Author: wmra_wp

“After the end of 12. WMRA Grand Prix, 2010 mountain running’s year is coming to finish with next 2. African Mountain Running Championships that will be run on next 27 November in Nigeria, linked to 6. Obudu International Mountain race, the richest race in the world, taking in consideration the amount of prize money.

But it is also time for preparing next 2011 season.

During last Athletic European Convention on Saturday 16 October 2010, Philippe Llamblin, as Chairman of EA Mountain Running Commission, and Bruno Gozzelino, as member of the same Commission, conducted a presentation by the situation of mountain running in front of all the Officials (President and/or Secretary and/or General Director and/or National Coaches) of all the National Athletic Federations of the 50 European Nations present in Belgrade.

It was an important moment because the slides of this presentation – very well prepared by Ede Rutkovszky, EA Staff and Secretary of the Commission – were seen with great interest by all the present and comments were very positive: as result of the work inside the European National Athletic Federations, many Countries is staged at the National Mountain Running Championships in 2011.

WMRA thanks so much EA and specially its President, HansJorg Wirz, and all EA Council for this opportunity.
During EA Convention, Gozzelino had many contacts with a lot of different European Officials of the National Athletic Federation and he also took the opportunity for thanking officially PZLA and in particular its President, Jerzy Skucha, handing him one memorial medals for the organization of the 11th WMRA/WMA Master World Mountain Running Championships (see photo). Special thanks again to the LOC of this event and in particular to&nbsp,Miroslaw Dziergas (LOC President), Stefan Kalinowski (LOC Vice President) and Andrzej Puchacz (LOC General Secretary). ”
“
Always in Belgrade, during the Congress of ABAF, held in conjunction with the 2010 European Athletics Convention in the Serbian capital Belgrade, Bulgaria’s Athletic President, Dobromir Karamarinov has been unanimously elected as the new President of the Balkan Athletics Federations (ABAF), association that was founded in 1929 and has organised regional championships and major athletics events for over 80 years. All 10 member federations ABAF (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Greece, FYR of Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Serbia, Romania and Turkey) were present. WMRA congratulated Karamarimov for this election and thanked ABAF for great support to&nbsp, mountain running discipline.

On 2011, the following WMRA international mountain race are scheduled:

– June 18: 8. WMRA Long Distance Mountain Running Challenge at Petrovo Brdo (Slovenia, linked with 10. GM40&nbsp, – Gorski Maraton &Scaron,tirich Ob&#269,in),

– June 25: 6. WMRA International Youth Challenge (race&nbsp, for 16 – 17 years old) at Gorenja vas (Slovenia),

– September 11: 27. WMRA World Mountain Running Championships at Tirana (Albania),

– September 17: 11. WMRA/WMA Master World Mountain Running Championships at Paluzza (Italy),

Besides other international mountain races will be:

– June 12: 4. Balkan Mountain Running Championships at Dimitrovgrad (Serbia),

– September 23-25: 2. Commonwealth Mountain Running Championships at Snowdon – Gwynedd (Great Britain).
This last competition must be, of course, officially sanctioned by UK Athletics and the Commonwealth Association of Mountain and Ultra-distance running in the next time.
Full WMRA 2011 Calendar – with all the WMRA associated races – is available in the EA Calendar 2011 on EA webpage and very soon it will be published also in the WMRA webpage.

WMRA Council will discuss on next meeting – already staged in Monte Carlo on next 15 January 2011 – the situation regarding the 13. WMRA Grand Prix 2011, taking into consideration in many aspects in way to decide if this event will be still organised or not, and in positive case its format.

Dates (and some venues now missing) of the 8. NACAC Mountain Running Championships at Ajijic, Jalisco (Mexico), of the 6. CONSUDATLE Mountain Running Championships and of the 3. AAC Mountain Running Championships Cross River State must be fixed in next time, thanking always for their cooperation the Area Continental Athletic Association.

Instead the 10. EA Mountain Running Championships at Bursa (Turkey) will be held on 10 July 2011.

In preparation of this competition Salih Munir Yaras, EA Council Delegate, Bruno Gozzelino, EA Technical Delegate, and Ede Rutkovszky, EA Project Coordinator, visited on last two days (21 and 22 October) the city of&nbsp,Bursa (see photo: from left to right: Salih Munir Yaras, Bruno Gozzelino, Memhet Terzi, Turkish Athletic Federation President, Erhan Basoglu, TAF and WMRA Council member and Muharrem Or. LOC Technical Expert). Municipality and Government of Bursa will support fully the event. First important aspects were discussed during these days in way to prepare in the best way the most important European mountain race in 2011.

WMRA has in programme to discuss on next WMRA Council meeting any other possible news (gold, silver and bronze level for the races, or prize like &quot,mountain runner of the year&quot,, etcetera) with the prospect of further growth and development of the discipline, always counting on the support of the IAAF that WMRA thanks for this.

Bruno Gozzelino by WMRA

Photos by&nbsp,Bruno Gozzelino:
as written in the article.

“

“Runners from 10 countries gathered on the start line of the 31^st Smarna gora race nearby Ljubljana, the capitol of Slovenia.
Weather conditions were promising excellent conditions for the runners – it was not too cold, the course was mostly dry.
The organizer decided to make some small changes on the course: the first flat part is little longer, the starting ascent is not so steep and the steep dangerous downhill section is replaced with short undulating part. So the course was extended from 9,0 to 10,0km but the elevation remains at 730m ascent and 300m descent.

Ahmet Arslan from Turkey – best non-African runner from the World Championships, that was held 4 weeks ago in Kamnik just 20km away from the Smarna gora – was running this race for the first time and started with respect to the 6-times world champion Wyatt, who had run the demanding and technical course already several times. Wyatt knew that the first uphill is his chance and he passed the first summit with small advantage, he even passed as the first runner the control point just before the end of the descent, but at the very last descent he was overtaken by Arslan and Krupicka from, who was also already the winner of the race 2 years ago. Ahmet Arslan set an excellent record time with 42:28.
We can find runners from 7 countries on the first 7 positions.

”
“Behind the winner Ahmet Arslan, second was Jonathan Wyatt (NZL 42:38), third Robert Krupicka (CZE 42:45), fourth David Schneider (SUI 44:07), fifth Mitja Kosovelj (SLO 44:29), sixth Eris Costa (ITA 44:58) and seventh Orlando Edwards (GBR 45:04).
&nbsp,

Andrea Mayr from Austria had showed her superiority a month ago in Kamnik and she did not allow any doubts about her third World Champion title.
She was in the lead from the start to the finish and crossed the finish line in 48:48, that is 2:31 before the second Antonella Confortola-Wyatt from Italy (51:09). Local Mateja Kosovelj from Slovenia finished on the third position (51:26). The fourth Kaja Obidi&#269, (SLO 52:44), fifth Lauren Jeska (GBR 54:23), sixth Anna Frost (NZL 55:13) and Emma Clayton (GBR 56:55).

The Smarna gora race was also the final WMRA Grand Prix competition.
Only the winners were decided already before the race: Arslan and Mayr collected enough points for the first position with their excellent races at the Worls Champs.
So the final race was deciding about the other positions.
Wyatt and Schneider were successful in the men’s competition and British Jeska Lauren and Anna Frost were successful in the women’s race.

In the summary, the women G.P. overall result for the first five position is: 1. Mayr Andrea (AUT) p. 340, 2. Jeska Lauren (GBR) p. 223, 3. Frost Anna (NZL) p. 176, 4. Confortola Antonella (ITA) p. 174, 5. Kosovelj Mateja (SLO) p. 168, and the men G.P. overall result for the first five position is: 1. Arslan Ahmet (TUR) p. 386, 2. Wyatt Jonathan (NZL) p. 247, 3. Schneider David (SUI) p.224, 4. Skalsky Roman (CZE) p. 188, 5. Krupicka Robert (CZE) p. 181.

Tomo Sarf for WMRA

Photos: Ales Fevzer

Ahmet Arslan (n. 60): winner men.
Andrea Mayr (n. 14):&nbsp,winner women.
Mitja Kosovelj (n. 37) in downhill part.

“

“31^st edition of the Smarna Gora race will be also this year the final race of WMRA Grand Prix on next Saturday 2^nd October 2010.

International mountain running competitions come back to Slovenia after the memorable World Mountain Running Championships in Kamnik on last beginning of September.

Slovenia Athletic Federation shows to be – at the moment – certainly one of the top Organiser in the World and also on next year 2011 at least two world mountain running event will be held in Slovenia: World Long Distance Challenge in Petrovo Brdo and International Youth Challenge in Gorenja vas.

Smarna gora is a hill at the most northern part of Ljubljana. It’s a butte and looks like two humps of camel. Smarna gora has two peaks. Smarna gora and Grmada. The first peak is the popular one and is full of guests. On this peak you will also find an inn called Ledinek. Actually all the people in mountain running family knows this place due the fact that the international race is held since more then 30 years and it is absolutely one of the most ancient race in the world.

”
“This year there will be some new aspects in the race.

In fact the track of the race will be changed.

The total distance of the race will be increased to 10km. (instead of 9 km. of the past editions). 100m long dangerous section of the descent will be replaced with non-dangerous 0,5 km. long part and besides the begin of the ascent will be not so steep any more, it will be replaced with a longer section.

Expected best times could be cca 4 minutes longer than in the past (the course’s record is 38 min.14 sec. by J. Wyatt).

More then fifty international runners coming from more then ten Countries will be present at the race.

The two favorites for the final Grand Prix overall result Andrea Mayr and Ahmet Arslan will run in the event, together other champions like Wyatt, Schneider, and so on.

Of course LOC waits a very good presence of spectators and a great feed back by press and media.

WMRA Council members Tomo Sarf and Wolfgang Munzel will attend to the events.

Bruno Gozzelino by&nbsp,WMRA

Photos by LOC.
The top of Smarna Gora.
The finish area of the race

“

“About 350 athletes of 39 Nations run in the 26th World Mountain Running Championships in Kanmik (Slovenia) on 5th September 2010. It was the record of Nations present.
One third of these Nations (13 in total) won at least one medal.
Four Nations won gold medals: three each for Turkey (plus two silver) and Eritrea (plus one silver) and one each Italy (plus one silver and two bronze) and Austria.
Switzerland took one silver and one bronze medal, instead Germany, Romania and USA won each one silver medal.
Finally one bronze medal each was obtained from Belgium, France, Great Britain, Russia and Uganda. ”
“Both senior races (women and men) were really the greatest race ever run.
In the senior women category the runners who finished in the top five position was really the strongest runners at the moment in the discipline: first Andrea Mayr (AUT), second Valentina Belotti (ITA), third&nbsp, Martina Straehl (SUI), fourth Svetlana Semova (RUS) and fifth&nbsp, Mateja Kosovelj (SLO) run a memorable competition. Team result saw the victory of Italy only four point less the Switzerland (second), whilst Russia was third. 13 full team finished in the final results.
The senior men race saw the triumph of African runners. Six of them finished in the first six position: four Eritrean (first, Samson K. Gashazghi, second , A. Teklay Weldemariam, fourth, Petro Mamu Shaku, and sixth, Abraham K. Habtom) and two Ugandan (third, Geoffrey Kusuro, and fifth, Stephan Kiprotich). Pluri-European Champion Ahmet Arslan (TUR) finished seventh, six time World Champion, Jonathan Wyatt arrived seventh in front of another Eritrean, Haben I. Mohamed, and Joe Gray (USA) closed the first ten positions. First Italian runner at the finish was Gabriele Abate (11th).
Significant placement by Swedish athletes for the first time partecipant to the WMRA World Mountain Running Championships: first of Swedish runners was Anders Kleist (36th place). Also Yujiro Iida, the only Japanese athlete present for the first time to this event, run a great competition among the top level’s athletes of this discipline in the world finishing in 45th place.
Unforgettable was the podium in the team senior men race with three Continents: Eritrea for Africa as gold medal, USA for America as silver medal and Italy for Europe as bronze medal (after that in the past Italy won in the men team of World Mountain Running Championships 23 gold medals and 2 silver medals!). Important were the 20th place of the Hungarian team and the 22nd place of Albanian team: both Nations at their debut in the WMRA World Mountain Running Championships. There&nbsp,were 24 full teams in the final result.
Junior race, women and men, were dominated by Turkish athletes who won three gold medals of four. Both teams competition and the junior race women with Yasemin Can who confirmed her title of last year, in front her Turkish colleague Burcu Dag and French athlete Adelaide Pantheon.
Eritrean Yossief T. Andemichael won gold medal in junior men race finishing the race three minutes and thirty second before second, Turkish Ridvan Bozkurt, Third was Belgian Jente Joly who was third also in the last European Championships 2010 in Sapareva Banya (Bulgaria).
In the junior women teams result Turkey was first, second was Romania and third finished Great Britain (19 full team in the final result), instead in the junior men teams result Turkey won gold medal in front of Germany (silver) and Italy (bronze) with 17 full team in the final result.
Thousand spectators applauded the athletes on the wonderful track marked in Mountain Velika Planina, near Kamnik, and during opening and closing ceremonies held in the central square of the town.
A report of 20 minute was showed in the national Slovenian television.
The event must be considered a great success for mountain running discipline.

Bruno Gozzelino by WMRA

Photo:

Flower ceremony of senior women race.
Flower ceremony of senior men race

“

“40 Nations will be present at the WMRA Congress on 4^th September: Albania, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, Colombia, Croatia, Czech Rep., Eritrea, France, Great Britain, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Mexico, F.Y.R. of Macedonia, Montenegro, Monaco, Norway, New Zealand, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Switzerland, Sweden, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, U.S.A., Venezuela and hosting Country Slovenia.
Important is the official presence – for the first time – of Albania, Greece, Hungary, Japan and Sweden, also if Greece has not sent any athletes but only official to see more about the most important mountain running event in the year.

Peter Kukovica, President of Athletic Slovenian Federation (AZS), together Boris Mikluz, AZS Director, Dusan Papez, LOC President, and Anton Tone Smolnikar, Mayor of Kamnik City, are all very happy to host the 26^th World Mountain Running Championships 2011, also because about 360 athletes coming from all the world will run on the beautiful venue of Velika Planina, fourthly kilometres from Ljubljana, Slovenia Capital.

Thank volunteers and sponsor the Championships will be certainly a fantastic success!

”
“Many champions will be at the start to the race and it is not easy to speak about the favourites.

Many spectators will attend to the event on Sunday morning, specially if the weather will be fine, also because media and television showed a great interest to the competition.

WMRA President, Bruno Gozzelino, and all the WMRA Council are present and together Otto Klappert, IAAF representing, will be held in Kanmik an important WMRA Council meeting, where many aspects regarding the future of mountain running will be discussed.

On Sunday will be also scheduled a meeting with LOC of potential Grand Prix race 2011.&nbsp,

WMRA Congress will take important decision starting since the approval of the application form for next 27^th World Mountain Running Championships 2011 sent by Albanian Athletic Federation (FSHA): Sabah Jemishta, Director of Ministry of Tourism, Culture, Youth and Sports of Republic of Albania, and Giergji Ruli, FSHA President, are in Kamnik for introducing the candidature of the next Championships.&nbsp,&nbsp,&nbsp,

Bruno Gozzelino by WMRA

poster of W. Ch. 2010
logos of W. Ch. 2010

“

“Korbielow hosted the 10^th WMRA/WMA Master World Mountain Running Championships 2010, held in Poland on last 28^th August for the second time, after the first official edition of this Championships, in Ustron on 2001.

Czech Team won the medal table with a total of 12 medals: 8 gold (6 individual plus two team), 2 (2 team) silver and 2 (2 individual) bronze. Second was Germany with a total of 15 medals: 7 gold (4 individual +3 team), 5 (5 individual) silver and 3 bronze (1 individual +2 team), whilst third was Italy with a total of 13 medals: 5 (2 individual +3 team) gold, 7 (6 individual +1 team) silver and 1 (1 individual) bronze.&nbsp, Other six Countries won gold medals: Slovakia (2 gold, 2 silver and 2 bronze), Poland (1 gold, 2 silver and 2 bronze), Ireland (1 gold and 1 silver), Scotland, Slovenia and Hungary (with 1 gold each). England obtained 2 medals (1 silver and 1 bronze), like Ukraine (2 bronze). Finally one bronze each won Austria, Netherland, New Zealand, Switzerland and USA.
So in total 16 Countries (of the 26 present) climbed on the podium&nbsp, of the 10^th WMRA/WMA Master World Mountain Running Championships 2010.

”
“Bad weather greatly influenced not only the conduct of the race but also the preparation thereof. In the past time for two time there was flood in this part of Poland and this made difficult to arrange some important details of the event.
Miros&#322,aw Dziergas, LOC President, with Stefan Kalinowski, LOC Vice President, Andrzej Puchacz, LOC General Secretary, and all LOC staff tried to organise in the best way the Championships,&nbsp, and -&nbsp,despite some problems -&nbsp,races were completed satisfactorily. Most of the runners were very satisfied for the track and, in generally, for the technical aspect of the races.
World Master Champions became athletes that in the past won medals in the World Mountain Running Champions or European Mountain Running Trophy/Championships as Isabela ZATORSKA (W45 – POL: two times European Champion in 1999 and 2000) or Angela MUDGE (W40 – SCO: World Champion in 2000).
Nine World Master Champion 2010 confirmed title of last year 2009 and they were: Marcel MATANIN (M35- SVK), Milos SMRCKA (M55 – CZE), Oldrich SMIDA (M60 – CZE), Bruno INNOCENTE (M65 – ITA), Jifi SOUKUP (M80+ – CZE), Mags GREENAN (W50 – IRL), Blanka PAULU (W55 – CZE), Marianne SPRONK (W60 – GER) and Loszka BRATUSA (W70 – SLO).
New World Champions 2010 in the men races were Gerlei TAMAS (M40 – HUN), Paul SICHERMANN (M45 – GER), Ales STRANSKY (M50 – CZE), Georg GROSS (M70 – GER, second last year), Bruno BAGGIA (M75 – ITA, second last year). Besides in the women races were new World Champions 2010 Ivana SERYKOVA (W35 – CZE),&nbsp, Gerlinde SCHMITTNER (W65 – GER) and Maria MARCIBALOVA (W75 – SVK). Xenia NICOLAEV (MDA), only runner started in the W80+, did not finished the race.
Five Nations won gold medals in the team’s result: three for each Germany (M40,&nbsp,M55 and W50)&nbsp,and Italy (M35, W40&nbsp,and&nbsp,&nbsp,W55), two for Czech Republic&nbsp,(M50 and M60)&nbsp,and England (M45 and W45)&nbsp,and one for hosting Country
Poland (W35).&nbsp,No any team was present in W60.&nbsp,
WMA and WMRA were agreed at the end of the Championships that starting on next year 2011 both categories M and W 80+ will become ineligible.
In total 461 athletes started in all the categories.
WMRA President, Bruno Gozzelino (ITA), together Wolfgang Munzel (GER – WMRA Council member and Delegate to the event) and Nancy Hobbs (USA – WMRA Treasurer but also runner in the Championships finished fourth in W50) and WMA Vice President, Brian Keaveney (CAN – Chairman of WMA Not Stadia Committee) attended to the prize ceremony of the Championships.
A LOC Delegation from Paluzza (Italy), leaded by Ferdinando Di Centa, introduced and promoted next 11^th WMRA/WMA Master World Mountain Running Championships 2011 receiving WMRA flag at the end of the ceremony.
Finally the 10^th WMRA/WMA Master World Mountain Running Championships 2010 will remain in the memory of the people present in Korbielow as a success.

Bruno Gozzelino by WMRA

Photo by Nancy Hobbs.
Podium of W50: (from left) Uschi Bergler (GER, 2^nd), Mags Greenan (IRL, 1^st) and Oksana Zalsko (UKR, 3^rd).
&nbsp,

Photo by Brian Keaveney
Moment of the race at finish area.

“

“On next Saturday 28^th&nbsp, August 2010, in Korbielow Poland will be held the 10^th WMRA/WMA Master World Mountain Running Championships.

At the start there will be more then 500 athletes coming from 26 nations from all the world (not only European runners but also American, Colombian, Venezuelan, Australian, New Zealenders&nbsp,and so on).

On the beautiful track of Pilsko Mountain,&nbsp, Miros&#322,aw Dziergas, LOC President, with Stefan Kalinowski, LOC Vice President, Andrzej Puchacz, LOC General Secretary, and all LOC staff, are sure that there will be a great mountain running event, following suggest of WMRA Delegate, Wolfgang Munzel.

WMRA President, Bruno Gozzelino (ITA), and WMA Vice President, Brian Keaveney (CAN – Chairman of WMA Not Stadia Committee) will attend to the event, together representatives of PZLA, Edward Stawiarz (PZLA Council Member and former Olympic runner).

Many Local Authorities will support the Championships starting from Mizia W&#322,adys&#322,aw, Mayor of Jele&#347,nia Community, and Zieli&#324,ski Andrzej,&nbsp,Governor of &#379,ywiec County, and also private sponsors gave their great assistance to the event.

”
“Of course, recent flood in the Polish Region of Korbielow created some problems but LOC is sure to solve all the difficulties in way to insure the best race possible.

Many important and well know athletes and also master champions of last editions will take part at the event: among them, Nancy Hobbs, USA, (and WMRA Treasurer) who will run for the first year in the category +50, having good change to win a medal, or Angela Mudge from Scoitland and hosting champion like Izabela Zatorska and Irena Pakosz.

An Italian LOC Delegation, with head leader Ferdinando Di Centa,&nbsp,coming from Paluzza (Region Friuli Venezia Giulia), venue of the next 11^th&nbsp, WMRA/WMA Master World Mountain Running Championships, will be present in Poland for promoting next Championships 2011.

Bruno Gozzelino by WMRA

Photos by LOC:
logo of the event,
Pilsko Mountain, venue of the competition.

“

“Four gold medals for USA athletes at 7^th World Long Distance Mountain Running Challenge 2010 in Colorado Springs held on August, 21, at the 55^th running of the Pikes Peak Ascent in Manitou Springs, Colorado.

Glenn Randall, USA (though not a member of the scoring Team USA), won the race timed in 2:09:28, followed by last year’s World Long Distance Challenge Champion Marc Lauenstein, SUI, and Rickey Gates, USA, timed in 2:12:19 and 2:16:44 respectively.

Team USA wins gold besting Germany and England in the men’s competition. ”
“

Total time for USA men team was: 7:08:18.3 with Rickey Gates (2:16:44.8), Ryan R Hafer (2:20:04.1), Tommy Manning (2:31:29.5), Eric M Blake (2:34:53.4) and Zac V Freudenburg (2:41:53.0): England was second in total time of 7:18:02.9 with team formed by Andy S Peace (2:22:25.0), Morgan J Donnelly (2:23:05.8), John A Brown (2:32:32.1) and Pete Vale (2:43:16.2). Germany finished third in total time of 7:39:57.2
Timo Zeiler (2:29:33.5), Marco Sturm (2:30:40.6) and Ulrich Benz (2:39:43.1)
Fourth Scotland team (8:06:50.2 with Paul J Raistrick, Kenny Richmond and Simon Peachey) and fifth Slovenia team (8:53:15.5 with Marjan Zupancic, Joze Jensterle and Martin Stendler). Australia finished only with two runners (Andrew M Lee and Brendan J Davies) and for this reason was out team result
On the women’s side, the top three finishers were much closer in time finishing within one minute of one another.
Brandy Erholtz, USA, (pictured) timed in 2:41:51, was victorious followed by Kim Dobson, USA (thought not a member of Team USA) in 2:41:53, while Anna Frost, NZL, rounded out the top three positions timed in 2:42:46.
USA women team won gold medal with total time of 8:41:15.1 (with Brandy L Erholtz 2:41:38.6, Megan C Kimmel 2:54:51.2 and Lisa M Goldsmith 3:04:45.3). Germany was silver medalist in 9:02:43.9 (with Anja Carlsohn 2:54:33.1, Diane Lehmann 2:59:11.2 and Kerstin Straub 3:08:59.6 and Scotland gained bronze medal in 9:31:06.7 (with Claire F Gordon 2:53:50.1, Fiona E Maxwell 2:55:35.3 and Iona Robertson 3:41:41.3)
Fourth finished Slovenia in 11:04:53.0 (with Ursa Trobec, Mihaela Tusar and Marjeta Jensterle), instead England team finished only with two runners (Anna L Lupton and Victoria L Wilkinson) and for this reason was out team result.
1715 runners finished the race.
The prize giving ceremony was attended by Chief Executive Officer, Douglas Logan, WMRA President, Bruno Gozzelino, Pikes Peak Race Director, Ron Ilgen, and Runner’s World Chief Running Officer, Bart Yasso.

Bruno Gozzelino and Nancy Hobbs by WMRA

Photos by Nancy Hobbs:
men podium with Ron Ilgen and Bruno Gozzelino, on the left, and Douglas Logan, on the right.
Brandy Erholz, winner women at the finish line.”

“Four gold medals for USA athletes at 7^th World Long Distance Mountain Running Challenge 2010 in Colorado Springs held on August, 21, at the 55^th running of the Pikes Peak Ascent in Manitou Springs, Colorado.

Glenn Randall, USA (though not a member of the scoring Team USA), won the race timed in 2:09:28, followed by last year’s World Long Distance Challenge Champion Marc Lauenstein, SUI, and Rickey Gates, USA, timed in 2:12:19 and 2:16:44 respectively.

Team USA wins gold besting Germany and England in the men’s competition.

”
“

Total time for USA men team was: 7:08:18.3 with Rickey Gates (2:16:44.8), Ryan R Hafer (2:20:04.1), Tommy Manning (2:31:29.5), Eric M Blake (2:34:53.4) and Zac V Freudenburg (2:41:53.0): England was second in total time of 7:18:02.9 with team formed by Andy S Peace (2:22:25.0), Morgan J Donnelly (2:23:05.8), John A Brown (2:32:32.1) and Pete Vale (2:43:16.2). Germany finished third in total time of 7:39:57.2Timo Zeiler (2:29:33.5), Marco Sturm (2:30:40.6) and Ulrich Benz (2:39:43.1)Fourth Scotland team (8:06:50.2 with Paul J Raistrick, Kenny Richmond and Simon Peachey) and fifth Slovenia team (8:53:15.5 with Marjan Zupancic, Joze Jensterle and Martin Stendler). Australia finished only with two runners (Andrew M Lee and Brendan J Davies) and for this reason was out team resultOn the women's side, the top three finishers were much closer in time finishing within one minute of one another. Brandy Erholtz, USA, timed in 2:41:51, was victorious followed by Kim Dobson, USA (thought not a member of Team USA) in 2:41:53, while Anna Frost, NZL, rounded out the top three positions timed in 2:42:46. USA women team won gold medal with total time of 8:41:15.1 (with Brandy L Erholtz 2:41:38.6, Megan C Kimmel 2:54:51.2 and Lisa M Goldsmith 3:04:45.3). Germany was silver medalist in 9:02:43.9 (with Anja Carlsohn 2:54:33.1, Diane Lehmann 2:59:11.2 and Kerstin Straub 3:08:59.6 and Scotland gained bronze medal in 9:31:06.7 (with Claire F Gordon 2:53:50.1, Fiona E Maxwell 2:55:35.3 and Iona Robertson 3:41:41.3)Fourth finished Slovenia in 11:04:53.0 (with Ursa Trobec, Mihaela Tusar and Marjeta Jensterle), instead England team finished only with two runners (Anna L Lupton and Victoria L Wilkinson) and for this reason was out team result.1715 runners finished the race.The prize giving ceremony was attended by Chief Executive Officer Doug Logan, WMRA President, Bruno Gozzelino, Pikes Peak Race Director, Ron Ilgen, and Runner's World Chief Running Officer Bart Yasso.

“

“ More than 2.000 runners are slated to run this year’s 55th Pikes Peak Ascent to be held on Saturday, August 21, in Manitou Springs, Colorado (USA). The course starts on pavement in downtown Manitou Springs and runs for approximately 1.5 miles on pavement before turning to a steep gravel path and then single track trail for the remainder of the course which totals 13.32 miles with 7.815 feet of elevation gain.
This prestigious mountain run will host the 7th annual WMRA World Long Distance Mountain Running Challenge. Athletes from 19 countries are represented in the entries for the Pikes Peak events including the Pikes Peak Ascent and the Pikes Peak Marathon (which will be run on Sunday, August 22). For the WMRA World Long Distance Challenge six countries will compete in the team competition (Australia, England, Germany, Scotland, Slovenia and USA). ”
“ Runners to watch include, Wilson Chemweno (KEN), a two-time Commonwealth Mountain Running Champion and former road race specialist, Marc Lauenstein (SUI), the defending WMRA World Long Distance Champion (held in S&ouml,ll, Austria/ 2009), Andy Peace (ENG), eighth-place finish in S&ouml,ll 2009, Marco Sturm (GER), fifth place finish in S&ouml,ll 2009, Timo Zeiler (GER), seventh place at the World Championships in 2008, fourth at the European Championships in 2009, two-time winner Aletsch-Halbmarathon in Switzerland, two-time winner Matterhornlauf, Switzerland. Representing Team USA, 2005 Ascent champion Ryan Hafer is sure to challenge along with teammates Rickey Gates, Eric Blake, Zac Freudenburg, and Tommy Manning. Look for Tim Parr to be a factor. Parr is last year’s Ascent winner who went on to win the Leadville Trail 100 one week later.
On the women’s side, Anna Frost (NZL), third place finisher at S&ouml,ll 2009, and winner at the WMRA Grand Prix event in Heiligenblut 2010 has been training in Boulder, Colorado, Anna Lupton and Victoria Wilkinson will both represent England, and Karen Alexander represents Ireland. USA challengers include USA team members Brandy Erholtz, Megan Kimmel, Lisa Goldsmith, and Kelli Lusk. Erholtz, Kimmel, and Goldsmith are past Ascent champions.
The top runners will vie for custom-designed awards and prize money totaling $4.000.
Officials representing the USA Track &amp, Field for the event include Doug Logan, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Mike McNees, Chief Operating Officer (COO), Jim Estes, Associate Director, Long Distance Running. Officials representing the WMRA include Bruno Gozzelino, President, and Nancy Hobbs, Treasurer.

Nancy Hobbs by WMRA

Photos:
Pikes Peak (Colorado),
race logo.

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