Author: Tomo Sarf

Record Five Nations Participate in 16th NACAC Mountain Running Championships

Written by Tomo Sarf on 20/10/2019. Posted in Latest News.

USA’s Andy Wacker and Dani Moreno take individual titles

The NACAC Mountain Running Championships were held on Sunday, October 20, at a countryside venue located just 30 minutes from Tepatitlan de Morelos, Jalisco, Mexico. On race day, the Cerro Gordo mountain added the additional challenge of mud and slick rocks to the competition.

Andy Wacker, Boulder, CO, and Dani Moreno, Santa Barbara, CA, earned championships titles with Moreno leading the US women to a gold medal and Wacker leading the men to silver.

Stormy weather throughout the days preceding the 16th NACAC Mountain Running Championships did nothing to damped the spirits of the record five nations competing this year. The host event, the 12th Carrera Cerro Gordo, offered a challenging course with over 2000 feet of climbing from a starting elevation of 7000 feet to nearly 8700 feet at the high point — the turnaround point — on an out and back course covering 12 kilometers of trail. The route featured rocky sections, hard-packed dirt, grassy terrain, and muddy spots along the trail.

The competitors began the ascent of Cerro Gordo quickly moving onto the cobblestone road leading to trail. Wacker soared up Cerro Gordo, reaching the top with a small lead over Jesus Nava of team Mexico. Mexico ran in a tight pack close behind Wacker with teammates Eric Blake, David Fuentes and Travis Fuller of team USA just behind the Mexico pack. On the women’s side, US teammates Sam Lewis and Moreno led the way approaching the mountain top turn around. Behind these two, the ladies’ field had begun to string out with a mixture of the Mexican, Canadian and US team members Kristen Findley and Maria Dalzot in pursuit.

Returning down the mountain, Wacker cut loose, extending his lead to arrive at the finish as the NACAC Mountain Champion in a time of 53:30 followed by Mexico’s Jesus Nava and Brayan Rodriguez in 54:22 and 55:26 respectively. Fuentes would be the next USA runner down in seventh position with a time of 56:43. Fuller followed closely in eighth with a time of 56:50, just ahead of Blake who finished ninth in 57:02. Mexico took the NACAC team title with 9 points, USA followed with 12 point for the silver medal, while Canada claimed bronze with 28 points. El Salvador, fielding a full team for the first time, finished in fourth with 42 points.

The lead two USA women would stay out front of the rest of the field on the return down Cerro Gordo for a one-two finish. Moreno overtook Lewis on the descent to claim the womens NACAC Mountain Champion title in a time of 1:05:28. Lewis claimed the silver position in 1:06:26. The final podium spot would go to Susana Bautista of Mexico in 1:07:22. Findley just missed a podium finish following closely in fourth timed in 1:07:49, while Dalzot crossed the line with a tenth place finish in 1:16:36. The USA women claimed the team title with 7 points ahead of Mexico in team silver with 18 points. Canada took the team bronze with 22 points. For the first time, there were five countries competing in the women’s division with Costa Rica and El Salvador each entering one athlete.

Event organizer, Miguel Lopez commented, “The NACAC Mountain Running Championship in Tepatitlan was developed with great excitement, which fills us with pride as it is the first occasion in which five countries in the area participate and motivates us to continue promoting this beautiful modality of athletics. I thank the delegations of the United States, Canada, El Salvador and Costa Rica, as well as the Mexican team for their emotional participation, as well as Tepatitlan and San Ignacion, which together leave a great taste in the mouth for the organization and development of the event. Thank you all and Tepatitlan is your home.”

Delegations were led by Liz Neely (CAN), Miguel Angel Lopez Navarro and Pedro Fletes (MEX), Pamela Allie-Morrill (ESA), and Jason Bryant and Tad Davis (USA). Nancy Hobbs (USA) was on hand to represent the WMRA.

The NACAC Mountain Running Championships rotate between the U.S., Mexico, and Canada. This is the fifth time Mexico has hosted the Championships, the third time in Tepatitlan (2008, 2016, 2019). In 2006 and 2011, Ajijic, Jalisco, was the host venue. The event will most likely travel to Canada in 2020 and back to the USA in 2021.

In addition to the Championships race, the Carrera Cerro Godo event staged 6-kilometer races for juniors 19 and under, and open races for ages 20 and older.

For additional details and full results visit: https://www.tepatitlan.gob.mx/comude/nacac

The 62nd Trofeo Vanoni Could be one of most competitive ever

Written by Tomo Sarf on 17/10/2019. Posted in Latest News.

Trofeo Vanoni, the epic mountain race, is taking place as always on the last Sunday of October, the 27^th. This will be the 62^nd edition of the race, a fact which shows the deep history of this race, and another page of that history is about to be written.

Immortalized by the sports journalist Maurizio Torri as the “World Championship of Dead Leaves” due to its colourful autumnal timing the race has a hall of fame that reads like a ‘Who’s Who’ of mountain running for the last half a century. The GS CSI Morbegno this year is working hard to stage a sporting event of international scope to live up to reputation.

The 62nd edition of Trofeo Vanoni promises to be the most exciting ever. In addition to athletes from all over Europe, the entire Italian Mountain Running Team that’s currently preparing for the World Championships in Patagonia will be in Morbegno for a training camp on the weekend of 26/27 October. So the 62nd Trofeo Vanoni will feature many of the top Italian and European mountain runners.

It’s a race not to be missed, both for those who will run it, and for those who will support the runners on the way (in the now famous “fan zones” of Tempietto, Arzo and the “jump”). The names of the favourites were presented by the vice-president of CSI Morbegno (LOC) Marco Leoni during the press conference on Wednesday, October 16th in the Town Hall of Morbegno (North Italy in the middle of Alps). Here are some of the key teams:

– the Atletica Valli Bergamasche Team with the European bronze medalist Chevrier and the teammates Maestri and Cagnati – the Italian champion team Atletica Valle Brembana with the record holder of the race Alex Baldaccini, Cavagna and Puppi,
– the Falchi Lecco Team, first Italian team in the relay last year,
– La Recastello Radici Group with Piana, Ruga and Bertolini,
– Atletica Valchiese with the phenomenon Vender and the juniors Berti and Merli.

And there’s more: the French, who if they were to pull off a hat-trick would definitely take home the trophy, led by Julien Rancon, who is an idol in Morbegno and will be competing with the winners of last year’s edition Cachard and Fine. There’s also the British team, which was selected at the International Snowdon Race and is made up of Hanna, Baxter and Clayton, the Scottish Team, who were third last year with Bryson, Wolfe and Gollan, and the Irish team with Lupton, Conroy and Kevan. In addition there’s Poland with the under 23 Kubica, Jilek and Dudczak, Wales with Bodman, Hughes and Roberts, and the English team sponsored inov-8 and led by Mounsey along with Wood and Adams.

Still not enough? The individual ladies race is just as exciting. The duel between last year’s winner Elisa Sortini (Atletica Alta Valtellina) and the WMRA World Cup winner Sarah McCormack is on again. There’s also the always competitive Pavla Schorna (Czech Republic), the returning Alice Gaggi who just finished 4th at the Smarna Gora in Slovenia, then eyes are on the other Italians – Pastorelli, Scaini, the French Team European Champions 2018 Anais Sabrie and Elise Poncet, the bronze medalist at the World Master Championship Rebecca Quinn, the local Roberta Ciappini (La Recastello Radici Group), the Scottish runner Miranda Grant and the English runner Kirsty Hall.

With a line-up like this there’s sure to be big battles and quite a show. The press launch on 16th October, with event presentations with films, video messages (those of Julien Rancon, Alex Baldaccini and Paolo Germanetto) and with the speeches/interviews of a lot of key players. The CSI Morbegno Running Team (LOC) was able to involve and communicate its passion to all those who attended, including the champions of mountain running Alice Gaggi and Elisa Sortini who love Trofeo Vanoni and this year will do their best to place well.

Follow Trofeo Vanoni on Facebook and now on Instagram! Visit www.trofeovanoni.it for full information.

Mamu and Murigi put their names on the Smarna Gora Race as Douglas and McCormack finally get to lift the 2019 World Cup Trophies

Written by Tomo Sarf on 12/10/2019. Posted in Latest News.

The two Africans were victorious in Ljubljana, Slovenia today at the 2019 World Cup Final held on the Smarna Gora Mountain – today in its 40th edition. But the ultimate biggest smiles were on the faces of Andy Douglas and Sarah McCormack, bringing to a close their campaigns to win the World Cup. It’s the day of their World triumph and is a reward for a full season of strong and consistent running. Douglas from Scotland and the Irish woman Sarah McCormack got to raise the 2019 Mountain Running World Cup represented by the crystal trophies today.

It’s a great achievement for these two athletes, who have shown great consistency and mental strength throughout all the season. The seeds of which were planted many months ago, when the long and exciting adventure of the 2019 World Cup began in the French Alps of Annecy. Following this they raced in the USA, Austria, Wales, Switzerland, Italy and here in Slovenia. It has led the World Cup athletes to compete on a huge variety of terrain and distances and reveals to us now just who are the best all round Mountain Runners.

Petro Mamu (ERI) winning the 2019 Smarna Gora and taking 3rd place in the 2019 World Cup

The way the day’s race played out was just as exciting with Eritrean Filimon Abraham trying to secure his second position in the World Cup and so he attacked early, forcing his opponents to respond to try to hold his fast pace on the first and longer climb of today’s 10km course. Another Eritrean, Petro Mamu initially let him go and led a group the included Andy Douglas and Timotej Becan. Mamu kept the gap to under 20s and responded with a strong second climb up to the finish after a tricky and technical descent. He overtook his compatriot just 400 metres before the summit finish and sprinted away in the final metres to win but with out the race record that stays still with the Italian Alex Baldacini who today finished back in 8th place. It was the 3rd win for Mamu at the Smarna Gora after winning on Ljubljana’s St Mary hill in 2015 and 2016. A final time of 42’17” for Mamu, with Abraham 2nd by only 4 seconds (42’21”), in 3rd place the hero of the day, the slovenian Timotej Beçan ended in 43’19” one place in front of the winner of the World Cup Andrew Douglas who was 4th in 43’23 “.

Smarna Gora Race 2019 Men’s top-ten:
1 Petro Mamu 42’17
2 Filimon Abraham 42’21
3 Timotej Beçan 43’19
4 Andrew Douglas 43’23
5 Alberto Vender 43’58
6 Bernard Dematteis 44’09
7 Sándor Szabó 44’16
8 Alex Baldaccini 44’29
9 Zak Hanna 44’51
10 Hans-Peter Innerhofer 45’11

Pre race predictions were respected in the women’s race where the back to back defending Champion Lucy Murigi took the victory in 50’55 ”, thus returning to smile after a long period of time away due to an injury.

The Kenyan had to struggle to break the resistance of Sarah McCormack early on who even at the five kilometre mark was still close with less than 20 seconds to make up. But Murigi turned on her trade mark power in the second half and powered away for what was a comfortable win in the end.

2nd place with 51’51” was McCormack who had sealed her first World Cup vistory and it was a magical season for the Irish star of mountain running. 3rd place on the day for the Czech runner Lucie Marsanova was a great run and she finished strongly with a final time of 52’20″

Smarna Gora Race 2019 Women’s top-ten:
1 Lucy Murigi 50’55
2 Sarah McCormack 51’51
3 Lucie Marsanova 52’20
4 Alice Gaggi 53’58
5 Emma Clayton 54’19
6 Jemina Elgood 54’34
7 Lauren Dickinson 54’46
8 Hannah Russel 54’54
9 Jasna Karlatec 56’02
10 Barbara Trunkelj 56’27

Full Rankings Smarna Gora 2019

WORLD CUP

Irelands Sarah McCormack and Scotlands Andrew Douglas Mountain Running World Cup 2019 winners

The World Cup final rankings at the top didn’t change after the race but there were plenty of changes in the positions from 2 to 10 and showed that by running in more races the athletes could push up to a higher place. Runners that completed all 7 World Races also recieved a 50 point bonus and this also boosted some of the positions.

World Cup mens winner Andrew Douglas (SCO)

The male podium sees the scotsman Andy Douglas celebrate the triumph joined by the two Eritrean mountain sensations Filamon Abraham (2nd) and Petro Mamu (3rd). For Mamu the victory today was decisive to reach the World Cup podium, together with the 6th place of the Italian Bernard Dematteis, who missed the final podium and top three by just 5 points.

In the women ranking Sarah Mccormack was untouchable with 495 points, Lucy Murigi improved in 2nd with 210, and it was the same score for the English runner Emma Clayton, who moved to third by virtue of the two victories of Murigi at Annecy and today here at Smarna Gora.

Perfect running conditions in Slovenia as Womens World Cup winner Sarah McCormack (IRL) (left) takes on the final climb

Its a nice signal from Clayton, back to the mountain running after a few years of absence, she could be one of the protagonists for next season and the next edition of the World Cup, which in just two years is back with this relaunched version and holding its own in the universe of top World class competitions.

2019 World Cup Results

The photo gallery from the race below with the photo credit : Marco Gulberti and the World Mountain Running Association

World Cup Finals this weekend in Slovenia

Written by Tomo Sarf on 09/10/2019. Posted in Latest News.

St. Mary’s Hill overlooking the capital of Slovenia, Ljubljana plays host once again to the final round (#7) of the World Cup of Mountain Running. Everything is ready for the Smarna Gora Race celebrating its 40 year anniversary. Once again it will be this great classic of the Slovenian mountain running scene that defines the final World Cup ranking.

Even if the final World Cup titles are already mathmatically assigned to Scottish international Andrew Douglas and the talented Irish Mountain Runner Sarah McCormack, it’s still completely open to define the top three positions of the final ranking for the podium. It’s these podium places that will still be the goal for many of the athletes arriving in Ljiubljana for the race on Saturday.

The Smarna Gora Race was born in 1979, driven by the popularity of the paths that climb the beautiful hill of Saint Mary, overlooking the Slovenian capital with the medievil church crowning the summit. The race was immediately very popular, changing the course over the years to reach today’s format with 10 km with 700 meters of positive elevation gain and 350 of descent. The course records belong to the Austrian Andrea Mayr with 47’40 ” for women (established in 2017) and Italian Alex Baldaccini with 41’32” for the men (established in 2012 at the end of an historic sprint against the Eritrean Teklai Weldemariam).

Andy Douglas and Sarah McCormack will be present at the race, ready to lift the coveted World Cup crystal trophies that will be given to them after the race. But first there will be a battle to decide who will be the winner of the 40th edition of the Smarna Gora Race. So let’s talk about the race favorites! On the start line we find two strong Eritrean runners; Petro Mamu and Filimon Abraham. They are also here looking for points to get closer to the final podium of the World Cup. Abraham has 265 points and is in 2nd place in the general classification, chased by the Italian twins Martin and Bernard Dematteis, who both have been announced in Ljubljana but Martin is in great doubt with a tendonitis that hit him in the last few weeks.

The young Irish runner Zak Hannah will be at the race as well, he is 5th in the standings and represents one of the surprising but great revelations of this edition of the World Cup with strong and consistent results throughout the season. Locally the Slovenian Tmotej Beçan will be looking for a big points haul in his local race that he knows so well. He is in 8th position but with a good performance he can break into one of the first 5 places in the final ranking of the Cup.

The great news in the women’s race is the return of Kenyan, and back to back defending World Cup Champion, Lucy Wambui Murigi. She returns to competition after the stop she suffered in August at the Sierre-Zinal where she picked up an injury. The final victory of the Cup is out of her reach but she will want to take the race win as a good consolation prize. English runner Emma Clayton and Scottish talent Louise Mercer will try to make the final podium for the World Cup, they are today respectively 4th and 5th. Sarah Tunstall and Alexandra Hauser, currently 2nd and 3rd behind Sarah McCormack, are not yet sure to race on Saturday so chances are that there will be big changes following saturday’s race on the small Slovenian mountain.

Link to the 2019 World Cup Ranking : http://www.wmra.info/files/world_cup/drei_zinnenlauf/WCup_2019_-_RESULTS_after_race6.pdf
Link to the World Cup web site : http://www.wmra.info/world-cup
Photo: corsainmontagna.it from edition 2018

The World Cup finals always brings a top class field to this historic race (now 40 years old)

Lucy Murigi (KEN) after illness back for the World Cup Finals

Andrew Douglas (SCO) Men’s leader and just needs to finish to secure the title

Sarah McCormack (IRL) Women’s World Cup Leader

Campionato mondiale Master 35 40 45 50 55 Premizioni 046

World Masters Mountain Running Championships Video Highlights

Written by Tomo Sarf on 08/10/2019. Posted in Latest News.

Highlights from the recent World Masters Championships held in Puglia, Italy show this lovely southern town of Capo Gagliano and it’s beautiful coastline where more than 1000 Masters (over 35yrs) runners competed to become the World Champion for their age categories. (Photo: Marco Gulberti)

Videos by Trofeo Ciolo.

Opening of the Championships:

19° WMMRC Ciolo M60 – M65 – M70 – M75

19° WMMRC Ciolo W60 – W65 – W70 – W75

Aymonod and Compagnoni surprise winners at the Vertical KM Chiavenna-Lagunc

Written by Tomo Sarf on 07/10/2019. Posted in Latest News.

The international mountain running race Chiavenna-Lagunc took place at weekend in Chiavenna, near the border between Italy and Switzerland.

The event is affiliated to WMRA and is a classic of Italian mountain running. It’s known as “The Vertical KM of the records”.

In fact two world records for the KM Vertical were established on this course:

Andrea Mayr – Austria – 35’40 “- established in 2018
Bernard Dematteis – Italy – 30’27 “- established in 2013

The course is approved by the Italian Athletics Federation and does not allow the use of poles.

The 2019 edition attracted over 180 athletes to Chiavenna, including some of the best international elites on the uphill race circuit.

In the men’s race the Italian Henri Aymonod won with a time of 32’14”. Henri defeated the strong favourite, Eritrean Petro Mamu (who was second in 32’54”), and the Norwegian Johan Bugge (third in 32’55”). Both Bugge and Mamu had already won here in 2016 (Mamu) and in 2018 (Bugge).

They were not the only international stars on the start line in Lagunc yesterday. Frederic Tranchard from France had a great to to finish in 4th place (32’52 “), and Norwegian Torstein Tengsareid finished in 5th position (33’52”). Other great performances included Michele Boscacci (6th in 34’07 “), Micha Steiner (7th in 34’16”), Andrea Acquistapace (8th in 34’21 “), Bernard Dematteis (9th in 34’22 “) and Nicolò Canclini (10th in 34’46”).

In the women’s race it looked as though there would be a big battle among the top international women. However, unfortunately a few injuries and other issues prevented Valentina Belotti, Andrea Mayr and Heidi Davies from being at the start. However, there was still exciting and close competition between the top women.

The victory went to the local Elisa Compagnoni in 43’35” with a 2nd place for Samantha Galassi (43’46”) and the 3rd for the Swiss Arina Riatsch (43’56”). Italian women Alessandra Valgoi and Angela Serena took 4th and 5th in 44’20” and 46’54”.

Full rankings can be found at http://www.kilometroverticalelagunc.it/Kilometro%20Verticale/index.php/classifiche/
Photo credits: Marco Gulberti / corsainmontagna.it
Videos and more: www.kilometroverticalelagunc.it

International Under 18 Mountain Running Cup To Be Held In UK’s Lake District

Written by Tomo Sarf on 03/10/2019. Posted in Latest News.

It’s been announced that Ambleside in the UK’s Lake District will be the venue for the 2020 International U18 Mountain Running Cup. Athletes from around the world will parade through Ambleside to launch a weekend festival of mountain running.

The streets will see flags from more than 15 different countries carried by youngsters arriving to take part in the event. And along with the world’s premier competition for young runners, to be staged in England for the first time, Ambleside also plans to host an uphill time trial race to the summit of Wansfell, and an open race over the championship course.

The U18 event has been a stepping stone for young fell and mountain runners to race internationally since 2006. Olympic triathletes Alistair and Jonny Brownlee are among those who have started their international racing careers at this championship, and for the last 12 years teams from across the world have converged annually at mountain locations in Italy, France, Ireland, Bulgaria and Czech Republic to compete for the trophy.

The event flag was handed over to Ambleside AC’s Duncan Richards, chair of the organising committee, by Jonathan Wyatt, president of the World Mountain Running Association, after this summer’s race in Susa in Italy.

The races will start in the town’s Rothay Park and cover marked courses on Loughrigg fell. The athletes will be accommodated at Ambleside YHA over the weekend, with a few youngsters staying at Windermere and Coniston YHA hostels on the first night.

Ambleside AC has had to raise all the funding to stage the event, including the cost of accommodating 150 athletes and officials, and they are nearing their target. The championship is supported by a number of leading companies.

“This is a fantastic accolade for our local club and will bring the international spotlight on Ambleside,” said Duncan.

“This event is all about developing and inspiring young people, be it international athletes, local athletes, local schools, clubs and communities.”

Duncan, who has been the England team manager at the last six U18 Mountain Running Cups (formerly called the Youth Cup), added: “I have seen the benefit such an experience can bring to young athletes, the confidence born from the shared experience of international competition.”

The world’s top triathlete Alistair Brownlee, who came 4th in the event in Italy in 2005, said: “The Youth Cup holds many special memories for me. It’s a fantastic event that motivated me to carry on and continue in sport. It will be really special to bring it to Ambleside.”

World Masters Mountain Running Titles Hotly Contested in Southern Italy

Written by Tomo Sarf on 30/09/2019. Posted in Latest News.

Warm conditions greeted more than 1000 runners arriving to Puglia in Italy from 25 countries. The hosts put on a great event in unseasonably warm conditions and titles were contested over 9 age categories for Men and Women. With a record number of starters the races were also hotly contested and some familiar names as well as surprise results unfolded. The races were held over 2 days with the Women and Men over 60 categories on Saturday on a 1.5 lap course while the Women and Men 35 to 55 year old categories were held on Sunday over a 2.5 lap course. It was a tough technical track and made a true test of mountain running abiity. Here’s the full list of winners from the weekend’s World Masters Mountain Running Championships:

What an amazing weekend in Gagliano del Capo, Italy! Congratulations to all the runners!

For full results please follow the link: Results

For our Italian readers, please see the article from Podisti.net for a review of: Day 1 (primo giorno) and Day 2 (secondo giorno)

Here is a selection of our favourite photos from the event, there are too many great memories to include all of them but here are our favourites!

Photos by Marco Gulberti – copied here with the permission from Corsa in Montagna

The World Masters Mountain Running Championships Is Coming!

Written by Tomo Sarf on 23/09/2019. Posted in Latest News.

This weekend it’s the 19th World Masters Mountain Running Championships in Gagliano del Capo, Italy. Set in the heart of the Salento region, in the ‘heel’ of Italy, this area offers hot, dry conditions and beautiful, rugged coastline. Racing by the sea might be a departure from typical Alpine mountain running, but it certainly won’t be easy!

The course is described as ‘uphill/downhill’ and it takes place on the Trofeo Ciolo race route. There are two distances – 6.5k (1.5 laps) and 10.9k (2.5 laps) – and the surface is mainly rocky, with some grass and a little road. The runners follow the coastline round, before heading back inland to complete a loop. The shorter route will have 330m of ascent and 207m of descent, the longer route 496m of ascent and 374m of descent.

The route has a bit of everything thrown in, from technical, rocky stuff to quad-busting steps cut into the cliffs. Then when the runners hit the more grassy terrain on their way inland, it’s bound to be fast and frantic.

Athletes from the 60 – 64 through to 75 – 79 age groups will be taking on the short route on Saturday 28th September and athletes from 35 – 39 through to 55 – 59 age groups will be taking on the longer route on Sunday 29th. We will bring you news and updates via Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

See more information about the races on the organiser’s website and good luck to all those athletes taking part, representing their countries from all around the world.

Kirsty Reade joins the WMRA media team

Written by Tomo Sarf on 17/09/2019. Posted in Latest News.

It gives the World Mountain Running Association great pleasure to welcome to our team Kirsty Reade who will be assisting our activities on the Social Media side. She brings journalistic experience writing for magazines and newspapers, Kirsty is the editor of website Run247.com and can write in both French and English.

She will be managing the content and writing for us on our pages and keeping the Mountain Running community informed about our activities as we grow our brand so we are really pleased to have her helping us. Kirsty is a keen runner and will be a valuable addition to the WMRA team.

He online presence is accessible via:
Twitter: @kirstyreade
Instagram: kirstyreade72

Photo: Kirsty Reade

WORLD MOUNTAIN RUNNING ASSOCIATION

Author: Tomo Sarf