Author: wmra_wp

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In front of the European Athletics President Hans Jorg Wirz, nine countries won medals at the 10. European Mountain Running Championships in Bursa – Uludag (Turkey), in which 26 countries took part.
The uphill races were held on a course which was a true test of mountain running skill, finishing at the ski station of Uludag, on a day when temperatures for the runners reached 30 degrees.
The host nation Turkey, dominated the event, winning nine medals in total (four gold, three silver, two bronze), only in the senior women’s race did they not win a medal.
The strong mountain running nation of Italy were next with five medals (two gold, two silver, one bronze),&nbsp,then Romania (one gold and one silver) and Switzerland (one gold and one bronze) followed with two medals each.
The other countries on the podium where Russia and Czech Republic with one silver each, then Portugal with two bronze and Austria&nbsp,and Slovenia with one bronze each.

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The junior women’s race was won in 21.43 by Denisa Dragomir of Romania, who repeated her win from last year, followed by the Turkish runners Yasemin Can and Sevilay Eytemis in 22.08 and 22.16 respectively as 32 runners completed the 3.5 km course with 405m of climbing.&nbsp, Turkey won the team medal with five points, Romania won silver and Austria the bronze.
Turkey dominated the junior men’s race, taking all three places on the podium with Nuri Komur in gold (43.08), Sonmex Dag in silver (43.12) and Murat Orak in bronze (43.40), giving them also the lowest possible team score and gold medal. The junior men’s team silver medal was won by the Czech Republic with 39 points, just beating Italy in bronze medal position with 43 points as 54 runners tacked the 8.5km course with 865m of climbing.
Switzerland were the other nation to win a gold medal, with Martina Strahl winning the senior women’s race in a time of 48.44 (repeating her win from 2009). Close behind in silver was Italian Antonella Confortola in 49.09, with Lucija Krkoc from Slovenia completing the podium in bronze medal position in 49.24. Confortola lead the Italian team to the team gold medal with 22 points, with Russia (28 points) in silver and Switzerland (38 points) in bronze medal position. Fifty four runners completed the race.
In the senior men’s race over 12 km with 1.245m of climb, Ahmet Arslan made it five European Mountain Running Championship wins, as he finished 45 seconds in front of Gabriele Abate from Italy, in 58.08.&nbsp, The bronze medal went to Jose Gasper of Portugal in 59.05, from the large field of 78 men. The three individual medal winners were also team medal winners, with Italy taking the gold medal (12 points), followed by Turkey with silver (34 points) just in front of Portugal in bronze (36 points).
WMRA President and EA Technical Delegate for the event, Bruno Gozzelino, congratulated the City of Bursa and Governor together the Turkish Athletic Federation (Mehmet Terzi, TAF President was present to all the Championships time) for their excellent hosting and organisation of the event and thanked the European Association for their hosting of the European Mountain Running Championships in 2011.
Other WMRA Council present were Raimondo Balicco, Wolfgang Munzel, Tomo Sarf and, of course, Erhan Basoglu, who was also a wonderful General Secretary of Local Organising Committee of the Championships.

News by Sarah Rowell

Photos by LOC:
in front page: Ahmet Arslan, senior winner,
in second page: opening ceremony.”

“27 nations will participate in the 10th European Mountain Running Championships on Mount Uladag near Bursa in Turkey on Sunday 10th July 2011.

Confirmed Federations competing in the uphill running event are: Albania, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Liechtenstein, FYR of Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine and host Country Turkey, but also Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Belarus, Montenegro and Serbia sent their preliminary entry forms.
Record of present Nations at the European Mountain Running Championships is 28 on 2005 in Austria (Heiligenblut). So it could be possible that this record will be broken this year in Bursa.
At the start&nbsp, are announced about two hundred men and one hundred women divided in junior and senior categories.

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“The Local Organising Committee (LOC) have ample information on their website at: &nbsp,http://www.emrc2011bursauludag.org/en/
The races should be very exciting with Ahmet Arslan from Turkey looking to defend his title with several in form Italian athletes looking to topple the 4-time European Champion. Again the Italian and Turkish teams look very strong but David Schneider (SUI) the winner from the WMRA 2nd GP race will hope to challenge. 2010 team medallists, Spain are also a nation with much mountain running expertise.
The Women’s race should once again prove a wonderful competition with Martina Straehl (SUI) and Andrea Mayr (AUT) looking like the likely favourites. However there are many new faces emerging and WMRA Grand prix leader Emma Clayton &nbsp,(GBR) and Mateja Kosovelj (SLO) along with defending champion Marie Laure Dumergues (FRA). Italy and France may well battle for team honors again.
Impossible to tell more about junior races where surprise is always possible in these races!
EA President, Hansjorg Wirz announced his presence at the event, together TAF President, Mehmet Terzi.

WMRA is delighted that the LOC from Bursa are organizing a wonderful event on the scenic Mountains around Bursa.
WMRA offer particular thanks to the LOC and European Athletics for their progressive and support for Mountain Running and all the National Athletic Federations and the participants for their presence at the EA Championships.

news by Bruno Gozzelino and Bashir Hussain&nbsp,

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The 6. International Youth Mountain Running Challenge 2011 was held in Gorenja Vas in Slovenia.
A record 13 countries competed (with a total of 75 athletes: 39 boys and 36 girls) on a very runnable mainly grass course which the athletes enjoyed.
In the medal table first place for Poland with two gold medals and one bronze, ahead Russia (one gold and three silver) and host country&nbsp,Slovenia (one gold, one silver and one bronze). Also Italy and Turkey won medals: one bronze each.
So finally five countries celebrated medals but a lot of other team were near to keep a medal!

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“Slovenia had much to celebrate in the girls race as Lea Einfalt raced to victory in 14 minutes and 6 seconds.
She was followed home by Russian Ekaterina Ivonina (in 14 minutes and 18 seconds) who was also the silver medallist in 2010.
Slovenia also took the bronze medal with local runner Katja Stanonik (in 14 minutes and 27 seconds) running an impressive race.
The 2010 winner, Ffion Price of Wales, opened an early lead of around 40 metres but the Slovenes and Turkish runner, Remuye Temel, pulled her back on the second half of the first lap. Temel finished fourth (14 minutes and 36 seconds) and Price was at the end fifth (in 14 minutes and 58 seconds). All other runners finished more then 15 minutes starting from Russian Anna Khryascheva sixth (in 15 minutes and 3 seconds).
Price was struggling at this stage and looked as though she could slip out of the first ten but she rallied again on the last lap to finish fifth.
Russian (Ekaterina Ivonina 2., Anna Khryascheva 6. and Maria Varina 12.) won the team race with 20 points from Slovenia (Lea Einfalt 1., Katja Stanonik 3. and Monik Bajc 26.) on 30 points and Turkey (Remuye Temel 4., Sergul Kahraman 11. and Tubay Erdal 16.) on 31 points.
Ireland had their three runners in the top 15 but had to settle for fourth. Wales finished fifth followed&nbsp,by Scotland, Poland, Czech rep., Italy and England.&nbsp,
Ten countries had&nbsp, full teams, besides Bulgaria started with only two runners.
The boys race was a much tighter affair withless than a minute separating the top 14 runners.
Nekagenet Crippa (ITA) broke away at the start but he too suffered the fate of starting too hard and had to settle for fourth.
Polish runner Rafal Matuszczak was the first to pass the Italian and he held on from a strong chasing group to take the victory (in 15 minutes and 1 second) by three seconds from Russian Konstantin Galiullin (in 15 minutes and 4 seconds).
Marcin Zychski (POL) took the bronze medal (in 15 minutes and 9 seconds) and with their third runner in twelfth position this was enough to give Poland with 16 points (Rafal Matuszczak 1., Marcin Zychski 3. and Patryk Lachowski 12.) the team victory from Russia (Konstantin Galiullin 2., Rodion Reshetnikov 5. and Andrey Chernov 16.) and Italy (Nekagenet Crippa 4., Nadir Cavagna 6. and Michael Monella 14.) separated by only one point (Russia 23 and Italy 24).
Turkey were fourth with 33 points and Ireland fifth one point back. scotlands finished sixth, followed by Slovenia (team 1), Wales, England, Germany, Slovenia (team 2) and Czech rep.
Eleven countries had complete teams, because Bulgaria started with only two runners and FYR of Macedonia with one runner).
The competition was opened by WMRA President Bruno Gozzelino in the presence of Janez Aljancic the Vice-President of the Slovenian Athletics Federation ands the Mayor of Gorenja vas – Poljane, Milan Cadez.
Ireland has submitted an application to host the 7. International Youth Mountain Running Cup (this is the new title decided by WMRA Council for this event) in 2012 in the ancient monastic village of Glendalough in County Wicklow: decision will be taken by WMRA Council on next meeting in September 2011, due the fact the other official bids could arrive in the next time.

News by Gerry Brady and Bruno Gozzelino

Photos by Denis Bozovicar (LOC):
on front page:
– VIP and team leader of all the Nations

on second page:
– winner girls
– podium individual girls
– podium team girls
– winner boys
– podium individual boys
– podium team boys
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On Saturday 25. June 2011 young mountain runners from across the world will come together for the 6. edition of the International Youth Mountain Running Challenge in Gorenja vas, near to Ljubjana in Slovenia.
Slovenia is renowned for wonderful hospitality and this weekend will welcome the thirteen competing nations in this youth event, coming from Italy, England, Czech Rep., Russia, FYR of Macedonia, Ireland, Bulgaria, Germany, Poland, Scotland, Turkey, Wales, and, of course, host Country Slovenia.
The Mountain Running Youth Challenge is for those born in 1994 and 1995.

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It brings athletes together to celebrate a festival of mountain running and develop their talent and skill on the mountains.&nbsp,
Many runners will encounter international competition for the first time in the town of Gorenja vas.
The course involves both uphill and downhill running, with the boys running 4.6km over 2 laps as they negotiate a total of 170m of hilly terrain. The girls will have 2 laps with a total of 150m to tackle on their 3.6km course.
With some of the top 10 from last year returning many will come with high expectations.
How well suited they are to the different circumstances from the course in Italy last year will be revealed on Saturday.&nbsp,
Ffion Price, representing Wales will return as defending champion ahead of her upcoming European Championships debut in the girls’ event.
Nekagenet Crippa from Italy will look to improve on his 4th position from 2010.
The weekend will start with team parades and presentations of local culture and history in the town square of Gorenja vas on Friday 24th June. A Pasta party will follow this and athletes will get to appreciate the pleasant formality of international competitions.
Bruno Gozzelino, WMRA President, together with Raimondo Balicco, WMRA Council member and also Team Leader of Italian Team, and Tomo Sarf, WMRA Council member but also like AZS Council member, will attend to the event&nbsp,as WMRA rapresentant.

news by Bashir Hussain

photos from LOC and Bashir Hussain

in front page: Gorenja vas
in second page:
– winner girls inIYC 2010
– Ffion Price

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“Full results with times per sections
Download Results“

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Steve Vernon and Victoria Wilkinson won the inaugural UKA Mountain Running Championships in Keswick on Sunday 12. June 2011, held in conjunction with the European Mountain Running Championships Trial (selection race for UK team that will be run in Bursa at the beginning of July) and incorporating the second round of the McCain Mountain Running Challenge.
It means that England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will go to have their National title but this is the first Great Britain Championships!

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The senior men’s race – which tackled 1100m of ascent over 12.2km to the summit of Skiddaw – was one of the strongest ever domestic fields for an uphill race.
Vernon, an experienced Great Britain and Northern Ireland mountain running and cross country representative, took an early lead from Andi Jones and the pair pulled well clear of the field with Nick Swinburn, over one minute behind, taking bronze.
In the women’s race over 8.9km with 900m of ascent, Wilkinson, also a seasoned mountain running internationalist, pulled through the field to take victory ahead of Lizzie Adams and Emma Clayton.
The junior titles went to up and coming Scottish athletes Garry Rankin and Scout Adkin.
Rankin, 15. in the WMRA Youth Mountain Running Challenge in Italy last year, won the 8.9km junior men’s race, Dominic Mahoney took silver in spite of a heavy fall near the top of the course, and bronze went to Jack Ross.
Adkin, 13. in the WMRA Youth Mountain Running Challenge event, had a fine run to win the junior ladies race over 3.8km with 395m of ascent, with Ffion Price and Beckie Taylor taking silver and bronze respectively.
The race was the second round of the UKA McCain mountain running challenge – this is being held this year over three mountain races in May, June and August ( one up hill, and two up an down), with a total prize find of &pound,6,100. This is the second year we have been able to hold the challenge series and it is providing new and quality mountain running competition in the UK.
This year we have also been able to hold a mountain running training camp – something which we hope will become an annual event.
This kind of activity show very clear which could be one right road for promoting everwhere mountain running as discipline of athletics: certainly UKA will receive great benefits from this experiences

News and photo by Sarah Rowell (UKA)

Photo: the two top men runner of the race.

“405 runners of 18 Nations started at the 8. WMRA World Long Distance Mountain Running Challenge in Podbrdo, Slovenia: 320 men and 85 women. The race was linked with 10. Gorski Maraton &scaron,tirih ob&#269,in (GM4O), a race of 37,5-kilometer mountain track with 5000 meters difference in altitude (full results with times for section on the bottom).
It took a home boy at the 8. WMRA World Long Distance Mountain Running Challenge in Slovenia&nbsp, on 18.06.2011 to prevent a clean sweep of Scottish trio.
Mitja Kosovelj finished his job on home soil with some aplomb and beat the competition by more than a four minute margin with the time of three hours, 22 minutes and 32 seconds. Second in the finish line was Thomas Owens of Scotland (3:26:59), and bronze medal went to his younger countryman Robie Simpson (3:29:05). The podium was just a step&nbsp, away from another Scotsman Jehtro Lennox (3:33:21), fith was Ralf Birchmeier of Switzerland in front of sixth-placed Czeck Petr Pechek.
&raquo,Sometimes you dare to dream about such an achievement, but despite all the hard work you do before the race you need sporting luck as well&laquo, said a humble Mitja Kosovelj. &raquo,Today it all went the right way for me even though I was in such pain on the last decent because blisters completly damaged my heel skin.&laquo,.”
“Top finishers in women competition was an Anglo-Irish affair. Englishwomen Philippa Maddams grabed gold with 4:08:46, Ireland took second place with a fiercy Karen Alexander (4:16:21), while bronze went to her English neighbour Helen Fines (4:19:14). Maddams said: &raquo,I really didn’t expect this, but I felt very well on the course. I am very tired, I have a few scraches because I fell but I am also thrilled to have won this hard race.&laquo,
Phillipa Maddams is a teacher from Keswick, in Cumbria: the same town where lives Kenny Stuart who was the winner of the 1. World Mountain Running Trophy (senior men short&nbsp,race) in 1985 and the town that hosted also the 4. World Mountain Running Trophy and other international mountain running event.
In the men team ranking 12 Nations were classified with full teams. Scotland kept title and gold medal with a great advantage on all the other teams. The best three Scottish signed a time of 10h29.15. Very close the fighting for the second position: host Country, Slovenia was silver medallist in 10h57.20, one minute better then Enlglish runners who finished in 10h58.46. Over eleven hours Switzerland (4.), Poland (5.), Wales (6.) and Czech Rep. (7.). Then followed Russia (8.) and defending title, USA (9.) with more then 12 hours and then Hungarya (10.), Crotia (11.) and Ukraine (12.)
In the women team ranking 7 were the full Nations to the finish. Title and gold medal to England (12h54.49) in front of Russia, second and silver medal (13h24.37) and Scotland, third and bronze medal (13h41.07). Poland finished fourth, Slovenia fifth, Wales sixth and Crotia was seventh.
Attended to the event Bruno Gozzelino, WMRA President, together Tomo Sarf, WMRA Council but also representant Slovenia Athletic federation like member of the National Board.
A lot of positive comments by the partecipant in favour of LOC, with Janko Humar(LOC Director) and Joze Dakskobler (LOC Director race and the person who had the idea for creating this race ten years ago) for its great work in the organisation, where one the most interesting aspect is the fact that four different Municipality of Slovenia (that is Tolmin, Zelezniki, Cerkno and Bohinj) are involved and co-operate among themselves: a beautiful example of the mountain and mountain races unite people everywhere.

News by LOC (Blaz Mocnik) and WMRA&nbsp,(Bruno Gozzelino)&nbsp,

Phots by Pete Hartley and Mikhail Popov
In front page: Mitja Kosovelj (PH)
Second page left:
Podium individual men (PH)
Podium individual women (MP)
Podium team women (MP)
Second page right:
Philippa Maddams (PH)
podium team men (MP)

Full results with times per sections
Download Results“

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Saturday 18. June at 8 a.m. sees the start of the 8. WMRA Long Distance Mountain Running Challenge in Podrdo, Slovenia, where the a great number of lovers of Mountain running will assemble to compete for this prestigious title over a distance of 38km (with 2500m uphill and 2800m downhill).
After memorable World Mountain Running Championships last year in Kamnik, Slovenia is going to host other WMRA international event this year.
The course is unusual because there is more descending than uphill running with a net drop of 300m (2500m uphill and 2800m downhill).

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500 runners from 18 Countries will be represented, with 12 official national teams (Scotland, Poland, Czech rep., Wales, Australia, England, Ireland, Switzerland, Russia, USA, Croatia and Slovenia).
The USA team return to defend their Men’s and Women’s titles from 2010.
The race is sure to be a highlight for many of the competitors in the Slovenian mountains around Podbrdo.
Men team favourites – in addition to the USA – will include Scotland who boast several in form athletes with 2008 winner Jethrow Lennox and Tom Owens who won the trial race ahead of the top British runners. Just behind was 19 year old, Robbie Simpson who is another international winner form Scotland adding youthful strength to an impressive Scottish team.
Host Country, Slovenia also boast a strong team and will pin their hopes on Mitia Kosovelj who won the junior title in 2003 and finished 3rd in this event in 2008. Kosovelj is joined by Toni Vencelj and Peter Lamovec who have made the World podium previously.
The ladies race is a more open affair although Slovenia again have a team that could top the podium.
Slovenia is always a welcoming host and Podrdo should see some great racing as the world’s best long distance mountain runners literally descent from Podbrdo in Slovenia on Saturday 18. June 2011.
LOC together AZS (Slovenian Athletic Federation) worked very hard to organise a great event and WMRA – present with Bruno Gozzelino, WMRA President, and Tomo Sarf, WMRA Council member – is sure that it will be a great competition, thanking all were involved in this organisation.

News by Bruno Gozzelino, Tomo Sarf and Bashir Hussain

Photos by Janko Humar (LOC)
In front page: image of race 2010
Second page: joy at the finish!

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“In Dimitrovgrad (Serbia) was held the third Balkan Mountain Running Championships where seven Balkan Conntries were present, with a total of 74 runners at the start line.
Turkey and Romania won both four gold medals, Turkey in total took ten medals (plus four silver and two bronze), instead Romania gained in total nine medals (three silver and two bronze). On the podium also Bulgaria with one silver and two bronze medals and host Country Serbia who obtained two bronze medals. But really interesting were the presence of Albania, Greece and FYR of Macedonia with important top position in some races.”
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In details in the junior women races Turkish Yasemin Can (twice junior World Champion and one time junior European Champion) wan the Balkan title (with 17.08) in front of two Romanian: Denisa Ionela Dragomir, second with 17.53 and Rebecca Rus, third with 18.29. Romanian team (thanking the places of Adelina Georgina Moroita (fith) and Andrada Iuliana Bulgarasu (sixth) won the gold medal defeating Turkey and host Country, Serbia. Albania junior women team finished in fourth position. Bulgaria (best runner of this team was Marinela Nineva, fourth) started with an incomplete team.
Also in the men junior race victory was for the Turkish runners with a strong team that was also Balkan Champions 2011 due the fact that all the four members finished in the first five positions.
Balkan Champion was Turkish Sonmez Dag (31.58), silver medallist was Turkish Nuri Komur (32.15) while the other two member of the Turkish team Ahmet Ozrek (33.42) and Yetkin Tunctan (34.36) finished fourth and fifth. Only Romanian Istvan Szobolcs Gyorgy (33.27) was able to break the hegemony of the Turkish runners, winning bronze medal. Interesting the tenth position of Macedonian runner, Milosh Ranciki, who arrived behind four Turkish, four Romanian and one Bulgarian runner, but before the other ten runners who took part to this event. In the team behind the Turkish team, Balkan Champion 2011, second place and silver medal for Romania and third place with bronze medal for Bulgaria. Fourth team was Serbia and fifth team Albania.
Very interesting and fighting was the senior women race where the winner was Romanian Cristina Alexandra Frumuz which managed to overcome the Turkish Yagmur Tarhan during the last part of the final lap. Frumuz finished race in 36.52, second was Bulgarian Milka Mihaylova (in 37.11), who tried until the end of the race for wimming the Balkan title. Third was the Turkish Yagmur Tarhan (37.46) who lost position during the final part of the race.&nbsp, On the podium for team result Romania was Balkan Champion 2011 (with 12 points) in front of Turkey (16 points) and Bulgaria (19 points). Fourth position for host Country Serbia (37 points).
The men senior race was a show for the winner: Romanian Ionut Alin Zinca (time of 45.46) run all the three laps in leading position without offer any chance for the victory for the four Turkish runners who finished the race in second (Mehmet Akkoyun: 46.06), third (Adem Karatas: 46.12) fourth (Ridvan Bozkurt: 46.55) and fifth (Deniz Kazan: 47.09) position. Five full team in the result. Balkan Champions 2011 was Turkey (9 points), silver medal was Romania (18 points) and Serbia won bronze medal (33 points): Bulgaria lost medal only for one point (34 points) and FYR of Makedonia finished in fifth place (54 points) As individual result must be underlined the ninth place of the Albanian runner Ilir Kellezi and the thirteenth place for the Greek runner Georgios Dialektos.
Event Director Goran Cegar did his best to organise this event on highest level:&nbsp,a lot of positive comments by the participants: LOC and Municipality of Dimitrovgrad have done really a great job in the organisation of the event under many profile: technical aspect of the race, protocol, accommodation, transport, media end press, facilities and so on.
The event is staged by ABAF (Association of Balkan Athletic Federation) and Bulgariana Galia Puhaleva , General Secretary oif ABAF (also WMRA Council member) attended to the competition.
Event promoteur was&nbsp,a legend of&nbsp,Serbian athletics, Vera Nikolic, former World record holder and two times European champion in 800m.
Bruno Gozzelino, WMRA President, together Erhan Basoglu, (WMRA Council member) – both present to the event – applauded for the work well done by ABAF, by Serbia Athletic Federation, by LOC and by the Municipality of Dimitrovgrad.
Full result are available in the webpage of the Serbian Athletic Federation and on WMRA webpage.

News by Bruno Gozzelino
Photos by Dusan Jankovic (LOC)
In front page: participating team

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The beautiful town of Dimitrovgrad is ready to host the national team coming from Albania, Macedonia, Turkey, Greece, Bulgaria, Romania and of course Serbia, host Country, for the 3. Balkan Mountain Running Championships 2011.
LOC is still waiting the confirm for the presence of athletes from Montenegro and Moldavia.
Bosnia-Herzegovina will be absent.

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This competition is really very important due the fact that development of the discipline must start also in some Countries where mountain running is an athletic discipline not so popular, but where there are wonderful mountains.
SEGAS for sample this year staged the first National Mountain running Championships just two weeks ago and the race was the selection for the team that will run in the Balkan Championships.
Serbia people, specially LOC of Dimitrovgrad are very proud to host this sport event.
The Association of Balkan Athletic Federations (ABAF) with its President, Bulgarian Dobromir Karamarinov, is confident that the race will be a great success.
Turkish are certainly favourites for the victory in all the event (men and women, individual and team) but it will be important to see the progress of Bulgarian and Rumanian athletes. Important is will ab also the participation of Albanian team, because FSHA will host next World Mountain Running Championships in Tirana on next 1.. September 2011.
WMRA thanks ABAF, Athletics Federation of Serbia with its President, Veselin JEVROSIMOVIC, and LOC, with its Chairman, Veselin Veli&#269,kov for their great job in favour of mountain running.
Besides Bruno Gozzelino, WMRA President, was invited and he will attend to the competition, together Galia Puhaleva and probably Erhan Basoglu, both WMRA Council members.

News by Bruno Gozzelino

Photos by LOC:
Logo of the event (front page)
Dimitrovgrad: Start of a military mountain running CISM Challenge Cup (second page)

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