else in Ireland. A point to point route that is true mountain running on open wild unforgiving terrain. Everyone who competes in the event tells us how tough, demanding, energy sapping the course is. The terrain is varied with a little tarmac, gravel path, loose scree, rocky terrain, lots of soft boggy terrain and steep hills. With very little defined tracks or trails on the route full concentration is needed at all times, and one hill leads to the next with little or no flatter sections on the route.”

A GPX file for the 30 km World Cup course can be found here.

Richard Bolt for WMRA Media, photos courtesy of Excel Sports.