Author: Tomo Sarf

The 8^th and final Long category race in the 2022 Valsir World Cup, Zumaia Flysch Trail served up thrilling racing and lightning fast times on a perfect day for mountain running the Basque Country.

Zumaia Flysch Trail held its 13th edition this weekend under a radiant sun, blue skies and the sheer beuaty of the seaside cliffs and rolling green hills that form the Geoparkea natural park. This unique landscape is among the few geolocial heritage sites in the world, no wonder it has starred in several movies and series, from “Game Of Thrones” to “Ocho Apellidos Vascos.”

In addition to deciding the Long category podiums, as a Gold Label event offering 50 valuable points to the winners it would go a long way to determining the shape of the Overall standings as the Valsir World Cup moves towards its conclusion.

All to Play For

In stark contrast to the deluge we experienced when the World Cup came here in 2021, athletes were greeted with clear skies this morning as they set off from Gurrutxaga Square at 10 a.m to tackle 22km of punchy climbs along the Basque Coast.

Among the starters were 2 time World Champion Lucy Murigi, looking to go one better than the 2^nd place she got here last year, and Camilla Magliano, running her 10^th World Cup race of the season so far. Sitting 2^nd and 3^rd in the Long category standings and 3^rd and 2^nd in the Overall Valsir World Cup standings, there was a huge amount on the line for these athletes!

Among those keeping them on their toes would be the Basque pair of Leire Fernández Abete and the legendary Oihana Kortazar.

In the men’s race, Loic Robert was in the hunt for a repeat of the Gold Label win and course record that he took at Canfranc-Canfranc last month, a result which would see him move onto the Long category podium, while Raul Criado was racing on familiar ground, having taken the win in the 42km race here last year. Again, a strong Basque contingent would push them all the way, including Ismail Razga and Hassan Ait Chaou.

Basque fans provide a unique atmosphere.

Once again, as the runners took on the last km to the finish line, lungs burning, legs aching, upon taking on the last steep climb at the Ermita the San Telmo there were met there by thousands of fans cheering them on relentlessly by their name each.

As the World Champion from Kenya Lucy Murigi said: “I was pushing myself to the limit to beat the record, and when I tackled that strenous climb…I hardly noticed it as the crowd cheers just made me fly through it”

Fast Starts, Faster Finishes

Robert and Murigi set their stalls out early, pushing the pace while Criado, Magliano and Kortazar chased hard. Despite the efforts of those behind, both athletes would only increase their advantage, making the most of the conditions to come home in impressive new course records.

Robert’s 1:28:41 was 8 minutes faster than Geoffrey Ndungu’s winning time from last year and over 4 minutes clear of Raul Criado who high-fived his way into the finish to take a jubilant 2^nd. Hassan Ait Chaou ran a strong second half, overtaking Borja Fernandez and even gaining ground on Criado, finishing 49 seconds back in 3rd. Fernandez held on for 4th ahead of Asier Labairu in 5^th.

Murigi’s winning margin was smaller, but not by much. She crossed the line in 1:39:59, wrapping up a dominant performance which saw her win by almost 4 minutes. Behind, having run more or less together for most of the race, Kortazar was able to find some seperation from Magliano in the later stages, claiming 2^nd place with an 18 second margin. Charlotte Cotton took 4^th while Ainara Uribarri was 5^th.

Check out full results here.

Long Category Shakeup

Murigi’s win was enough for her to leapfrog Joyce Njeru and take overall victory in the Long category. Magliano came tantalisingly close to also overtaking Njeru, falling just 2 points short but taking the third step of the category podium as a first reward for a long season’s racing.

The overall category win was always out of reach for Robert, trailing Petro Mamu by 55 points before the race, but he did manage to climb the standings from 4^th to 2^nd, overtaking the Run2gether pair of Patrick Kipngeno and Philemon Kiriago who have been so prolific this season. Kiriago finishes 3^rd.

The final Long category standings are here.

All eyes now turn to the Valsir World Cup Final, Saturday’s KV Chiavenna-Lagunc! Joyce Njeru and Patrick Kipngeno already have the overall titles sewn up, but with podium spots available and bonus points on offer, the racing will be frantic!

Murigi sits 2^nd with a narrow lead over Magliano, the ominous figure of Andrea Mayr waiting to pounce in 4^th. Robert remains 5^th but closes the gap to those ahead and could even move onto the podium if he races in Chiavenna and results go his way.

Overall Valsir World Cup standings heading into the Final are here, standings in the Short category are here.

Photos by Rubén Fueyo and Ana Samuelsson.

It’s two wins in 2 days for Mayr and Be?an after victory in Šmarna Gora Record on Friday night.

Written by Richard Bolt for the World Mountain Running Association (WMRA). Photos by Richard Bolt.

Šmarna Gora Record: the Friday Night Prologue

Rainy weather didn’t stop some of the world’s best mountain runners as they ascended Šmarna Gora at Slovenia’s premier uphill mountain race yesterday. Šmarna Gora Record – a 1.8 km grueling climb with 360 meters of ascent – is also a World Mountain Running Association (WMRA) associate race. Local favorite Timotej Be?an (SLO) won the men’s race in 11:13 while multiple world champion and six-time Šmarna Gora Mountain Race winner Andrea Mayr (AUT) won the women’s race in 12:36. Andrea broke the women’s previous course record of 13:18 was set by Mateja Kosovelj (SLO) in 2006.

Complete results of Friday’s Šmarna Gora Record Run can be found here. 

Check out the finish livestream here.

Šmarna Gora Race: Silver Label on the Valsir World Cup

After Friday’s rainy record run, dawn broke with low clouds and fog across the Sava River valley just North of Ljubljana, where over 220 athletes prepared for the 43rd edition of the Šmarna Gora Mountain Running Race. Taurus vadbeni park was the perfect starting venue for this WMRA Valsir Mountain Running World Cup event with its ample parking, indoor facilities and even an all weather track for runners to warm-up on. Also perfect was the weather with no wind and temperatures in the low teens (centigrade).

First to sprint down the flat, straight tree lined start of the race were the younger age groups and masters beginning at 9:50 AM. As race radios crackled to life with progress reports on the early waves, the elite runners finished their final warm-up sprints as they visualized 10 kilometers of forest track and 705 meters of elevation gain that lay ahead. At the end of that journey would be the green Šmarna Gora finish arch set-up alongside the historic Puš?avnica in zvon?ek svetega Antona chapel with its commanding view over Ljubljana.

Bang! The starter’s pistol marked the race start at 10:10 AM sharp sending some of Europe’s best mountain runners into the forest. Would Andrea Mayr (AUT) take her 7th Šmarna Gora win or would she be denied by Sarah McCormack (IRL)? Could Michael Selelo Saoli (KEN) or Lengen Lolkurraru (KEN) challenge local hero Timotej Be?an (SLO)?

As the top runners reached the 5 km mark the race was beginning to spread out and sort out. Be?an had the lead with a healthy gap over the trio of Lolkurraru, Jacob Adkin (GBR) and Selelo Saoli. Next in view was Luka Kovacic (SLO) 5th followed 10 seconds later by Isaco Costa (ITA) in 6th, and another 10 seconds to Andrej Cerne (SLO) in 7th, and yet another 10 seconds to Isaco Costa (ITA in 8th). Not to be outdone by the young guns, 54 year old Miran Cvet (SLO) rolled through the 5 km mark in 9th place. Rounding out the top 10 men at halfway was 23 year old Klemen Spanring (SLO). In the ladies race Mayr came through the 5 km mark in 1st place looking comfortable. About 1 minute later McCormack rounded the corner along the gravel road.

A large crowd of finishers from the earlier race waves, mountain running fans, hikers and race officials gathered around the finish area not much bigger than half a tennis court and waited for the elite runners to finish. With low clouds obscuring the views there was only the last few meters of race course to watch as a large race clock counted up the finish times. At 43:47.7 With under 10 seconds warning KGT Papež member Timotej Be?an burst through the finish arch breaking the tape for the win. He was followed by Atlletica Saluzzo club member Lengen Lolkurraru who ran 44:11.3 and Run2gether’s Michael Selelo Saoli in 44:32.8. This was a change from the 5 km mark as British Athletics World Championships Uphill Selection Race champion Jacob Adkin had twisted his ankle in the final kilometers and dropped back to 9th place. The rest of the men’s top 10 was Isaco Costa (ITA) who moved up to 4th, 5th for Ross Gollan (GBR), 6th for Luka Kovacic (SLO), 7th for Klemen Spanring (SLO), 8th for Miran Cvet (SLO) and 10th for Luke Micallef (MLT).

Full men’s results can be found here.

They say “Italy expects” at world championships but for Andrea Mayr, “Šmarna Gora expects” and she didn’t disappoint, taking her 7th win in 48:38.2. Inov-8 runner and coach Sarah McCormack took 2nd place in 50:37.6. Coming all the way from Finland, Susanna Saapunki finished in 3rd place in an excellent time of 51:13.9. Another running coach and hometown hero Lucija Krkoc (SLO) finished in 4th in 52:48.0. Rounding out the top 10 ladies were Nusa Mali (SLO) in 5th, Dominika Zupancic Valant (SLO) in 6th, Spela Gonza (SLO) in 7th, Caterina Stenta (ITA) in 8th, Antia Meznar (SLO) in 9th and Irena Pisek (SLO) in 10th.

Full women’s results can be found here. 

As the middle of the pack was finishing the sun burned way the clouds and the view across Ljubljana and the mountains beyond opened up. By 12:30 when the awards ceremony got underway the sun was shining fully, the temperatures rose and perfect running weather evolved into perfect picnic weather for the runners who enjoyed homemade food from Gostilna Ledinek – the summit restaurant and friend of the race going all the way back to 1979.

Updated overall Valsir World Cup standings can be found here, the final Classic category standings are here.

Race photos by Richard Bolt are on Google Photos here.

A replay of the race finish livestream is posted on YouTube.

The Valsir Mountain Running World Cup touches down in the Basque Country on Sunday for the 13th edition of Zumaia Flysch Trail, the final Long category test of the 2022 season. After all the drama of Canfranc-Canfranc, we’re back in Spain for the 11^th and penultimate Gold Label test of the year.

Over 22km and 850m of climbing, Zumaia Flysch Trail Half Marathon first winds its way westward along the coast from Zumaia over short, punchy climbs. Travelling across the spectacular cliffs of the Basque Coast UNESCO Global Geopark, the race traces a line where the rich green of the hills meets the deep blue of the sea, the incredible geology adding an extra dimension to a race that is a real feast for the eyes. After 10km, the race takes a big swing inland and heads back towards Zumaia, taking the mirror of the outward course and crossing over itself several times as it loops out towards the coast and back inland.

On top of the incredible landscape, one of the big draws of Zumaia Flysch Trail must be the Basques’ famous enthusiasm for sport, and for mountain running in particular. First or last, it doesn’t matter; the crowds that gather on the course will give their loud support to every single athlete in the race. Basque Country racing is something every mountain runner should experience at least once. When the World Cup came here last year, the Run2gether pair of Joyce Njeru and Geoffrey Ndungu prevailed, battling through the cold, the mud and the rain to take victory after close races with Lucy Murigi and Sandor Szabo. In doing so they sealed the titles in the Classic category. This year, Zumaia Flysch Trail will once again be the decisive, though this time in the Long category.

The Contenders

A total of 700 runners, all hoping for an improvement on last year’s conditions, will take to the start line in Gurrutxaga Square at 10 a.m. on Sunday. Among them are some of this year’s strongest Valsir World Cup performers. Lucy Murigi is back again, the 2 time World Champion looking to go one better than last year and overtake Joyce Njeru at the top of the Long category standings in the process. If Camilla Magliano, currently 3^rd in the standings, can take the win and Murigi doesn’t finish 2^nd then the Italian can also win overall. They will have their hands full trying to contain an in-form Oihana Kortazar, who has taken recent wins at Canfranc-Canfranc 45k and Maratón Montaña Palentina, and Leire Fernández Abete, who will be looking to build on her 5^th place in the Canfranc-Canfranc 16k.

In the men’s race both France’s Robert Loic and the Spaniard Raul Criado have a chance of moving onto the overall Long category podium with a strong finish here. Loic was incredible in taking the win and course record at Canfranc-Canfranc, while Criado will be on familiar ground, having won the marathon here last year. And look out for Borja Fernández who will come into the race on a high having recently gained selection for the Spanish team for the World Mountain and Trail Running Championships in Thailand with his win at Maratòn Montana Palentina.

As ever in the Basque Country, the international athletes will be up against a very strong contingent of local runners, including Ismail Razga, 2^nd in last year’s Zumaia Flysch Trail marathon, and Hassan Ait Chaou, the Morrocan now living in Gipuzkoa.

Livestream

As it was last year, Zumaia Flysch Trail will be streaming live on Youtube. From 9:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. local time there will be four and a half hours of coverage presented by the elite runner Jokin Lizeaga and the journalist Sergio Mayayo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3hgLOpPPDc 

Photos by Sergio Mayayo.

This weekend Slovenia will host a pair of historic mountain running races in the rugged hills overlooking the capital of Ljubljana.

First organized in 1979, the Šmarna gora mountain running race has grown from a local race to becoming internationally recognized as an World Athletics (formerly IAAF) permit race in 2001 and most recently hosting stops on the World Mountain Running Association’s (WMRA) Valsir Mountain Running World Cup circuit. Šmarna gora was also the WMRA World Cup finale 19 times including most recently in 2019.

Šmarna gora – translated as Mount Saint Mary – is an inselberg in the north of Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia. The mountain is part of the city’s Šmarna Gora District. It is the highest hill (669 meters, 2,195 ft) in the city and a popular hiking destination in addition to hosting races.

Šmarna gora has played host to many of the worlds best mountain runners in years past including Izabela Zatorska (POL), Angela Mudge (GBR), Anna Pichrtova (CZE), Lucio Fregona (ITA), Emanuele Manzi (ITA) and Ahmet Arslan (TUR). Also veterans of Šmarna gora are past world champions Jonathan Wyatt (NZL), Andra Mayr (AUT) and Marco Degasperi (ITA).

26th ŠMARNA GORA RECORD

Starting on Friday, September 30th, the Šmarna gora record – a WMRA Associate Race Member – will kick-off in the afternoon. This short uphill race is only 1.8 km but climbs 360 meters. Beginning at the Smarna gora foothill / Tacen, it will finish on the Smarna gora summit, following the “?ez korenine” path.

The women will start at 16:50 and the men at 17:00. The men’s course record of 10:59 was set by Filimon Abraham (ERI) in 2020. The women’s course record of 13:18 was set by Mateja Kosovelj (SLO) in 2006.

43rd ŠMARNA GORA RACE

Starting on Saturday, October 1st, the Šmarna gora race will be the final Silver Label event in the 2022 Valsir Mountain Running World Cup. This classic mountain running event is 10 km in length with an altitude gain: 710m+/350m-, net uphill but plenty of rugged trail downhills to keep runners on their toes. The race will start in sport park Rocen, 10 km NW from Ljubljana and finish on the Šmarna gora summit.

It’s not just the elite runners who will take on the Šmarna gora race. There will also be categories and separate starts for juniors and masters runners in U12, U14, U16, U20, 40-49, 50-59 and 60+ age groups with 200 participants registered. The Šmarna gora race is also a national mountain running championships with the championships ranking is for Slovenian teams only. Expect some of the world’s best mountain runners this weekend in Slovenia but also the very best domestic field assembled.

THE ATHLETES

Sparks will fly when the elite mountain runners depart for Šmarna gora summit. In the women’s field all eyes will be on six-time race winner and multiple world champion Andrea Mayr (AUT) to take a seventh win and perhaps break her own course record. Challenging Mayr will be Sarah McCormack (IRL) who is currently 16th on the WMRA World Ranking. Also look out for Susanna Saapunki (FIN) to challenge for the podium. Other international women ready to toe the starting line include Finty Royle (GBR), Caterina Stenta (ITA), Rachel Borg (MLT), Carmen Hili (MLT) and Carmen Kuntz (CAN).

Looking to make a splash in front of his home-crowd will be Timotej Becan (SLO) who is currently 4th on the WMRA World Ranking list. While Becan may be the favorite, don’t tell Jacob Adkin (GBR) who will surely not give up the top spot without a fight. Other international men to watch are Michael Selelo Saoli (KEN), Lengen Lolkurraru (KEN), Jasper Boot (NED), Andreas Stitz (AUT), Ross Gollan (GBR), Elia Costa (ITA), Isaco Costa (ITA), Lucio Fregona (ITA), Roberto Fregona (ITA), Luke Micallef (MLT), Simon Spiter (MLT) and Patrik Nilsson (SWE).

Learn more about the WMRA World Ranking and see the athletes on the list at: https://ranking.wmra.info/world-ranking/

In addition to national titles and World Cup glory, runners will compete for up to 4000 euro in prize money with a 250 bonus available for anyone who breaks the course records (men: 41:32 and women: 47:40).

All the runners who will participate in both races (Record on Friday and the Race on Saturday), will apply for special awards. The fastest women/men will receive special awards.

Check out this webpage for a list of the top times ever run at Smarna gora: https://smarnogorski-teki.si/en/2010-2019-2/

LIVESTREAMING

The Šmarna Gora Runs bring something new this year – a live broadcast of the events on Šmarna Gora. During Friday’s Record and Saturday’s Run, for the first time this year you will be able to follow the competitors’ arrivals at the finish line live. Visit this webpage for the livestream link: https://smarnogorski-teki.si/en/home-2/

Event website – https://smarnogorski-teki.si/en/home-2/

2018 Race Trailer

Written by Richard Bolt (USA) for the World Mountain Running Association

Photos by Marco Gulberti.

An event launch has been held with just over six weeks to go until the Amazing Thailand World Mountain and Trail Running Championships welcomes many of the sport’s best athletes to compete in Chiang Mai between 3-6 November.

More than 900 elite athletes from 46 Member Federations are set to race during the four-day festival, which features 80km and 40km trail races plus uphill mountain races for senior athletes, and classic up and down mountain races for both senior and U20 athletes.

A number of key figures came together at the Ministry of Tourism and Sports in Bangkok on Tuesday, as excitement continues to build for the first edition of an event that further develops the partnership between the World Mountain Running Association (WMRA), the International Association of Ultrarunners (IAU) and the International Trail Running Association (ITRA), with support from World Athletics.

Situated 700km north of Bangkok, on the banks of the Ping River, Chiang Mai offers the most unforgettable beautiful scenery and is the largest tourist spot in the northern part of Thailand. The mountainous surroundings and the city’s growing reputation for outdoor mass sporting events make it the perfect place to host the first-ever combined World Championships.

Speakers at Tuesday’s launch event included Minister of Tourism and Sports of Thailand, Phiphat Ratchakitprakan; Minister of Natural Resources and Environment of Thailand, Varawut Silpa-archa; Assistant of the Prime Minister Office, Prasan Wangrattanapranee; President of Athletics Association of Thailand, Police General Sant Sarutanont; Governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand, Yuthasak Supasorn; Governor of the Sport Authority of Thailand, Kongsak Yodmanee; Governor of Chiang Mai Province, Prajon Prachsakul; Director General of the Department of Health, Suwannachai Wattanayingcharoen; Board Director of the National Sports Development Fund and Professional Sports Promotion, Supranee Guptasa; Alessio Punzi from World Athletics’ Competitions & Events department; and Hilary Walker from the International Association of Ultrarunners.

“We at World Athletics are delighted to see the first joint World Mountain and Trail Running Championships being held in Chiang Mai,” said World Athletics President Sebastian Coe.

“As off-road running continues to grow in popularity across the globe, and as we continually look to increase participation at all levels of our sport, we are pleased to be collaborating closely with the World Mountain Running Association, the International Association of Ultrarunners and the International Trail Running Association.

“Each of our organisations shares the common ambition of promoting running in all its guises,” he added. “We are working together to create more opportunities for distance runners across the globe to compete in a range of breathtaking landscapes and take on different challenges. Chiang Mai, with its striking mountains and ancient temples, is a great place for this inaugural event.”

The championship race action kicks off with the uphill mountain races on Friday 4 November before the long trail (80km) and short trail (40km) races on Saturday 5 November and then the classic mountain races on Sunday 6 November.

There are also mass race elements to the long trail and short trail events, as well as 10km and 21km road races.

Photos by Marco Gulberti, WMRC 2019, and the LOC.

The World Mountain Running Association is seeking applicants for the role of World Cup Manager.

Reporting to the WMRA Council, the manager will liase with race organisations on the delivery of World Cup races, while also performing a coordinative role with sponsors, media and other stakeholders.

Full job description and application details – WorldCupManager_Applicant_sept2022_.pdf

The deadline for applications is Monday 26th of September.

With 3 races remaining in the Valsir World Cup, one per category, we take a look at the standings.

The overall Valsir World Cup standings take into account an athletes best 6 results in any category, while the standings in each category, Classic, Short and Long, are decided based on an athletes 3 best results in that category.

Classic Category Standings

With perfect records, 3 Gold Label wins giving a total 150 points, Joyce Njeru and Patrick Kipngeno have the Classic category sewn up. With 20 points available for a win at the Silver Label Smarna gora Race, Lucy Murigi can still catch Camilla Magliano in 2nd place in the women’s standings, though if Murigi doesn’t score Adéla Stránská could move onto the podium if she were to take the win.

The World Cup regulations detail how a points tie at the end of the season will be decided:
5.6. If athletes have the same number of points, their final position will be determined by reference to their highest race positions. Therefore, athletes with equal points, but one has a 1st position and the other has not, the athlete with the 1st position takes priority. If both have a first position, the next superior position is compared and so until a priority is obtained. If this method does not resolve the final positions, the prize money for the final positions will be added together and divided by the number of athletes involved.

The men’s podium is decided; Kipngeno is 70 points clear of Philemon Kiriago, who is 28 points clear of Zak Hanna, who is 22 points clear of Petro Mamu.

Long Category Standings

The Long category podiums are wide open! In the women’s standings, only the top 3, Joyce Njeru, Lucy Murigi and Camilla Magliano have scored in more than one race. With 50 points available for the Gold Label Zumaia Flysch Trail, there are 6 runners who could conceivably claim first place, with the possibility of a podium finish open much further down the standings.

In the men’s standings Petro Mamu and Philemon Kiriago are the top 2, having scored in 3 races, with Kipngeno 3rd having scored in 2. They are the 3 who are still in with a shot of overall victory in this category, while there is podium potential for a further 6 athletes, including Spaniards Andreu Blanes and Raúl Criado, who might look to exploit the home field advantage in the Basque Country.

Short Category Standings

The men’s standings are a 3 way tie! Kipngeno, Kiriago and Hanna all have 100 points heading towards the Valsir World Cup Final at Chiavenna-Lagunc. Behind them it’s all or nothing for Daniel Osanz. Anything less than a victory will see him finish off the podium but if he can follow up his Canfranc-Canfranc VK victory, and the top 3 fail to score, he coud still find himself on the top step of the podium. Unlikely, but possible.

The women’s race will be a mighty showdown! Njeru leads, but if Andrea Mayr takes the win in Chaivenna then Njeru will need to finish second to tie for the overall win. Third place Madalina Florea will be looking both up and down the standings, hoping to catch Mayr should the Austrian falter, while trying to do enough to stay clear of Camilla Magliano who sits just behind her in 4th.

It’s worth noting, the bonus points available at the Valsir World Cup Final, 5 for every athlete in the top 15, only count in the overall standings, not the Short category standings.

Overall Standings

With 6 Gold Label race wins apiece, Patrick Kipngeno and Joyce Njeru have already done enough to end the season with a maximum score of 300 points. The only room for improvement is for them to take the 5 bonus points for the win at Chiavenna-Lagunc, and finish with a better-than-perfect 305.

Behind them it’s wide open and with prize money available down to 12th place there are still a huge number of athletes in with a chance. Motivation remains high for the last 3 races of the season!

Photos by Marco Gulberti.

World Athletics member federations have received details of the bidding process to host the 2025 World Mountain and Trail Running Championships.

Organised on a biennial basis by the WMRA, the International Trail Running Association and the International Association of Ultrarunners, with the assistance of World Athletics, the WMTRC brings together the world’s best off-road runners for championship racing in 4 different formats; Uphill and Classic mountain running, Short and Long trail running. It also incorporates Junior races. 

A host opportunity summary offering more information on the competition format, hosting requirements, hosting fee, hosting rights and the bid procedure timeline, has been circulated to member federations and is also available on the World Athletics website. 

The deadline for written Expressions of Interest is December 1st 2022. The championship should be help before 15th June or after 15th September 2025.

The press launch for the 2023 World Mountain and Trail Running Championships, taking place in Tyrol, Austria from 6th-10th of June, took place yesterday. Read the full story here.

Photo: WMTRC 2019, Marco Gulberti.

Great media interest at the press conference for the World Mountain and Trail Running Championships 2023.

INNSBRUCK – Today, 13 September, the World Mountain and Trail Running Championships 2023 (WMTRC 2023) were presented to the Media. It will take place in Innsbruck and Stubai, which will make Tyrol the international centre for mountain and trail running. The press conference held at Villa Blanka in Innsbruck in anticipation of the WMTRC 2023 drew a great deal of interest from the media.

Check the event out on Instagram, Facebook and at the event website.

The organizing community Innsbruck-Stubai was able to assert itself against strong international competition and brought the WMTRC 2023 to Tyrol. The International Association of Ultrarunners (IAU), the International Trail Running Association (ITRA) and the World Mountain Running Association (WMRA) under the coordination of World Athletics justified the award for the Tyrolean regions with their excellent reputation as a leading alpine sports region, the professionalism of the application documents submitted and the proven experience in the organization of major events.

Alessio Punzi, Head of Running and Mass Participation of World Athletics (WA) on the award of the WMTRC 2023 to Innsbruck-Stubai: “The selection process was not easy, as all four international applicants met the needed requirements. In the end, however, we and our colleagues from the IAU, ITRA and WMRA were convinced by the unique mountain landscape of Tyrol, the special combination of urbanity and alpinism as well as the great know-how in the disciplines of mountain running and trail running.”

Alexander Pittl, the founder of the Innsbruck-based “Laufwerkstatt” and initiator of the “Innsbruck Alpine Trailrun Festival” (largest running event in Austria and third-largest in the DACH region) is in charge of implementing the world championships both technically and organizationally. Pittl is considered a pioneer in mountain and trail running in Tyrol and provided information about planned routes and distances: “We will expect around 1,400 active athletes from at least 60 nations, who will be competing for the 16 titles and medals to be awarded – men and women, individual and team. There will be a total of four runs along really beautiful routes, including a “Vertical” in Stubai, a short trail over 40 km and a long trail over 80 km as well as the classic race as a spectacular ‘up-and-down’ race in Innsbruck. The exact routes are currently being worked out.”

Tyrol’s Deputy Governor Josef Geisler was delighted that the World Mountain and Trail Running Championships 2023 had been awarded to Tyrol: “The staging of this major event will further strengthen Tyrol’s international profile and position as the leading sports region in the Alps. Mountain running and trail running are particularly environmentally friendly outdoor sports in harmony with nature, which stand for the sustainable development of tourism in our country.”

Innsbruck’s Sports councelor Elisabeth Mayr agrees: “With this major sporting event, Innsbruck can present itself as a ‘city in the mountains’. We don’t have to expand or rebuild anything, we show what it is: a city in the heart of Europe, embedded in a unique mountain world.”

Karin Seiler, Managing Director of Tirol Tourist Board, is also convinced of the added value that the hosting of the World Championships brings to Tirol: “From a tourism perspective and above all from a brand perspective, mountain sports in Tirol are part of our DNA. The mountain is firmly anchored in the Tyrol brand, so the Mountain and Trail Running World Championships fit in perfectly.”

Ideal conditions in Innsbruck and in the Stubai

The hosting regions offer perfect framework conditions for the different disciplines. The Tyrolean capital of Innsbruck impresses with its unique combination of event infrastructure and hotels in the immediate vicinity of the mountains. The Stubai, on the other hand, scores with its top hotels and the spectacular natural landscape.

“The World Championships will bring together the elite of trail and mountain runners from all over the world in Tyrol, who will run through some of the most beautiful landscapes in Europe,” athletes like Kristin Berglund, Ida-Sophie Hegemann and Florian Grasel are excited about their possible participation. “Even if it gets very sweaty, we are really looking forward to experiencing the freedom and closeness to nature of our sport in the exciting atmosphere of the World Championships!”

According to Mario Gerber, chairman of the Innsbruck Tourist Board, the planned running routes in and around Innsbruck will offer numerous sporting and visual highlights for athletes and spectators. “One route leads through the picturesque old town of Innsbruck and then climbs steeply over numerous meters to the “Höll” at the Hoetting quarter. There will be beautiful sporting pictures from our alpine-urban state capital out into the world,” says Gerber enthusiastically. Spectacular routes are also being worked out in the Stubai, according to the chairman of the Stubai Tourist Association, Adrian Siller, at the press conference.

Written by Egon Theiner for the LOC. Photos by Florentin Haunold, Roast Media.

After the inaugural edition of the Canfranc Vertical saw wins for Kenya’s Joyce Njeru and Spain’s Daniel Osanz on Friday evening, today saw the 10th Gold Label stage of the Valsir World Cup, the Canfranc Classic 16k.

Running over a scenic route of 16k and D+1.400m, summiting La Moleta (2,574m), the Canfranc Classic course is like a scale reproduction of the entire Aragonese Pyrenees; charming village, deep forest trails, rocky climbing, challenging descending to a mountain lake and the final rush to the end over the Camino de Santiago.

The field at the start was full of class. Two-time champion Antonio Martínez faced the number 2 in the WMRA world ranking, the Kenyan Philemon Kiriago, and the young Frenchman Loic Robert (runner-up at the French National Champs and M.I.U.T. Marathon champion). Serious challengers were also Raul Criado (winner of the Long distance category in last year’s World Cup), Noel Burgos (Canfranc marathon champion) and Alex García Carrillo (National Spain Classic 2022 champion)

The women’s race included the Valsir World Cup leader Joyce Njeru as the favourite against the Italian Camilla Magliano (Bronze Nid d’Aigles 2022, 4th Challenge Stellina 2022). Also there were two runners from the Spanish European Champs team Laia Montoya and Julia Font (Spanish Mountain Marathon Champion 2022) who would fight for the title to stay in Spain. Leire Fernández Abete was a great unknown quantity, as the former Zegama junior champion chose Canfranc to return to competition after successfully battling a tumor for the last two years.

JOYCE NJERU SEALS OVERALL TITLE WITH DOUBLE WIN

From the very start, Joyce chose to lead from the front and took off with enormous power again, while the Italian Camilla Magliano struggled behind, hoping for her downhill technique to overcome her later on. Behind them Laia García Montoya soon got into podium positions while Julia Font and Leire Fernández Abete completed the top 5.

Joyce reached La Moleta summit after 1:11.21, which predicted a good time at the finish line but far from the impressive record of 1h57 that Grayson Murphy (USA) left behind as 2021 champion. Camilla passed just 1:23 back, fighting for the victory while Laia was third very much on her own, 5 minutes behind the Italian but another 5 minutes ahead of Julia and Leire.

The descent dreamt by the Italian was not to be. Joyce proved she continues to progress day by day and in a descent as fast as it was technical and ferocious, she not only maintained her advantage but increased it remarkably.

In the end it was Joyce Njeru champion with 2.01.58, silver for Camilla Magliano 2.08.24 and Laia Montoya closed the podium with 1.17.28. Julia Font with 2.16.29 and Leire Fernández Abete with 2.20.41 completed the top 5.

Njeru’s lead is now unassailable. With 3 races still to run she is the Valsir Mountain Running World Cup Champion for the second time in 2 years!

LOIC ROBERT WINS GOLD FOR FRANCE.

Meanwhile, in the men´s event Kenyan Philemon Kiriago shot out for the kill right from the station, with Frenchman Loic Robert as the only one who dared to stay on his wake. It was gold or DNF for him. Behind the leaders, Spaniards Raul Criado, Noel Burgos and Antonio Martínez followed their own strategy, as experts on the course.

Kiriago summited La Moleta with a new ascent record at 1.00.08 slicing out 2 minutes on Daniel Osanz’s 2020 time. Also at a record pace, Robert Loic stayed second, trusting on his upbringing at the French Pyrenees to overcome the 1:42 lost on the climb in the descent. He bet right.

Half way down, Robert’s technique and courage risking everything paid off and he took the lead, while behind them both there was a crazy descent by world descent VK record holder Raul Criado who despite summiting fourth 5 minutes behind Philemon was blasting down the mountain spurred on by the dream of every one of the 600 Canfranc volunteers for him to win the World Cup at his home village.

The Canfranc finish line welcomed Loic Robert as champion with 1.43.11 which left us a new record, way below that off 1.47.35 by Antonio Martínez. Kenyan Philemon Kiriago took the silver with 1.43.53, just 42” behind the champion, while Raul Criado signed a sensational bronze with 1.45.00. The Spaniards Antonio Martínez and Noel Burgos closed out the top 5 with 1.49.50 and 1.50.48.

Full results are here.

Valsir World Cup standings after 14 races are here.

Replay the full livestream on youtube: