Author: Tomo Sarf

Having served as WMRA President from 2017-2021, Wyatt begins a new chapter, leading the delivery of the World Cup for the 2023 season.

Wyatt was selected as the strongest from a number of candidates, owing to his great experience within the sport and his extensive knowledge of all aspects of mountain running and the World Cup.

His work begins immediately, working alongside the WMRA Council to revise the World Cup Regulations for the upcoming season and beginning the process of contacting potential organisers for next year’s races, applications for which are due to open in early November.

As an athlete Jonathan, pictured at Schneeberglauf in 2008, was no stranger to the World Cup, winning 8 times between 1999 and 2009. A two-time Olympian on the track and the road, he was also World Mountain Running Champion on 6 occasions, more than any other male athlete, and is one of just 2 people to have won the World Championships in both the Uphill and Up-and-Down formats.

The 65^th edition of Trofeo Vanoni, a WMRA Associate Partner Race, takes place this Sunday, 23^rd October, in the Italian town of Morbegno.

An evocative presentation of the 65th Trofeo Vanoni took place on Thursday 13^th October in the setting of the Tempietto, overooking Morbegno by night. A location that could not be more suitable given it’s location right in the middle of the race course.

women’s race

The top runners expected for this edition have been revealed. First up at 11a.m. is the women’s race, a 5km and 248m test for individual athletes.

Among the favourites are Sarah McCormack (women’s record holder and winner in 2020), Alice Gaggi (Italian relay mountain running champion, World Champion in 2013, 6th in the World Mountain Running Ranking, winner of the women’s Vanoni in 2011, 2014), Elisa Sortini (1st in 2018), Sarah Willhoit (2nd at Snowdon Race 2022), the Slovenians Lucija Krkoc (European mountain running champion in 2007 juniors, 3rd at the World Long Distance Championships in 2016) and Dominika Zupancid Valant (4th at the Slovenian national championships), Brits Betty Bergstrand and Kirsty Hall, young Brits Chloe Leather, Eve Pannone (6th at the 2019 European Championships cat. Juniors) and Rosie Woodhams (national junior 2018), Welshwoman Katie Reynolds.

Men’s race

Then at 2 p.m. The men’s race follows the familiar relay format; teams of 3 each running one circuit of the 7.35km, 435m+ course in the hills to the south of Morbegno.

Again this year there will be large participation of foreign teams, in particular from the UK. Unfortunately, the Polish and the Czech teams will not be at the start, but we have the welcome return of the Republic of San Marino.

The French team is the favourite, having won six times in the last eight editions. This year it fields Manu Meyssat (best time at Vanoni in 2017 with 29’23”), Alexandre Fine (team winner in 2018, 2020, 2021) and rookie Quentin Meyleu. Slovenia will be back with the same trio as last year, who took 4th place: Timotej Becan (author of a great season this year that saw him in the top five of the main international mountain running races and currently 3rd in the World Ranking), Klemen Spanring and Miran Cvet, who were 2nd and 3rd respectively at the Slovenian national mountain running championships.

The Snowdon Race Team will field the best finishers at the Welsh race twinned with the Vanoni Trophy: Ross Gollan, Nathan Edmondson and Michael Cayton. We will then have the Welsh national team, two Irish teams, an English under-23 team, a Scott Sports UK team, and a team from the Eryri Harriers, the Llanberis sports club twinned with the CSI Morbegno since 1983).

As far as the Italian teams are concerned, confirmed for the moment are Atletica Valchiese (2nd in 2021 and 1st at the 2022 Italian Relay Mountain Running Championship), La Recastello Radici Group with Magri, Costa and Ruga (5th in 2021, 2nd and 3rd at the 2022 Italian Relay Mountain Running Championship), but only when registration closes on Thursday 20 will we have evidence of the favourite teams.

Schedule

Saturday, 22^nd October 2022

16.30/19.00 Race bibs issuing at Chiostro, St Anthony Square, Morbegno
17.00 Parade of athletes and participating national teams St Anthony Square
17.30 Deposition of wreath at war memorial
18.00 Mass at Saint John Church.

Sunday, 23^rd October 2022

8.00\8.45 Race bibs issuing at Chiostro, St Anthony Square
9.00 Junior races start
9.00-13.00 Race bibs issuing at Chiostro, St Anthony Square
11.00 45th Minivanoni junior race prizes awarding
11.00 39th Vanoni ladies race start
14.00 65th Vanoni Trophy race start
17.00 39th Vanoni ladies race prizes giving ceremony at Chiostro, St Anthony Square.
17.30 65th Vanoni Trophy prizes giving ceremony at Chiostro, St Anthony Square.

Photos by Giacomo Meneghello and Davide Vaninetti.

 The Team Manual for the upcoming WMTRC was sent to member federations this morning.  

The Team Manual for the first ever World Mountain and Trail Running Championships, taking place 3rd-6th November in Chiang Mai, Thailand, was sent to member federations this morning.

It contains details of transportation, accomodation, accreditation and further technical information. You can download it here.

The General Information Sheet for the championship can be viewed here.

We look forward to welcoming you all to Thailand!

Mark Kangogo has received a ban of 3 years from the Athletics Integrity Unit. Overall and Long category Valsir World Cup standings have been updated.

The Athletics Integrity Unit has banned Mark Kangogo for 3 years after he tested positive for 2 substances prohibited by the World Anti Doping Agency at Sierre-Zinal 2022, Norandrosterone & Triamcinolone acetonide. The details of the A.I.U. decision can be found here.

The ban runs from 9th September 2022, with disqualification of the athlete’s results from 13th August 2022.

As such, Andreu Blanes is the winner of Sierre-Zinal 2022.

Both the final Overall and Long category standings in the Valsir Mountain Running World Cup have been updated accordingly; Overall. Long.

The Athletics Integrity Unit has begun disciplinary proceedings against Mark Kangogo.

On Monday 10 October 2022 the Athletics Integrity Unit informed the Sierre-Zinal Management Committee that disciplinary proceedings have been initiated against the winner of the men’s race at Sierre-Zinal 2022:

“The winner of the Men’s race Mark Kangogo tested positive for two substances banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) during the 49th edition of Sierre-Zinal,” said the Athletics Integrity Unit.  “Disciplinary proceedings were initiated against him and the athlete was provisionally suspended. The breach could lead to the cancellation of the athlete’s results at Sierre-Zinal 2022. The procedure is ongoing.”

The final Men’s ranking for the 2022 edition is therefore suspended, pending the outcome of the disciplinary proceedings.

The banned substances in question are norandrosterone & triamcinolone acetonide.

 With the Valsir World Cup season over, top 12 ranked athletes are asked to contact WMRA to enable the payment of their prize money.

 As detailed in the World Cup Regulations, the prizes are as follows:

Athletes who have not done so already can contact [email protected].

The prize-winning athletes are listed below.

Photo by Marco Gulberti.

After 5 months and 17 races, the 2022 Valsir Mountain Running World Cup is over. These are the final Overall and Category standings.

Overall

Full Standings

With an athlete’s 6 best results counting towards their score, Kenya’s Joyce Njeru and Patrick Kipngeno finish the season on a maximum 300 points having each won 6 Gold Label races. Their teammate Philemon Kiriago is 2nd in the men’s standings with Ireland’s Zak Hanna in 3rd.

Andrea Mayr’s win at the Chiavenna-Lagunc, the World Cup Final, was enough to secure 2nd place for Austria’s 4 time World Cup winner, with double World Champion Lucy Murigi of Kenya in 3rd.

Short

Full Standings

The men’s standings here were as tight as could be, with Kipngeno, Hanna and Kiriago all scoring 100 points. With ties broken with reference to an athlete’s best results, Kipngeno takes the title with his 2 wins at Giir di Mont Uphill and Vertical Nasego. Hanna’s two 2nd places and one 5th see him edge out Kiriago, who has one 2nd and two 3rds.

Andrea Mayr and Joyce Njeru each have 2 wins, with Mayr’s 2nd at Giir di Mont Uphill pushing her ahead after Njeru finished 4th at Vertical Nasego. Romania’s Madalina Florea finishes 3rd.

Classic

Full Standings

Just as in the Overall standings, Njeru and Kipngeno reign supreme! Both took Gold Label wins at Montemuro Vertical Run, Grossglockner Berglauf and Montée du Nid d’Aigle. Strong finishes in those same 3 races see Camilla Magliano claim the second step on the podium ahead of Lucy Murigi.

The men’s podium is the same as that in the overall; Kiriago 2nd and Hanna 3rd.

Long

Full Standings

The women’s Long category came down to the wire, with Lucy Murigi taking the title with her win at Zumaia Flysch Trail, the last Long race of the season. Third place there was not quite enough for Camilla Magliano to overtake Joyce Njeru; the now 2 time World Cup winner finishes second with Magliano in 3rd.

Magliano raced more prolifically than anyone else on the circuit this year, scoring points in 11 Valsir World Cup races! 

Petro Mamu of Eritrea, 2014 and 2016 World Cup winner, comes away victorious in the men’s competition after a win at Giir di Mont and strong performances at Sierre-Zinal and Trofeo Nasego. The Frenchman Loïc Robert takes 2nd having won both Canfranc-Canfranc and Zumaia Flysch Trail, the last 2 Long races of the season. Philemon Kirago is 3rd, meaning he features on all 3 category podiums as well as the Overall podium, an accomplishment shared with Joyce Njeru.

Results for all Valsir World Cup races can be found on our results page.

Photos by Marco Gulberti.

Andrea Mayr and Jacob Adkin took victories at the historic Chiavenna-Lagunc Vertical Kilometre in Italy on Saturday as the 2022 Valsir Mountain Running World Cup reached a fantastic conclusion.

Written by Paul Halford for WMRA.

It was appropriate that a race which began way back in 1986 and which became the first officially recognised vertical kilometre would seal the final podium positions after 17 races. An event which has witnessed world records in the past again produced some of the quickest times on the VK circuit, thanks to a short 3.2km distance accommodating the 1000m climb. In contrast to the cold of last year, athletes were greeted with warm, sunny conditions, although they were mainly shaded by the trees on the steep hillside which leads out of the town.

Women’s Race

Although the absent Kenyan Joyce Njeru had already cemented the overall win in the Valsir World Cup, Mayr’s Chiavenna defence snatched the second place as well as the short category honours.

With a time of 36:34, Mayr was within a minute of her course record 35:40, set in 2018, which is the fastest ever in a race disallowing poles.

With her fourth win here, the Austrian confirmed her title as queen of the vertical. Starting the last of the elite women, she made up more than two minutes on everyone else. Britain’s Scout Adkin (38:55) and Italy’s Elisa Sortini (39:00) were next quickest to cover the countless steep steps that are a characteristic of the course.

Although the runners started at one-minute intervals, the time trial scenario added to the drama as the elapsed times were revealed as soon as they crossed the line. It was no surprise for the enthusiastic crowd of supporters in the small commune of Lagunc to hear the winner’s name.

However, for the six-time world champion, winning feels far from routine and is no less enjoyable. “Every time is definitely a special feeling,” said the 42-year-old. “It’s a challenge every year and maybe it’s getting even more challenging because I’m getting older.

“I always make myself a lot of pressure before a race, but it was a good race and the weather’s beautiful, the atmosphere’s beautiful.”

Ominously for her rivals, she feels she may have been able to have gone even quicker had she been fresher. “I think this time I lost the record the week before,” said the winner. “I did some hard sessions the day before and that is definitely the reason I didn’t have enough.”

Adkin, bronze medallist at July’s European Championships and sister of men’s winner Jacob, excelled on her first appearance here, although admitting she was unsure how to pace a time trial.

The Brit, who will compete in the World Mountain and Trail Running Championships in Thailand next month, said: “It was really good. I was a bit worried about pacing it because I’ve not done a time-trial style for a long time and haven’t done a VK this short and steep before, so I think it worked well in the end. I managed to start picking off people from about half way up, which was good.”

She will return home for a few weeks before heading to the Worlds, where she will compete in both uphill and up-and-down. However, she hopes to contest more World Cup events next year. “I was a bit gutted I only managed to do two this year, so my plan will definitely be to do at least three of the uphill ones and ideally a couple of the others.”

Twice world champion Lucy Murigi claimed third overall for the season, although she finished just 12th today in what is not her speciality.

Njeru and Romania’s Monica Madalina Florea ranked second third overall in the short category, with the classic and long races all completed before today.

Men’s Race

Even though he won uphill-only gold at the European Championships in 2019, GB’s Adkin was able to enjoy victory as something of an underdog as northern Italy’s Henri Aymonod, winner each of the last three years, had been centre of most attention.

His victory in 32:11 – 1:56 outside the course record – represented a great comeback to the top of the sport after breaking an ankle this year and then Covid affecting his build-up to the Europeans this summer.

He was just 12 seconds in front of ski-mountaineer Matteo Eydallin of Italy, who improved from fifth last year.

However, there was gasps of disappointment as the fast-finishing Aymonod was confirmed to be just third with 32:29.

Adkin said: “I knew training had been going well up til last week for Smarna Gora last weekend in Slovenia. Unfortunately, I obtained an injury during that race. I had a bit of a down period this week, so I wasn’t sure going in what to expect from my body.

“It’s such a good field today, really top-class athletes from different sports as well as vertical specialists. Really happy to have taken the win here. It’s a classic race I’ve always wanted to do and a real honour to have placed first.

“I was able to keep a good rhythm running most of the way even with all the steps, which sometimes are quite big, so I was able to keep the rhythm running instead of having to stop and walk, which keeps the momentum going.”

Like his sister, he is soon off to Thailand, although he will race just the uphill-only event.

Eydallin said afterwards: “I knew I was in good condition in general but I’m not a mountain runner. Being a time trial and not with the other runners, the important thing is to stay concentrated til the end. I’m happy with my race because it was hard and the time is better than I did last year.

“The beautiful thing here in Chiavenna is it’s a neutral race because everybody can do a good performance, whether you’re a cyclist, mountain runner, ski-mountaineer. It’s a bit of a meeting between people of different sports. It’s a good atmosphere, a good party for the people of the village.”

In fifth, Ireland’s Zak Hanna did enough for third place overall behind Kenyans Kipngeno and Kiriago. However, all three scored equal points in the short category rankings and Hanna found himself sandwiched between Kipngeno and Kiriago on the tiebreak rules.

Race Podiums

Full Results

Valsir Mountain Running World Cup standings

Overall

Full Standings

Short category

Full Standings

Final standings in the Classic category are here, Long category here.

Photos by Marco Gulberti, full album here.

A season of incredible racing has already produced 2 dominant champions and two of the three category podiums, the Classic and the Long, are settled, with Short and Overall standings to be decided this weekend.

The Short category will be decided on Saturday over 3.2km and 1,000m+ at Chiavenna-Lagunc, the 2022 Valsir World Cup Final, with the make up of both men’s and women’s podiums hanging in the balance.

Movement on the Overall standings is guaranteed as well, the bonus points available at the World Cup Final making a strong performance in Chiavenna extra valuable. With prize money available all the way down to 12^th place there is still plenty to fight for!

OVERALL – STANDINGS

The story of the season has been the remarkable form of two Run2gether athletes from Kenya, Joyce Njeru and Patrick Kipngeno; they started winning at Montemuro Vertical Run and they’ve hardly stopped since. For Njeru, the defending champion, 2022 has been even more fruitful than 2021; 6 wins to last year’s 4 and with an athletes overall score consisting of their 6 best results, she ends the season with a perfect score of 300 points.

Kipngeno’s explosion onto the world stage has been a sensation. The fact that the one blemish on his Valsir World Cup record is a 3rd place at Sierre-Zinal speaks volumes. He too has taken 6 Gold Label wins and will finish the season with a perfect score.

Their teammate Philemon Kiriago has hardly been less impressive, with 5 second places and a 3rd cementing him in 2nd place.

Zak Hanna and Petro Mamu sit 3rd and 4th and will both race at Chiavenna-Lagunc this weekend. Having given some of his strongest ever performances in the Vertical Kilometres this year, the Irishmand is odds on to hang on to his podium spot, though you can be sure that the Eritrean will be there to capitalise should Hanna falter.

Timotej Be?an and Andrea Rostan, both racing on Saturday, sit 7th and 8th, while last year’s World Cup Champion Henri Aymonod lies in 10th place after an injury hit season. The three time Chiavenna-Lagunc winner stands to make big strides up the standings if he comes into form at the right time.

Behind Joyce Njeru, it looks like a 3 way battle for 2nd and 3rd place between Lucy Murigi, Camilla Magliano, and Andrea Mayr.

Charlotte Cotton, currently 6^th, is in with a chance of catching Monica Madalina Florea in 5^th and Susanna Saapunki, 9th, could climb several places with a good result.

SHORT – STANDINGS

Andrea Mayr and Zak Hanna will start Saturday’s Valsir World Cup Final as favourites to take the win in the Short category.

Although Mayr trails Joyce Njeru by 35 points, either a win or a 2nd place would be enough to see her claim the title and few would bet against the Queen of the Uphill.

Sitting in 4th place, Camilla Magliano will be looking to overtake Monica Madalina Florea in 3rd. If she does so she will join Njeru in making the podium in all 3 categories this year, an impressive achievement.

Philemon Kiriago is set to do the same thing. He sits 3rd, tied on points with both Zak Hanna and Patrick Kipngeno who currently sits top thanks to his 2 wins. With Daniel Osanz not racing and Andrea Rostan just slightly too far back to make it onto the podium, Kiriago will hold on to that third spot.

With 3 World Cup podiums to his name this year, and both Run2gether athletes absent, there are few who would bet against Zak Hanna taking Short category honours on Saturday.

CLASSIC – RESULTS

The podium places in this category were decided even before last weekend’s concluding Classic race, Šmarna gora.

Joyce Njeru and Patrick Kipngeno are untouchable champions, with wins for both in the 3 Gold Label races in the category, Montemuro Vertical Run, Grossglockner Berglauf and Montee du Nid d’Aigle, giving them a maximum score of 150 points.

Camilla Magliano was the only other woman to score points in all 3 of those races and takes 2nd place as a result, while 2nd at Grossglockner and 5th at M.N.A. is enough to give Lucy Murigi third place.

A pair of 2nd places sees Philemon Kiriago take the second step of the podium, ahead of Zak Hanna.

LONG – RESULTS

For Petro Mamu, that sprint finish at Sierre-Zinal proved decisive! One place further back and the Eritrean would have had to settle for 2nd place, tied on points with Loic Robert, the Frenchman’s 2 wins at Canfranc-Canfranc and Zumaia Flysch Trail giving him the edge over Mamu’s single win at Giir di Mont.

Philemon Kiriago takes the 3rd spot having scored in 3 races.

The women’s Long category contest came right down to the wire with the podium places only settled last weekend at Zumaia Flysch Trail. Lucy Murigi’s course record setting win was enough to send her to the top of the standings, while Camilla Magliano’s 3rd place brought her agonisingly close to Joyce Njeru. The Kenyan athlete hangs on to 2nd place, with the Italian in 3rd.

 All photos by Marco Gulberti.

The Valsir Mountain Running World Cup is set to reach a spectacular conclusion at the Chiavenna-Lagunc Vertical Kilometre in Italy on Saturday.

After so far 16 exciting races around the world, the final podium positions will be decided over 3.2km in distance and 1000m in ascent on the historic route near the Swiss border.

Henri Aymonod, the winner here each of the last three years, and course record-holder Andrea Mayr stand out on the entry lists for what is the fastest race on the World Cup circuit, with the leaders set to take just over half an hour. Although Joyce Njeru and Patrick Kipngeno have already secured the overall titles, plenty else is at stake before the final World Cup presentations are made on Saturday afternoon.

Men’s contenders

Italy’s Aymonod last year picked up his third win in succession by 38 seconds, taking 31 minutes 41 seconds to cover the route which starts at 352m altitude in the centre of Chiavenna and ascends the mule tracks and mountain paths to Lagunc.

With the top two overall places in the World Cup having already been allocated to the absent Kenyans Kipngeno and Philemon Kiriago Ombogo, Ireland’s Zak Hanna and Eritrea’s Petro Mamu will battle it out for third place.

Hanna, who is also virtually assured the World Cup “short” category win, was second at the similarly quick Vertical Nasego last month, two places ahead of Aymonod.Former winner Mamu, who was seventh last year, will be looking to add to his only World Cup win this season at Giir di Mont.

Italy’s Alberto Vender, who was fourth last year, will be competing in his first World Cup race of the season.

Other top contenders include Britain’s 2019 European uphill-only champion Jacob Adkin, Slovenia’s Timotej Be?an, the winner at Smarna Gora earlier this month and who is third on the World Mountain Running Ranking, Italy’s Andrea Rostan, who was fifth and sixth here the last two years, and Kenya’s Lengen Lolkurraru.

Women’s contenders

Austria’s Mayr will be seeking to defend her title and continue her impressive record in short uphill races. Mayr, who needs second to be certain of winning the 2022 Short category title, is the course record-holder from when she took the second of her three wins here in 2018. Her time of 35:40 was a world record, though it has been since surpassed.

The world-ranked No.2 would clinch second overall for the season with a win, but waiting to pounce should she fail will be Kenya’s twice world mountain running champion Lucy Wambui. She was ninth here last year.

Italy’s Camilla Magliano also has a chance of second overall as she competes in her 11th World Cup race of the year. Just behind her in the latter race was Finland’s Susanna Saapunki, who is another lining up in Italy. Britain’s Scout Adkin will be another to watch out for after she finished third and fourth respectively in the European Championships up-and-down and uphill-only races this year.

About the race

The Chiavenna-Lagunc was first run in 1986 and, after an amendment in the route, it became the first world’s officially certified vertical kilometre – defined as climbing at least 1000m within less than 5km in distance. With a 33% gradient, it will naturally be extremely tough going but, unlike some VKs, the path is perfectly safe for all. Its runnable nature means numerous world records have been set here. The event will be run as a time trial with each athlete starting 30 seconds apart, starting from 9.15am local time.

The weekend continues with the 42km-long Val Bregaglia Trail race on Sunday.

For a more detailed look at the overall and category standings in the Valsir World Cup, check out our article here.

Written by Paul Halford for World Mountain Running Association. Photos by Marco Gulberti, see more here.