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WORLD MOUNTAIN RUNNING ASSOCIATION

Author: Tomo Sarf

Morgan and Frano Victorious at Canfranc Canfranc 45k

Written by Tomo Sarf on . Posted in Latest News.

There was a huge amount of excitement for the first ever World Cup race in Spain on Saturday 11th September! Canfranc-Canfranc served up two races for us this weekend. Firstly, the 45k race today was round 9 of this year’s World Cup, our next long mountain race. Tomorrow it’s the 16k classic mountain race for round 10.

The 45k race here is renowned for being tough. It’s technical and rugged, with 4 climbs of between 250m and 1400m, and of course it’s one of our longest races in the World Cup. On the start line we had some great runners, who we knew from previous WMRA performances were strong over the distance.

For the men we had Peter Frano (SVK), winner of Tatra SkyMarathon this year, and Raul Criado (ESP), who was 3rd at Tatra SkyMarathon and was 12th here last year. Basque runner Ugaitz Artola (ESP) was also hotly tipped. In the women’s starting line up were Charlotte Morgan (GBR), 2018 WMRA Long Distance World Champion currently lying 3rd in our World Cup standings, Eva Mesado (ESP), the 2020 runner-up here,  and Olivia Magnone (FRA) also expected to be challenging for theCanfranc long start podium.

As Covid restrictions were still in place at Canfranc the runners set off in small groups at 1 minute intervals.  These small gaps were soon to become bigger gaps as the first climb of 1400m kicked in. In the women’s race Morgan struck out into an early lead and by the top of the first climb at Moleta she was 4 minutes in front of Magnone, who in turn was 2 minutes ahead of Mesado. Similarly, in the men’s race it was Fran Naval (ESP), who had a clear lead of 3 minutes over Frano, with Criado and Inigo Macias snapping at his heels, just 30 seconds behind.

One long descent and another big ascent (of 800m) and descent later, and by the 28k Candanchu checkpoint it was all change in the men’s race. Frano was now in the lead, but Criado was just 30 seconds behind. A gap of 3 minutes had opened back to Naval in 3rd, with Macias another minute behind him. In the women’s race Morgan had really begun to stretch out a lead and she passed through Candanchu with a lead of 16 minutes over Magnone, with Mesado 3 minutes behind. It seemed unlikely that Morgan could be caught, but the men’s race could still go to any of the top 4.

Canfranc Peter FranoWho would we see running into the finish first? In the end it was Frano, who looked incredibly fresh and took the win in 5.38.16. Criado just couldn’t hang onto the 2nd place he’d battled for for so long and it was Macias who came in as runner-up in 5.42.48, with Criado completing the men’s podium in 5.43.23.

It was no surprise to see Morgan coming in to win the women’s race, though the cuts on her knee and face showed that it hadn’t beenCanfranc Charlotte Morgan an easy final section! Her time was 6.38.09, which put her in 8th place overall. Magnone was 2nd in 6.57.14 and Mesado 3rd in 7.01.37, with a gap of over 10 minutes on 4th.

 

Find full results at https://ranking.wmra.info/

Header image copyright Canfranc Canfranc Organisation

 

 

World Cup Preview: Canfranc-Canfranc

Written by Tomo Sarf on . Posted in Latest News.

Canfranc-Canfranc celebrates its 15th edition this year, and it’s a race whose reputation has been growing over the last few years. There are many elements which make it an incredibly special event and we are very happy to be including it in the World Cup for the first time this year.

It is also the very first time in the 22 years of World Cup history that a Spanish event will host the series, soon to be followed by Zumaia Flysch Trail on 0CT3. 

Canfranc-Canfranc  takes place in the famous belle epoque alpine village of  Canfran-Estación. A small mountain town in the province of Huesca in the Aragonese Pyrenees. The town is at 1,200 metres but all around are peaks of over 2,500 metres.

The weather is usually comfortable for running in the summer, normally between 20 and 30 Celcius, and the winter enjoys heavy snowfall. The area is perfect for running, with over 500km of trails marked out as part of their impressive ESPACIO TRAIL CANFRANC Project. The weather, the trails and the prestige of the already successful mountain races here make it a perfect location for a World Cup event.

THE COURSES: WILD AND TECHNICAL IN THE CENTRAL PYRENEES

The 2021 program for Canfranc includes five races: 5k (juniors) 16k, 45k, 75k and 100k, Among them, Canfranc will host two World Cup races this weekend: The Longwmra world cup 2021 canfranc canfranc photos canfranc canfranc 2 Distance to be held at the 45k long mountain race on Saturday. Plus the  16k classic mountain race on Sunday. These will form stage 9 and 10 (out of 16) of this year’s World Cup.

  • ·CANFRANC CANFRANC MARATHON: The long-distance  event, the 45k race, has an incredible 4,000m of ascent, which is packed into 4 climbs. The runners are faced with a climb of 1400m right from the gun, which should help to create some early gaps. They will then face 3 more climbs of 800m, 600, and finally 250m.
  • ·CANFRANC CANFRANC CLASSIC 16K: In the 16k race the runners will also be faced with a huge climb of 1400m from the start right to the summit of “La Moleta”. It is a wild up and down. They ascend over 6k, then it’s a long, rugged 10k of descent back down to the finish, including the final home stretch over a section of the famous “Camino de Santiago”.

THE FAVOURITES: WORLD CHAMPIONS TAKE ON THE  PYRENEES TRAILS AND TALENT

There are some really exciting local and international athletes taking part, which will surely shake up the World Cup rankings even further.

wmra world cup 2021 canfranc canfranc photos canfranc canfranc 3LONG DISTANCE: In the men’s 45k race we have Peter Frano (SVK), winner of Tatra SkyMarathon this year, and Raul Criado (ESP), who was 3rd at Tatra SkyMarathon and was 12th here last year. Ugaitz Artola (ESP) will head the always talented field of basque runners at this race.

In the women’s race we’ll be seeing Charlotte Morgan (GBR). The 2018 WMRA Long Distance World Champion  is currently lying 3rd in our World Cup standings, with her highlights being winning Tatra Race Run and coming 3rd in Tatra SkyMarathon. She will face the 2020 runner-up here, Eva Mesado (ESP) as her key rival, with Olivia Magnone (FRA) likely to feature too.

CLASSIC: In the 16k we’re really excited to see 2019 world champion Grayson Murphy (USA) back for more European action, after her win at Trofeo Nasego (and 2nd place at Vertical Nasego) last weekend. This year she was also crowned USA National Champion and can seemingly master any distance. However,  Canfranc-Canfranc will be her first experience of racing in Spain, facing the wild vertical climbs and technical descents on which locals thrive. She will face the 2020 winner of the race and course record holder Servant Nadege (FRA), who has also had strong runs at La Montee du Nid d’Aigle and Grossglockner this year.

Other local challengers include Spain´s current gold and silver at National Championship 2021, Nuria Gil (ESP) and Yolanda Martín (ESP).

 In the men’s race, 2020 winner Antonio Martinez (ESP) comes back to attempt the double. He will face international talents such as  Sandor Szabo (HUN), 4th in the World Cup at the moment. But they will face very strong competition from local athletes who have already proved themselves in this region, including Iñigo Aranzamendi, Roger Comellas, and specially a motivated Ion Sola, who was 4th in the 2020 Canfranc Classic,  besting the 2021 Skyrunning  Vertical World Champ Daniel Osanz himself. 

NATIONAL MOUNTAIN RUNNING CHAMPIONSHIPS FOR U18 AND MASTERS.

Canfranc Canfranc 2021 will also hold the National Championships organized by Real Federacion Española de Atletismo (RFEA). The 7th edition for Masters will be run on the 45km course. The 1st edition for the U18 will be held on a specific 5km course.

CANFRANC CANFRANC: A RACE WHICH LOVES AND PROTECTS THE  MOUNTAINS

As ever in this part of the world, there is strong local support for this race. Fernando Sánchez, Mayor of Canfranc says, “In Canfranc we are happy to continue seeingwmra world cup 2021 canfranc canfranc photos canfranc canfranc 1 our Canfranc-Canfranc mountain races grow, with enthusiasm and affection, year after year. 2021 brings us once again an occasion where the Aragonese Pyrenees will not only break records for popular participation yet again, but also host the national and world elite of mountain racing.

Our Jacetania region  will thus host for the first time in its history the WMRA World Cup, where Collarada, Aspe or La Moleta will see the absolute world elite compete in Classic and Long Distance. In addition, we also host the RFEA 2021 Spanish Mountain Championships for Youth and Veterans. Because sport is for everyone, of all ages and that is how we have always wanted to promote it in Canfranc.

A double achievement, at the level of popular sports and sports elite that we have to thank for the work and affection of all the residents of Canfranc and Jacetania. Without their support as volunteers, collaborators and organization of the event year after year, it would never have been possible to make this corner of the Pyrenees the world reference event this weekend for mountain sports.”

 

Schedule SEP 10-12

SEP11 Saturday 8am: WORLD CUP WMRA LONG DISTANCE 45k race starts (+ National Champs Masters)

SEP12 Sunday 9am: WORLD CUP WMRA CLASSIC 16k race starts

SEP12. Sunday 9.30 5k National Championship U18 STARTS.

Follow live at CANFRANC CANFRANC SOCIAL NETWORKS.

Find out more at https://canfranccanfranc.com/  

Fujio Miyachi: My Journey is Ongoing

Written by Tomo Sarf on . Posted in Latest News.

Our next athlete post is from Japanese athlete Fujio Miyachi, and as it’s his final one for us this year he talks about his thoughts for the future of the sport. We look forward to seeing him taking these ideas forward in the coming years. 

 This is my last post for the World Mountain Running Association. The more I wrote, the more I wanted to say. So, I am sad to see it end. But, as I’ve been gradually shifting my focus from World Cup to Masters, I’ve been enjoying mountain running as much as I can at any given time. And I want to continue to share my love of this sport and coaching younger generations. That’s why I’d like to share my thoughts on the future with you.

“Good manners and promoting mountain sports in Japan”

Fujio 8 3I started running in the mountains about 15 years ago. The situation was very different from today. In Japan, there were only a handful of mountains races, and I could see many familiar faces at every race. Time has passed, and now there are more races in Japan than I can count, and they are held all over the country.

Along with the increased number of mountain races, manners while using trails has become a new issue, especially in the Tokyo metropolitan area. The Tokyo metropolitan area is density populated, and on holidays the trails are overflowing with people on popular routes. There are issues unique to Japan such as contact accidents among trail runner and hikers. Along with the popularization of sports, the spread of good manners is an important issue. For this reason, it is important that people who just started running in the mountain learn proper manners. That is why I am teaching junior generations to coexist with others and respect nature in the mountains when they start running there. This is because I believe that focusing on this is essential for “running in the mountains” to take root and culture in the long term. It takes time for education and promotion to produce results, but I will continue to focus on this aspect.

“Challenging at future races”

My own participation in mountain running races will gradually decrease. But, after more than 10 years of racing, I have many friends all over the world. I would likeFujio 8 6 to keep in touch with them and support Japanese runners who will challenge in mountain running races in the future. I would also like to run international races with the runners who grew up from the Junior Trail Runs that I organize or just bring them to the races. Also, by the time this post is published, I will have run in the Masters World Championships in Austria. It’s been two years since I participated in my last race, which is the longest gap since I started running in the mountains. So, I am more nervous and anxious than I have ever been in a long time. But, once I start running, it all goes away. So, I want to prepare as much as I can and have fun. That’s the one thing I am going to focus on.

“Organizing the World Cup in Japan”

Because in Japan “trail running” is more famous, I usually organize trail running races for younger generations under the title of “Jr TRAILRUN” in many places. Again, I love the simple style of “Mountain Running”. I think it is the easiest way to describe what it means to run in the mountains, and I’d like to share more of its appeal. Also, it is difficult to distinguish between trail running and sky running, not only in Japan. Or should I say, the line between the two sports is disappearing? Because at the very least, mountain running is not well known in Japan, not only I want mountain runners from all over the world to run in the mountains of Japan, but also I want as many Japanese people as possible to know the appeal of mountain running by organizing the World Cup in Japan someday.

“I want to help children continue to enjoy the wonderful environment of the mountains”

Fujio 8 4On the competitive side, I am currently studying to become a certified coach for junior athletes by the Japan Association of Athletics Federations. Combining my experience of running in the mountains with current trends in athletics, I would like to help children not only enjoy running, but also step up and develop more specialized athletic skills, and let more children go out into the world. In addition, we want to leave the mountain fields we enjoy now to our children and the generations to come, but in order to do so, it is essential to expand our base and maintain the fields with the understanding of local residents, coexist with other activities, and be actively involved in conservation activities. My life has been enriched by mountain running, as I was not good at sports as a child. I hope that younger generations will have many of the same happy and exciting (and of course a bit of a hard time) experiences that I have had running in the mountains, and even more.

“And my journey is still Ongoing”

My journey is not over yet. I want to continue to run in the mountains all over the world and bring future junior runners from Japan to race with me. I also want to work with the World Mountain Running Association and athletes in other countries to promote mountain running and create exciting initiatives. There is so much more I want to do. I hope that this article has made you aware that there is a runner like me in Japan, and if you are interested in Japan and my activities, please feel free to contact me. We are a family and an international community that love to run in the mountains together. If we love the same things, language barriers can be easily overcome.

Last but not least, thank you to the World Mountain Running Association for this wonderful opportunity to contribute, and thank you to everyone who reads my article. I look forward to meeting you all in the mountains somewhere.

FUJIO MIYACHI

The 20th World Masters Mountain Running Championships in Telfes

Written by Tomo Sarf on . Posted in Latest News.

The 20th World Masters Mountain Running Championships enjoyed wonderful late summer weather and we saw some brilliant performances in the Stubai Valley, Austria. It was the second time that Telfes has hosted the Masters Championships, with the first being 2014.

 A warm opening ceremony was the start to a perfectly organized event. 18 individual titles for men and women in the categories M/W 35 to W/M75 were successfully issued to the contenders.

600 athletes from 21 nations took part in the event. Germany’s contingent was the biggest with 210 runners, before Italy and Austria. These numbers were also reflected in the medal table: Germany in the lead with six individual gold medals and nine team gold medals, followed by Italy (9) and Austria (5).

The overall best performance was delivered by the winner of M40, Thomas Roach (GBR), who finished in the incredible time of 58:05,5 !

The female winner with the best result was Simone Raatz (GER) from the category W45. Her score was 44:29,7.Web small IMG 1934 IRL BLACKBURN Patricia W55 2022 organizer

All female categories had to do a distance of 7,4 km, with a difference in altitude of 775m. The same applied for the male categories of 55 years and up. The winner here was from Italy: Franco Torresani became world champion the day’s best score of 41:25,2.

The male categories M35 to M50 had to run the long distance of 11,5 km and a difference in altitude of 1157m.

The finishing line for all runners was the Kreuzjoch (2130m).

The medal award ceremony of this enormous event took place in large festival tent with 600 athletes and spectators. All medalists got their well-deserved applause. In the end, Andi Stern – the chief organizer – handed over the flag of the WMRA to Patricia and Thomas Blackburn, chief organizers of the WMMRC 2022 in Clonmel County Tipperary, Eire.

Web small IMG 1967 WCh2022 organizers team

The athletes there will have to face a challenging course with a profile of 10km, ascending 593 m and descending 308m in marvellous countryside scenery.

www.wmmrch2022.ie

Date: 2nd to 4th September 2022

Results. www.schlickeralmlauf.com

Murphy and Mamu Magnificent at Trofeo Nasego

Written by Tomo Sarf on . Posted in Latest News.

After the previous day’s exciting racing at Vertical Nasego, expectation was very high for Trofeo Nasego. It was a race which promised a lot and delivered even more!

In the women’s Vertical Nasego we saw a real battle between Andrea Mayr (AUT) and Grayson Murphy (USA), with Mayr coming out on top in the short, uphill race. This set up a fascinating rematch in Trofeo Nasego, the longer race at 21k, with an up and down profile (1330m of total ascent). Would Mayr’s experience and strength shine through, or would Murphy’s raw speed and power over seemingly any distance be decisive? Or would any one of many other strong female athletes, including Lucy Wambui (KEN), Sarah McCormack (IRE), Joyce Njeru (KEN), Francesca Ghelfi and Erica Ghelfi (both ITA), to name but a few, challenge the expected favourites?

The men’s race was equally enticing after Vertical Nasego’s opener. Henri Aymonod (ITA) seems unbeatable on short, uphill races, but could he do the double here? Cesare Maestri (ITA) took a fantastic 3rd place at Sierre-Zinal a few weeks ago; could he have another strong World Cup run here? Marek Chrascina (CZE) finished just behind Maestri at the last World Championships and recently finished 3rd at Krkonossky, so was also one to watch. And of course, as ever there was a strong contingent of Kenyan athletes including Geoffrey Ndungu, Eric Muthoni and Timothi Kirui in the mix.

In the women’s race Murphy led it out from the start, initially with Njeru and Wambui, with McCormack and Mayr right behind them. Maestri took it out for the men, with a pack of runners including Aymonod, Petro Mamu (ERI), Kirui, Martin DeMatteis (ITA) and Muthoni. Nobody was giving an inch in the men’s race in the early stages.

Grayson Nasego small

By 10k things had changed. Murphy was still leading the women, with a very small gap to Njeru, and Mayr was around 20 seconds behind them, opening a gap on the other women. Murphy and Njeru continued to stretch out their lead over the next few km. In the men’s race Mamu and Muthoni had opened up a small lead over a chasing pack which included Maestri and Kirui. There was still a long way to go but gaps were opening.

At 13k the leaders were doing some damage on those behind them on the big climb up to Refugio Nasego and this was to prove decisive. Now Mamu had a 30 second lead over Maestri and Kirui, and in the women’s race Murphy had managed to open up a 2 minute lead over Andrea Mayr, with Njeru behind her in 3rd. Now the question was: could anybody close those gaps on the big descent?

Mamu Nasego small

In a word: no! Murphy maintained her 2 minute buffer and even added to it a little, winning in a new course record of 1.45.56. Mayr held onto 2nd and finished in 1.48.15, with Francesca Ghelfi putting in a fantastic 2nd half of the race to take 3rd in 1.49.53. Njeru lost quite a bit of ground in the 2nd half and finished 4th in 1.52.11, with Alice Gaggi 5th in 1.54.37.

Mamu also stretched out his lead on the descent, taking the win in 1.33.55, also a course record. Maestri took 2nd in 1.36.02, managing to hold off Eric Muthoni, who was just 25 seconds behind him. The gap to 4th was even closer, with just 5 seconds separating Muthoni and Ndungu. Martin DeMatteis finished in 5th in 1.36.55.

Another incredible weekend of mountain running in this year’s World Cup!

Full results can be found at: https://www.endu.net/en/events/trofeo-nasego/results

The next stop for the World Cup is another double-header at Canfranc-Canfranc on September 11th and 12th. The long mountain race (45k) will take place on the Saturday and the classic mountain race (16k) on the Sunday. We look forward to bringing you a preview and all the news!

Nasego women small web

Nasego men small web

Victory for Mayr and Aymonod at Vertical Nasego

Written by Tomo Sarf on . Posted in Latest News.

The sun shone and excitement was high for the first race in this weekend’s World Cup double header. Vertical Nasego, a short uphill race at 4.3k with 1000m of ascent, was stage 7 of this year’s competition, and what a way to kick off proceedings!

On the women’s start line we had 6-time World Champion and legend of mountain running, Andrea Mayr (AUT), who has very rarely been beaten at a short uphill race. But lining up beside her was Grayson Murphy (USA), current World Champion, National Champion and currently pretty unbeatable over any distance, racing in Europe for the very first time. Add into the mix Lucy Murigi (KEN), Joyce Njeru (KEN) and Susanna Saapunki (FIN), plus a strong Italian contingent including Alice Gaggi, Erica Ghelfi, and Alessia Scaini, and we knew we were in for a fantastic race.

The men’s race also promised to be an epic duel. Henri Aymonod (ITA) was the favourite, having won this race and Chiavenna Lagunc last year, plus Piz Tri Vertikal this year, but he was facing some serious competition. Timothy Kirui (KEN) and Petro Mamu (ERI) were well-established competition for him, but there was also plenty of up-and-coming talent to make it even more exciting. Zak Hanna (IRE), Tiziano Moia (ITA) and Andrea Rostan (ITA) would all be doing their best to make their mark here.

Grayson Murphy took a small lead over Andrea Mayr in the early stages, with Joyce Njeru a little way behind in 3rd. But as the race progressed Mayr eased past Murphy and stretched out her lead in the dominant way we’re so used to seeing. She reached the white finishing gantry first in a time of 38.51, which was the 10th fastest of the day overall. Murphy finished just over a minute behind in 2nd and then there was a gap of over 2 minutes to Joyce Njery in 3rd.

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The men’s race was somewhat closer. Henri Aymonod couldn’t be beaten and he won in 35.38, but 22 year old compatriot Andrea Rostan was snapping at his heels, just 22 seconds behind him. Petro Mamu was just 12 seconds behind Rostan (36.12), so just 34 seconds separated the men’s podium! Zak Hanna was just 6 seconds behind Mamu.

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Tomorrow we get to do it all again! If today was anything to go by, tomorrow’s Trofeo Nasego will be unmissable!

Women

  1. Andrea Mayr (AUT) 38.51
  2. Grayson Murphy (USA) 40.08
  3. Joyce Njeru (KEN) 42.19
  4. Erica Ghelfi (ITA) 42.41
  5. Susanna Saapunki (FIN) 43.26

Men

  1. Henri Aymonod (ITA) 35.38
  2. Andrea Rostan (ITA) 36.00
  3. Petro Mamu (ERI) 36.12
  4. Zak Hanna (IRE) 36.18
  5. Tiziano Moia (ITA) 37.15

Full results at: https://www.endu.net/it/events/trofeo-nasego-vertical/results/2021

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Vertical Nasego and Trofeo Nasego Preview

Written by Tomo Sarf on . Posted in Latest News.

This weekend the World Cup is well and truly back in action. We have not one but two races to look forward to in Casto, Italy – first Vertical Nasego on Saturday 4th September and then Trofeo Nasego on Sunday 5th September.

Vertical Nasego is stage 7 of this year’s World Cup and it’s our next short uphill race at 4.3k with 1000m of ascent. It’s a tough short uphill race, which will see the athletes using their hands in the steepest parts, as they make their way up to the finish at 1,400m.

Then it’s straight onto Trofeo Nasego for stage 8 where athletes will take on this 20th edition of the race, consisting of 21k with 1330m of ascent. This makes it our next classic mountain race. The first half of the race is fast and then at 12k the runners begin their big climb up to Refugio Nasego, before the final steep descent.

Both races always attract a top field and this year’s may well be the best ones ever assembled. And most athletes will contest both Vertical Nasego and Trofeo Nasego.

Women’s preview

Grayson Murphy (USA), the defending World Champion who was recently crowned US National Mountain Running Champion, will be racing in Europe for the first time! It’s going to be really exciting to see her in the mix with some top European and African talent. She’ll be reunited with her fellow athletes from that podium at the 2019 World Championships, Elise Poncet (FRA) and Philippa Williams (GBR) for starters.

Also on the start line will be Andrea Mayr (AUT), fresh from winning Challenge Stellina and six time World Champion and record holder at Vertical Nasego, among many other accolades. She’ll be joined by the reigning World Cup winner Sarah McCormack (IRE), who won Trofeo Nasego last year. It’ll be great to see Sarah taking part in her first World Cup race this year.

As ever there will be strong competition from Kenyan athletes. Lucy Murigi, two-time World Champion who is currently lying 5th in the World Cup, will always be one to watch, as will Joyce Njeru, who is having a great season, having won at Grossglockner and Krkonossky. Charlotte Morgan (GBR), the current leader in the World Cup, will also be toeing the line.

But there will be plenty of Italian competition out to win on home turf. Alice Gaggi, currently second in the World Cup, is expected to do well, as are Erica and Francesca Ghelfi, and Lorenza Beccaria, who is also having a good run in the World Cup. Athletes like Susanna Saapunki (FIN), Lucie Marsanova (CZE), Mocja Koligar (SLO) and Timea Merenyi (HUN) could also feature.

Men’s preview

The men’s race will also bring together podium finishers from the last World Championship as silver medallist, Cesare Maestri (ITA), will face Marek Chraschina (CZE) for a rematch. But can anybody beat Henri Aymonod (ITA) in a short uphill race? He is the defending champion here and has since won Chiavenna Lagunc and Piz Tri Vertikal. He also won Challenge Stellina last weekend.

Geoffrey Ndungu (KEN), who won at Krkonossky and is currently lying 3rd in the World Cup rankings, will be a strong contender, as will his compatriot Timothy Kirui, who was 2nd at Krkonossky. Also flying high in the World Cup in 2nd place is Sandor Szabo (HUN) and Timotej Becan (SLO), who is currently 6th could also feature.

As well as established favourites like Petro Mamu (ERI) this could also be a race where we see some exciting breakthrough performances from runners such as Tiziano Moia (ITA), who came close to beating Henri Aymonod at Piz Tri Vertikal and is proving himself as a short uphill specialist. We could also see Italian rising stars such as Luca Merli, Marco Filosi, Alberto Vender, Lorenzo Cagnati and Daniel Pattis doing well. Zak Hanna (IRE) is another rising star who is working hard and seeing the results from it.

Race information (all timings local)

Saturday 4th September

10am women’s Vertical Nasego start

10.45am men’s Vertical Nasego start

2.30pm awards ceremony

At 5pm a press conference with some of the elite runners will be held. It will be broadcast live on FB page @trofeonasego

Sunday 5th September

9.30am Trofeo Nasego start

2.30pm awards ceremony

Find more information about the race here: http://www.trofeonasegocorsainmontagna.com/en/home-2/

Trofeo Nasego 2 small

Vertical Nasego small

I Want My Kids To Remember That I Take My Work Seriously

Written by Tomo Sarf on . Posted in Latest News.

Our latest athlete article is the latest in a series from Fujio Miyachi. Here he talks about his experience at Masters level mountain running (ahead of our forthcoming Masters World Championships in Telfes on 3 – 5 September) and what it means to him to represent his country in the sport. 

I have been participating in the Masters World Championships since 2018. In athletics, Masters is open to those 35 years old or older (the age to participate in Masters varies depending on the sport. For example, in swimming, Masters is open to those 25 years old or older). In 2018, the race was held in Slovenia, and in 2019 in Italy. My first Masters World Championships race was “Tek na Ratitovec” in Slovenia, where I have competed in the World Cup several times. Because I knew the race course, I thought that it was a good race for my first challenge at Masters level. It was a tough course with 1200m of climbing in 10km. Even though it was a Masters race, there were many talented runners. I finished 66th overall and 14th in my age group. I would take this disappointment into the next year. That race, held in Gagliano del Capo in southern Italy, was a fairly runnable course of 11km ± 500m. The course was a roller coaster of climbs and descents, except for one steep gradient. Supported by the cheering of the gallery, I finished 12th overall and 7th in the age group, a big improvement from the previous year.Fujio 7 2

This year’s Masters World Championships, which was originally planned in 2020, is an uphill race, just like the 2018 race in Slovenia. Patience will be the key to win this race. Last year I was unable to participate in any races, including the World Cup (the series was not held). So, If I am able to travel safely this time, I would like to put my heart and soul into the race for the next two years. I was hoping to bring my family and show my little ones how I run, but that’s not going to happen. So, if I could run the race, I would aim to win a medal this time in order show it to them.

Recently, I’ve been thinking that as I get older, I tend to run more intelligently, focusing on persistence and how to run efficiently without wasting time, rather than relying on instantaneous power. I think this is due in large part to physical and mental changes. Instead of losing youth and vigor, I may gain experience and cunning. I don’t expect this to be an easy race at all, but if I’m right, many of the runners who will challenge for the Masters will probably excel in a vertical race like this time. They will all use their experience to do their best. It’s going to be another tough race.

I have two kids, a three-year-old son and an eight-month-old daughter. They are still small. My son understands that I am running in the mountains but he probably does not understand that I am representing Japan at World Championship. I want my kids to play hard, find what they like, no matter what it is. That’s why I want them to remember that I take my work seriously.

Fujio 7 1As I entered my thirties, I started to get injured more and more. In my twenties, I could run hard and got some good results with my youth and vigor. Now, my injuries healed slower and slower, and my fear of injury made me run timidly. So, I am unable to descend with courage. It is very hard now for me when I am not able to run for a long time due to injury. So, I decided to go back to basic training in order to avoid injury and still run fast. Firstly , I try to create a body that will not break down rather than just doing races and hoping it will be ok. Then I also keep take it easy and relax. I also try to do my best in the current environment without being bound by quotas such as distance. COVID-19 made it difficult for me to travel. In Japan, I am required to quarantine myself at home for two weeks when I return to Japan, which naturally reduces my chances to race. That’s why I’m going to channel all my feelings from all the races this year into this Masters. This is a big challenge for me at the age of 42.

I want to stick with mountain running. I know there are a lot of people who ask why I’m going all the way from Japan to participate in a race in Europe or the United States, or tell me that I’m old enough to retire from this sport. I’ve also been criticized on social media for representing Japan, even though there are higher ranked Japanese runners than me. My running activities are minor in Japan, even among trail running community. I can understand why some people would question my decision to represent the country at the Mountain Running World Championships, as the reality of the world is not well known. I had a hard time participating in the World Mountain Running Championships, partly because there were no standardized records or other criteria to determine who to send, but also because there were no pioneers. Then, I contacted the Japan Association of Athletics Federation, which was the focal point for the dispatch of athletes at that time, and finally obtained the right to participate as a representative.

Now, I have changed my focus to Masters (and of course I will return to the World Cup when I have the chance), but for me, participating in the World Championships itself is important. I believe that the meaning of life changes dramatically depending on whether or not I am desperate for something, whether or not I am willing to hang on, and whether or not I am willing to give up what is important to me. Traveling is always troublesome, and the weather can be rough when running in the mountains. The race is tough, the language is difficult, and there are times when it is hard to understand. But I think it’s great to be able to overcome those difficulties and be desperate in a race, and I’m happy to have something to be passionate about at any age.2021 06 05 05.45.00

I may be overreacting, but as a pioneer of mountain running in Japan, it is my mission to spread this message to many runners in Japan, and if there are people (especially children!), who can relate to this from my life, I will be extremely happy.

As I get older, my role will change from being a front-line runner in the world race. No matter what my position is, I want to run as hard as I can on the stage, enjoy running as much as I do, and continue to be an example to the children and younger generation. The next article will be the last. Please bear with me a little longer.

FUJIO

1st World Mountain and Trail Running Championships (WMTR Championships)

Written by Tomo Sarf on . Posted in Latest News.

This joint statement by WMRA, ITRA and IAU follows on from the online conference on 16 August hosted by World Athletics to update Member Federations and I.T.R.A National Representatives regarding the postponement of the WMRC 2021, giving further details.

 We are working on holding the 1st WMTR Championships in Thailand  11-13 February 2022 and understand the Member Federations’ preference for this, given it is a short postponement that only slightly extends the 2021 season without affecting the 2022 season. Given the uncertainty of the current situation, in conjunction with the LOC, the Thailand Tourist Authority and World Athletics we will make a final decision and announcement by 5th November 2021 at the latest.  This decision will have assessed the current global and local Covid-19 situation against the mitigation strategy provided from World Athletics best practice Covid protocols.

The following provisional dates will apply assuming the event is able to proceed in February 2022

  • 1st  October 2021        General Information Sheet  with registration details
  • 19th  November 2021  Preliminary entry form deadline
  • 9th  December 2021    Team Manual release 
  • 3rd  January 2022        Final entry form deadline

If the event goes ahead in February 2022, then all age limits will remain as for November 2021 – namely

  • Junior athletes must be aged 16-19 on 31 December 2021
  • The lower age limit for the senior mountain races is 18 on 31 December 2021
  • The lower age limit for the trail races is 20 on 31 December 2021

If the event has to be moved to November 2022, then the age limits will revert to those on 31 December 2022 and the whole original timeframe will be shifted by one year.

We will confirm provisional details of the trail and mountain courses soon and provide final confirmation as soon as it is possible following the necessary technical site visit.

2023

The bidding documents for the WMRC 2023 will be in a similar format to that for 2021 with a similar schedule for the championship races.

The initial information will be found soon under the hosting tab on the World Athletics Website.

https://www.worldathletics.org/hosting/iaaf-events/world-mountain-and-trail-running-championships

The deadline for expressions of interest by mid October, with final bids to be submitted by 20 December 2021.

Announcement About 2023 World Masters Mountain Running Championship

Written by Tomo Sarf on . Posted in Latest News.

The 20th World Masters Mountain Running Championships in Telfes is fast approaching (3rd to 5th September) and today we’re very happy to announce the venue for the 2023 World Masters. Read on to find out!

The 2023 World Masters Mountain Running Championships will take place on the island of Madeira! As most runners will already know, it’s an incredible destination for mountain running, which we look forward to experiencing. Here’s a statement from the race director, Nélio Parreira:

Madeira 2 web“We are very happy to receive this event on our island, where other international Mountain Running events have already taken place, and this time in the municipality of Calheta, on the southwestern shore of the island, known for it’s great weather, and nature. And we can’t wait to welcome athletes from the four corners of the earth to participate in this event, that we hope will be an all-round success.

“On the uphill race the athletes will be challenged over a course that comprises many types of paths, going from dirt roads, to single tracks along the forest (that provide shade for the athletes), with short passes by meadows, and even a pass by one, of the world famous madeiran levadas (small water channels, famous for its hikes), and will finish in the scenic Location of Fonte do Bispo, with its picturesque altitude forest and quietness.

“And in the long distance race, athletes will run trough the locations of Ponta do Pargo and Fajã da Ovelha, having changing views at each corner, and also different types of terrain all along the course, with it’s also different levels of technical terrains.”

We look forward to bringing you more details in the coming months. Find out about this year’s World Masters Mountain Running Championships here (and information regarding Covid-19 if you are travelling there).