Author: Tomo Sarf

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Mountain Running is Back in Italy!

Written by Tomo Sarf on 29/06/2020. Posted in Latest News.

The first mountain running race in Italy after lockdown took place at the weekend. Changes were made to the race to minimise any risk, so it wasn’t quite back to normal, but it’s certainly a significant step in a return to mountain running competition.

Trofeo Ciolo took place at the weekend, in the stunning location of Gagliano del Capo in Puglia, which was the venue for the World Masters Mountain Running Championship last year. The course was a 4.5k route on the rugged coastline, but there were some major changes to the normal race experience. Most notably, the format for the race was a time trial, with runners going off at staggered starts. Runners had picked up their bibs at an allotted time slot and their race packs included a face mask for them to use when coming into contact with people. Social distancing was of course observed and the route was closed to the public to avoid spectators gathering.

Francesco Puppi emerged victorious in the men’s competition with a time of 19.51 and Marta Alo won the women’s race in 28.20. Tito Tiberti (22.29) and Emanuele Coroneo (23.09) completed the men’s podium and Rosa Rella (29.58) and Maia Passaseo (31.27) the women’s.

It was a first experiment in how mountain running may look in the near future, rather than a full return. But it’s definitely a step in the right direction. 200 athletes took part.

Quarter Final Voting Is Open!

Written by Tomo Sarf on 23/06/2020. Posted in Latest News.

We’ve reached the quarter final stage of our fun contest to find your greatest mountain race of all time. 8 races remain, 4 long distance, 4 classic distance, all extremely special in their own way. But here’s where it gets ruthless as we reach the knockout stage of the competition! Vote at the bottom of this page.

Now the long distance races you voted for go head-to-head to find the greatest, and the classic distance (definition of under half marathon here) do the same. We’ve got:

Sierre Zinal vs K42 Argentina

Canfranc Canfranc vs Three Peaks Race

Smarna Gora vs Mount Washington Road Race

Grossglockner Berglauf vs Snowdon Race

Then we’ll have a semi-final and final to find your greatest mountain race.

Voting is now open on the form below! The deadline is Saturday 27th June.

Which Mountain Races Have You Voted For?

Written by Tomo Sarf on 23/06/2020. Posted in Latest News.

Thank you to everybody who voted in the first stage of our ‘Greatest Mountain Races of All Time’ contest. After a thrilling first round of competition, where classic and long distance races vied for votes in their groups, we can now announce the 8 races which will go through to the next round, the quarter finals. And from now on, it’s a knockout competition.

From group A Sierre Zinal and Three Peaks Race go through.

From group B Canfranc Canfranc and K42 Argentina go through.

From group C Smarna Gora and Snowdon Race go through.

And from group D Grossglockner Berglauf and Mount Washington Road Race go through.

So this gives us the following quarter finals:

Quarter final 1: Sierre Zinal vs K42 Argentina

Quarter final 2: Canfranc Canfranc vs Three Peaks Race

Quarter final 3: Smarna Gora vs Mount Washington Road Race

Quarter final 4: Grossglockner Berglauf vs Snowdon Race

Voting opens tomorrow for the quarter finals! And remember it’s knockout now, so only 4 races will make it through! Make sure you vote for your greatest mountain races of all time tomorrow. The deadline to vote is Saturday 27th June.

Voting Opens For Greatest Mountain Race Of All Time

Written by Tomo Sarf on 18/06/2020. Posted in Latest News.

Voting is now open for stage one of our Greatest Mountain Races of All Time contest! In stage one you vote for what you think is the greatest race in each group, then the top two from each group go through to the head-to-head stage, which you can vote on next week. Read more about Greatest Mountain Races of All Time and find a rundown on the races HERE.

The deadline for voting at this first group stage is 22nd June so get voting if you want to see your favourite races go through!

Greatest Mountain Race of All Time: The Contenders

Written by Tomo Sarf on 18/06/2020. Posted in Latest News.

While there aren’t any races on we’ve been trying to keep you in mountain running content. First we took a look at the greatest mountain runners of all time and now we’re looking at the greatest mountain RACES of all time. And again you get your chance to vote for your favourites.

The first stage is the ‘group stage’. There are 10 long races (over 21k) and 12 short races (under 21k). These are divided into 4 groups. You vote for what you think is the greatest race in each group. The deadline is 22nd June. Voting opens at 8pm CET on Thursday 18th June.

The top 2 races from each group will go through to the knockout stage where they will go head-to-head to decide the greatest mountain race of all time! You can download your own wall chart to follow the competition.

Let’s take a brief look at the mountain races in the competition:

Group A (long)

Mount Fuji Ascent
Location: Japan
Distance: 21k
Elevation: +3048m
History: this race has been in existence for 72 years.

Sierre Zinal
Location: Switzerland
Distance: 31km
Elevation: +2200m -1100m
History: possibly the most famous long mountain race, it began in 1974. Previous winners of ‘the race of the five 4000s’ include Jonathan Wyatt, Ricardo Mejia, Kilian Jornet (7 times), Lucy Wambui Murigi, Anna Pichrtova (4 times) and Angela Mudge (first woman to finish in under 3 hours)

Three Peaks Race
Location: England
Distance: 37k
Elevation: +1608m
History: the first race was run in 1954, though it was already a well-established long distance walking route. Past winners include WMRA council member Sarah Rowell (4 times), Rob Jebb (4 times), Anna Frost, Tom Owens, Anna Pichrtova and Victoria Wilkinson (5 times). The race incorporated the World Long Distance Mountain Running Championships in 2008.

Kepler Challenge 60k
Location: New Zealand
Distance: 60k
Elevation: +1350m
History: this race has been going for 31 years and follows the Kepler Track through the Fiordland National Park. Previous winners include Ruby Muir (6 times) and Vajin Armstrong (3 times)

Mount Kinabalu International Climbathon
Location: Malaysia
Distance 26k
Elevation +2528m
History: the race began in 1987 and as of its 30th anniversary year of 2017 it can no longer happen in order to preserve the mountain (as a UNESCO heritage site). Previous winners include Ricardo Mejia (3 times), Anna Pichrtova (5 times), Kilian Jornet (4 times) and Ruth Croft (twice).

Group B (long)

Giir di Mont
Location: Italy
Distance: 32k
Elevation: +2860m and down
History: the race began in 1961 as a challenge to unite the 12 pastures of the Premanese territory. It served as the World Long Distance Mountain Running Championships in 2017 (won by Silvia Rampazzo and Francesco Puppi) and the course records are held by Petro Mamu and Kasie Enman.

Canfranc
Location: Spain
Distance 45k
Elevation +4000m
History: the only marathon distance mountain race with 4000m of ascent over just 4 climbs, this race recently joined the WMRA World Cup and is one of the toughest mountain races in Spain.

Jungfrau
Location: Switzerland
Distance 42k
Elevation: +1829m
History: the race began in 1993 and nowadays is a huge mass participation event. Past winners include Jonathan Wyatt (who has held the record since 2003), Andrea Mayr, Tesfaye Eticha (4 times), Emebet Abossa (3 times), Aline Camboulives (3 times) and Robbie Simpson (3 times). It has also served as the race for the World Long Distance Mountain Running Championships.

Pikes Peak
Location: Colorado, USA
Distance: 42k
Elevation: +2382 and then down
History: this race dates back to 1956 and, unusually for the times, it was open for women as well as men. Matt Carpenter holds the men’s record and has won an astounding 12 times. Erica Larson has been the most successful woman, with 5 wins. The race has served as the World Long Distance Mountain Running Championships.

K42 Patagonia
Location: Argentina
Distance: 42k
Elevation +2184m
History: this race started in 2003 and takes place in Villa La Angostura in Patagonia. Previous winners include the record holders Elisa Desco and Miguel Heras and in 2019 it was the race for the World Long Distance Mountain Running Championships (as well as the Classic distance race) resulting in wins for Jim Walmsley and Cristina Simion.

Group C (classic)

La Montee Grand Ballon
Location: France
Distance: 14.8k
Elevation: +1000m
History: dating back to 1981 this historic race has formed part of our World Cup and previous winners include Jonathan Wyatt and Isabelle Guillot.

Snowdon
Location: Wales
Distance: 10 miles/15k
Elevation: 994m (up and down race)
History: the race started in 1976 and has hosted the European Championships and the World Cup. Previous winners include Marco De Gasperi, Izabela Zatorska, Angela Mudge, Cesare Maestri, Andi Jones (6 times), Mary Wilkinson and Sarah McCormack (both 3 times)

Hochfelln Berglauf
Location: Germany
Distance 8.9k
Elevation +1819m
History: this race has been in existence for 47 years and has appeared many times in the World Cup.

Smarna Gora
Location: Slovenia
Distance: 10k
Elevation: +710/ -350m
History: the race is 40 years old and it has been part of the World Cup (or Grand Prix) 18 times. Previous winners include: Ines Hižar, Rosita Rota-Gelpi, Izabela Zatorska, Petra Majdi?, Mateja Kosovelj, Victoria Wilkinson, Andrea Mayr, Lucija Krko?, Alice Gaggi, Sarah Tunstall and Lucy Murigi for the women and Lucio Fregona, Marco De Gasperi, Jonathan Wyatt, Emanuele Manzi, Mitja Kosovelj, Antonio Tornielli, Ahmet Arslan, Alex Baldaccini, Yussief Tekle, Fred Musobo, Petro Mamu, and Johan Bugge for the men.

Challenge Stellina
Location: Italy
Distance: 14k
Elevation: +1630m -210m
History: the race is 30 years old. Previous winners include Jonathan Wyatt (who still has the record from 2004), Antonio Molinari, Isabelle Guillot, Gudrun Pfluger, Izabela Zatorska, Angela Mudge, Antonella Confortola, and Melissa Moon.

Kitzbuhel Hornlauf
Location: Austria
Distance 12.9k
Elevation +1234m
History: this race has a long history, dating back 41 years

Group D (classic)

Skåla Opp
Location: Norway
Distance: 8.2k
Elevation: +1819m
History: this race started 17 years ago and is billed as ‘Northern Europe’s toughest uphill race’

Drei Zinnen
Location: Italian Dolomites
Distance: 17k,
Elevation: 1333m
History: now in its 23rd year, not many races can boast a finish line as spectacular as this in the shadow of the iconic Tre Cima. 2 new course records were set in 2019 by Sarah Tunstall and Petro Mamu.

Mount Washington Road Race
Location: USA
Distance 12.2k
Elevation +1402m
History: this race has been held annually since 1966 but it actually originated in 1936. Previous winners include Jonathan Wyatt (who still holds the record he set in 2004), Matt Carpenter, Anna Pichrtova (6 times) and Joseph Gray (4 times)

Grossglockner Berglauf
Location: Austria
Distance 13k
Elevation +1265m
History: the race has been in existence for 15 years. Previous winners include Jonathan Wyatt, Sarah Tunstall, Anna Pichrtova

Schlickeralm Lauf
Location: Austria
Distance: 11.7k
Elevation 1270m,
History: the race started in 1991 and its venue of Telfes has served as the World, European and Masters Mountain Running Championships. It has also been a World Cup race many times. Previous winners include Andrea Mayr (current women’s record holder and 4-time winner), Jonathan Wyatt (7 times), Geoffrey Gikuni Ndungu (4 times) and Anna Pichrtova (5 times)

Trofeo Vanoni
Location: Italy
Distance: 7.2k
Elevation: +435m
History: this relay race (or solo race for women) has a long history, dating back 62 years

Greatest Mountain Race Of All Time: You Decide

Written by Tomo Sarf on 15/06/2020. Posted in Latest News.

Over the past few weeks we’ve been looking back at the greatest mountain runners of all time. Now it’s time to turn our attention to the greatest mountain RACE of all time! VOTE NOW HERE!

Using feedback from the WMRA athletes’ commission, the WMRA council and you, we’ve come up with a shortlist of classic and long distance races who will all fight it out for the title of ‘greatest mountain race’. Classic races are up to half marathon distance and long are half marathon and over. We wanted to celebrate races with history so they had to be over 10 years old to be included.

In stage one, the ‘group stage’ we’ve got two groups of classic races and two groups of long distance races (see table below for races). You vote for your favourites and the two most popular races from each group go through to the knockout stage.

In the knockout stage the most popular races go head-to-head until we get down to the best classic and best long distance race. Then, they compete for the title of ‘greatest mountain race of all time’. We will keep updating the table below until we find out winner!

You can download your own wall chart to keep track of the tournament HERE.

Tomorrow we will bring you more information on all the races you can vote for, and then open the vote.

Group A (Long)		Group B (Long)		Group C (Classic)		Group D (Classic)
Mount Fuji Ascent		Giir Di Mont		Grand Ballon		Skaala Opp
Sierre Zinal		Canfranc		Snowdon		Drei Zinnen
Three Peaks Race		Jungfrau Mara		Hochfelln Berglauf		Mt Washington RR
Kepler Challenge		Pikes Peak Mara		Smarna Gora		Grossglockner
Kinabalu		K42 Argentina		Challenge Stellina		Schlickeralm Lauf
				Kitzbuhel Hornlauf		Trofeo Vanoni

Group A Winner	(Q1)	Group B Runner Up		Group C Winner	(Q3)	Group D Runner Up
	vs				vs

Group B Winner	(Q2)	Group A Runner Up		Group D Winner	(Q4)	Group C Runner Up
	vs				vs

Q1 Winner	(S1)	Q2 Winner		Q3 Winner	(S2)	Q4 Winner
	vs				vs

		S1 Winner	(Final)	S2 Winner
			vs

			Winner

Campionato mondiale Master 60 65 70 75 uomini 187

WORLD MASTERS CHAMPIONSHIPS POSTPONED TO 2021

Written by Tomo Sarf on 15/06/2020. Posted in Latest News.

The WMRA announces that due to the pandemic of Covid-19 the 2020 World Masters Mountain Running Championships will be postponed until 2021. It is with sadness that we have to take this decision but during the past week it has become clear that it would be impossible to hold a Championship event that would be both safe and fair to all the athletes, supporters and volunteers.

The Championships will be held in 2021 on 3. to 5. September on the same venue of Telfes in Austria. WMRA felt that this was the correct decision due to on going travel restrictions for international destinations, quarantine requirements for runners returning from an event, rules relating to racing with a distance between each runner and the limited numbers of runners that would be allowed to congregate together for ceremonies, finish and start areas.

Ireland was scheduled to host the event next year and they will remain our event hosts for the World Masters Mountain Running Championships but will move their races to 2022.

We apologise for this change and know that while our runners will be disapointed we believe it is in the best interests for everyone involved that we take this decision. On behalf of the WMRA I would like to wish everyone safe running and good training and we will look forward to next years event.

Jonathan Wyatt

WMRA President

‘I Still Get Goosebumps’: Interview With Lucija Krko?

Written by Tomo Sarf on 12/06/2020. Posted in Latest News.

As part of our ‘greatest mountain runners of all time‘ feature we’ve been speaking to some of the great athletes from the last 20+ years. Here, Tomo Šarf speaks to Lucija Krko? of Slovenia, who achieved some great results between 2003 and 2016.

Lucija, you first appeared on the international stage as a junior – in the years 2003-2005 you finished the World Championships races in 4th, 2nd and 4th place, helping your team win gold in all 3 years. Your memories?

Indeed, that was an exciting time. Everything was happening fast. I became aware of the situation after a few years. In September 2002 Mateja (Kosovelj) and I started training under the guidance of Edvin Kosovelj. After a year we have already won a gold medal in Alaska. Joining the national team and flying to Alaska was a great pleasure and experience and success for a 15-year-old teenager. Mateja and I were unbeatable team, a dream team. We did all our training together. Even more, we hung out together a lot. I had great time and I am grateful to both Edvin and Mateja. The most beautiful memory of the junior category is the individual victory at the European Championship in 2007 in Cauterets, France.

Some runners are experts at ascending, the others at technical descents. In your senior period, you were excellent in both disciplines, but it is obvious that you really excelled at the European Championships. Did you plan your season so that you were better in July than in September?

I have always had bad luck at the World Championships. In 2008 and 2009 I was still unexperienced as those were my first years competing as a senior. The following two years I was very well prepared but unfortunately, I got food poisoning (Tirana). And I always had an injury during autumn time later on.

Mateja and Lucija – ‘the dream team’

Your best season was 2011 – bronze medal at World Ch in Bursa, you won 3 World Cup races plus first position in the final standings. How did you feel that year?

In winter 2010-11, I started preparing myself for the Padova marathon. Later, I moved from road to mountain races. I clearly remember all the competitions. I gained my first victory in GP in Arco, Italy. After so many years I still remember every piece of the race. I am not specialized for extreme, steep uphill races, but Grintovec was covered with snow that year and the organizers were forced to shorten the track. Anyhow, I won that race too. Šmarna gora is still my favorite race. There has always been the best atmosphere along the track and at the finish. Moreover, the track suited me.

The second peak of your career was at the end – in 2016 you won the bronze medal at the World Long Distance Championships, I can say, in front of your house. Is this medal your favorite?

Indeed. That medal is my favorite. The world championship took place in Slovenia. I won the third place at the marathon distance. I was cheered on by my relatives and friends. I still get goosebumps when I remember the parts of the race where I had problems, the finish and the medal ceremony. Not only my third place, but the girls and I also won a silver medal in a team category. That result is the most precious to me and I still remember it with a great pleasure.

World Cup win in 2011

Is there any race that you like more than the others?

My competitive puzzle consists of different races. Each of them is special for me and has contributed to my personal and running development. I have always felt and still feel very good when competing in Italy.

What did you prefer – steep uphills or technical descents or maybe fast running parts, shorter or longer courses?

Medium distance courses, with technically demanding descents, are my favorite.

What about domestic races? Do you remember how many National champion titles did you win?

I like taking part in all domestic races. In recent years the competition among women has become stronger and consequently more interesting.

I do not remember how many national titles I have won in Slovenia. Being honest I have never paid much attention to home races as I have always been focused more on international races.

What about road races – did you ever test your potential at the marathon distance?

During the springtime I normally carried out marathon preparations and the race. Yes, I had some ambitions, but I realized I was simply not made for top results on flat tracks. My best result is 2:46:13.

And a standard question: What are you doing now?

I work as a running coach for children and adults. I have a family, a two-year-old daughter Meta and a three-month-old son Leon.

Another standard question: Do you still »feel the need« to put on a start number?

Of course, I hope I am still on the crest of a wave!

All images by Tomo Šarf

Greatest Mountain Runners of all Time: the Results

Written by Tomo Sarf on 11/06/2020. Posted in Latest News.

For the last few weeks we’ve been taking a look at the greatest mountain runners in the world, looking back at the last 20+ years and celebrating the achievements of some really exceptional athletes. Then you had the opportunity to vote for who you felt were the greatest in our WMRA GOAT (greatest of all time) vote. Thousands of you voted and here’s what you said:

The greatest female mountain runner of all time is … Andrea Mayr.

Photo: Richard Bolt

Austrian Andrea won 6 World Championships and 4 World Cups and she was virtually unbeatable at the peak of her career. In fact, often only a few men beat her in big mountain races. As well as her incredible success in mountain running she competed at World Championship level on the track and in two Olympics (London and Rio) in the marathon.

Many of the athletes we spoke to cited Andrea as an inspiration. Sarah Tunstall said “her longevity, Championship victories, race records and Olympic Games appearances, for me, stand head and shoulders above any of the other ‘greats’.” Sandor Szabo agreed, saying, “Andrea is really motivating to me. She was one of my biggest opponents when I started mountain running, I got beaten by her so many times. If I was lucky to have enough downhill, I could beat her, but in uphill-only races, I couldn’t do anything.”

Congratulations, Andrea. A true legend of the sport and inspiration to many.

The greatest male mountain runner of all time is … Joseph Gray.

Photo: Corsa in Montagna

Joseph won the World Championships in 2016 and 2019, he’s the US record holder for the Mount Washington Road Race, he’s won the Pikes Peak Ascent, has an impressive collection of FKTs and he’s come second at Sierre Zinal. He’s also an 18 time national champion, which just shows his consistency over many years.

This is what Richard Bolt, Team Leader, US Mountain Running Team, had to say about Joseph Gray: “Having watched first hand Joseph’s growth as a mountain runner, I’m very proud of what he’s accomplished since his debut at the 2008 World Mountain Running Championships. Not only has he been one of the few athletes to win an uphill (2016) and up/down (2019) World Mountain Running Championship, Joseph has excelled across multiple off-road racing disciplines with national championships in cross country, 50k trail, 30k trail, half marathon trail, 15k trail, snowshoe as well as mountain running. His positive attitude and accomplishments off the trail have been just as impressive as an ambassador for multiple top-tier brands, a role model to new US Mountain Running Team members and most recently with his efforts to bring more Black athletes into mountain and trail running.”

Congratulations Joseph, for your achievements and for the inspiration you provide.

Goat (left) and WMRA GOAT Joseph (right). Photo: Nancy Hobbs

In the women’s vote Melissa Moon from New Zealand came second and Scotland’s Angela Mudge was very close behind in third.

In the mens’ vote Spaniard Kilian Jornet was in second place and Jonathan Wyatt of New Zealand was a close third.

Thank you to everybody who voted and helped us to celebrate some of the legends of mountain running. We’d love to hear your thoughts on the poll, on any runners we overlooked and on any future polls you’d like to see us organise.

Vote For Your Greatest Mountain Runners Of All Time

Written by Tomo Sarf on 26/05/2020. Posted in Latest News.

VOTE CLOSING AT MIDNIGHT TONIGHT! We’ve come up with shortlists for the greatest female and male mountain runners of all time, and now it’s time for you to have your say. Please vote below by June 10 and help us find the WMRA GOAT!

Here’s a recap of our top women, if you want to remind yourself of their achievements in the sport.

And here’s a similar recap of our top men, to help you decide. In both articles you can hear the opinions of top mountain runners about who they think is the greatest of all time and why.

We look forward to bringing you the results when the poll closes on June 10!

WORLD MOUNTAIN RUNNING ASSOCIATION

Author: Tomo Sarf