Author: wmra_wp

Saillon – Ovronnaz (WMRA Grand Prix) Preview

Written by wmra_wp on 22/05/2008. Posted in Latest News.

2nd WMRA Grand Prix Race

Saillon-Ovronnaz –Saturday May 24th

Preview – Wyatt and Pichrtova begin as race favorites.

The Valais region of Switzerland is host once more to a top-level mountain race. Athletes return to the now familiar course which winds through vineyards between the two famous thermal bathing pools at Saillon and Ovronnaz.

The big guns renew their contests of last year and any disturbance to their dominance would be a surprise.

The current double world champion (short and long distance) Anna Pichrtova (CZE) looks in unbeatable form. Her most likely serious opponent Martina Straehl (SUI), winner of the first GP race (Grand Ballon &ndash, France) does not appear on the latest entry list. Victoria Wilkinson (GBR), last years GP silver medallist, the last one to beat Anna at the end of last season, second behind Straehl at Grand Ballon, will be hoping for a repeat win. Antonella Confortola (ITA) should also be strong after a season of cross country skiing with the Italian national team.

Women run the same 10km 800m climb course as the men. This is Jonathan Wyatt (NZL) territory. Having just missed out on an Olympic marathon qualifying time Jonathan will concentrate on the European mountain running circuit leading up to the World Trophy in September.

His main challenger in many Grand Prix races, Marco Gaiardo (ITA- last years GP winner) must wonder what he has to do to record a win over Jonathan in these uphill only races. The time difference between them is quite small so the competition is a mental one as much as physical. Other men who will hope to make a mark are Joe Symonds (GBR) fourth in last years World Trophy, Andrzej Dlugosz (POL), silver in last year GP, and Steve Vernon (GBR) second in the Grand Ballon.

Danny Hughes

2008 WMRA Grand Prix second race

Written by wmra_wp on 22/05/2008. Posted in Latest News.

2nd WMRA Grand Prix Race

Saillon-Ovronnaz

Saturday May 24th

Preview

The big guns renew their contests of last year and any disturbance to their dominance would be a surprise.

Danny Hughes

WMRA Grand Prix 2008

Written by wmra_wp on 02/05/2008. Posted in Latest News.

First Race Grand &ndash,Ballon (France) May 1st.

Emmanuel Meyssat (FRA) and Martina Straehl (SUI) have started the season with fine victories.

The 2008 WMRA Grand Prix got under way in the Alsace region of France with a 13km (men) race up the GrandBallon. Ranked 8th in last years Grand Prix and a member of the French national team, Emmanuel&nbsp,&nbsp,&nbsp,&nbsp, Meyssat outpaced Steve Vernon (GBR) in the last stages of the race to record a fine win by 21 seconds

Vernon, a British cross-country international has declared his intention to take this seasons mountain racing seriously so Meyssat can be well satisfied with his victory. German Timo Zeiler improved on his performance in this race last year moving up from 7th to third. Last years winner, Julien Rancon, came in fourth.

Emmanuel Meyssat (FRA) und Steve Vernon (GBR)

As expected, Martina Straehl (SUI) ran well in the 8km womens race, but exceeded all expectations in winning in a new record time, beating the 2003 record by 1 minute 8 seconds. Victoria Wilkinson (GBR), coming into the race after a successful cross country season, representing England, and runner up in last years Grand Prix had to be satisfied in second place just in front of her young team mate Sarah Tunstall (GBR). Ann Buckley (GBR) completed an impressive showing by the British girls in finishing 5th. With the Swiss girl Maya Chollet in 4th position the French, on home ground had to wait for Valerie Galland in 6th place for their first finisher.

Full results can be seen by clicking on ‘Results’ below

The second Grand Prix race is in Switzerland at the venue of last years World Trophy, Saillon Ovronnaz, but on an uphill only course., on 24th May

Danny Hughes

Results

Women:

1. Martina Straehl (SUI) 46.42 (record)

2. Victoria Wilkinson (GBR) 48.41

3. Sarah Tunstall (GBR) 50.32

4. Maya Chollet (SUI) 52.04

5. Anne Buckley (GBR) 53.11

6. Valerie Galland (FRA) 53.26

Men:

1. Emmanuel Meyssat (FRA) 61.34

2. Steve Vernon (GBR) 61.55

3. Timo Zeiler (GER) 62.14

4. Julien Rancon (FRA) 63.06

5. Phillipe Charasse (FRA) 63.36

6. Georges Burrier (FRA) 65.42

WMRA Grand Prix 1st Race

Written by wmra_wp on 29/04/2008. Posted in Latest News.

28^th Montee du Grand Ballon

Willer-sur-Thur (France)

Preview.

The first of seven WMRA Grand Prix races gets under way in the Alsace region of France on Thursday May 1^st.

The men race over a 13.2km course which has 1241m of ascent. The women race over a shortened course of
&nbsp,8.5km and 832m of ascent.

Race favourite will be the 2007 winner, Julien Rancon (FRA) running on home ground. However, the Grand Prix status of this event has attracted strong competition from outside France. Steve Vernon (GBR) a regular member of the Gt. Britain World Cross Country team is determined to prove his mountain running credentials. The Polish champion and 2007 GP silver medallist Andrzej Dlugosz will be keen to improve to the Gold medal position in 2008. Robert Krupicka (CZE) now recovered from injury and runner up in the Czech 2008 Cross Country championships will be a strong contender for a podium position. The strong French entry includes Emmanuel Meyssat who was runner up in the 2007 French championships.

The women will not have to contend with Anna Pichrtova (CZE) recovering from her exertions in winning the World Long Distance championship last weekend. This throws the race open to several possible winners.

Victoria Wilkinson (GBR), last years GP silver medallist leads a strong entry. Her main opposition will come from Martina Strahl (SUI), 2007 World silver medallist and veteran Isabelle Guillot 2007 World bronze medallist and winner of countless international medals.

This event launches a new concept for the WMRA Grand Prix. In order to attract more races into the GP series, WMRA have offered a reduced financial burden for races of a high standard. These races, termed 2^nd level GP races, attract 50% of the points awarded to the 1^st level races. The system thus enables ambitious race organisers to test the effect of joining the GP series. The Montee du Grand Ballon is the first 2^nd level event.

5th World Long Distance Mountain Running Challenge Review

Written by wmra_wp on 27/04/2008. Posted in Latest News.

Anna Pichrtova sets new record
(Photo P.Hartley)

900 athletes and supporters descended on the tiny Yorkshire (England) Dales village of Horton to contend for the World Championship titles on offer for the winners of the 54th Three Peaks race. Thankfully, the weather forecasters got it completely wrong and instead of the forecast heavy rain, running conditions were ideal under high cloud and mild temperatures.

The local, vastly experienced, and leading English fell runners were faced with an overseas invasion determined to prove that they could succeed in the British version of mountain running. And so it proved.

The star performance came from the diminutive 2007 World Trophy champion Anna Pichrtova (CZE). Dominating the womens entrants from the start, she sped around the 37.4km course that included 1608m of ascent and descent in a new record time of 3 hours 14 minutes 43 seconds. This beat the old record set in 1996 by 1 minute 34 seconds. Anna thus follows Jonathan Wyatt (NZL) in becoming both short and long distance mountain running champion. Long distance expert Angela Mudge (Scotland) was six minutes behind in second place. There was a fierce tussle for the bronze medal between Australian Angela Bateup and New Zealander Anna Frost with the former winning by just 40 seconds on the final run in. The Russian ladies, in 6th, 7th an 8th position won the team award.

In contrast, the mens race was one of ever changing positions. Early leader coming off Pen-Y- Ghent Martin Cox (GBR) was nowhere to be seen as the leaders came off Whernside. Young Slovenian Mitja Kosovelj was in the lead closely followed by Jethro Lennox (Scotland). On the long 10km run off the final summit of Ingleborough. Lennox overtook the tiring Slovenian to become a surprise winner in the time of 2.53.39.

English pride was salvaged by Thomas Owens, the only English runner to gain a medal in second position, 37 seconds later. Kosovelj completed an excellent run in third position, beating the winner for the past three years Rob Jebb (GBR) and the British fell running champion Rob Hope in 4th and 5th positions. The next overseas competitor was Jon Tvedt in 18th position.

Jethro Lennox nears the finish
(Photo. P.Hartley)

Danny Hughes

Leading results:

Men:

1. Jethro Lennox (SCO)    2.53.39
2. Thomas Owens (ENG)   2.54.16
3. Mitja Kosovelj (SLO)     2.57.3
4. Rob Jebb (ENG)           2.59.13
5. Rob Hope (ENG)          2.59.51
6. Ricky Lightfoot (ENG)   3.00.25

Women:

1. Anna Pichrtova (CZE)    3.14.43
2. Angela Mudge (SCO)    3.20.53
3. Angelas Bateup (AUS) 3.25.33
4. Anna Frost (NZL)        3.26.13
5. Sharon Taylor (ENG)   3.34.15
6 Elena Rukhlyada (RUS) 3.34.35

5th WMRA World Long Distance Mountain Running Challenge

Written by wmra_wp on 23/04/2008. Posted in Latest News.

Athletes from twenty countries come to Yorkshire

Preview

More than 900 runners, a record, have entered for the 54th edition of the Three Peaks race in the Yorkshire Dales on Saturday. Athletes from nineteen countries will those from join the host nation, United Kingdom, in the battles for World Champion in long distance mountain running over the hills of Pen-y-Ghent, Whernside, and Ingleborough, a distance of 37.5km with 1608m of ascent and descent.

Winner of the mens race for the past three years and race favourite, local boy Robb Jebb, will be faced with a strong British challenge from Andy Peace (record holder), Simon Booth, Ian Holmes, Billy Burns and Rickie Lightfoot. He will also have to contend with the overseas challenge from Zachary Freudenburg (USA) bronze medallist in 2006, and Toni Vencelj (SLO) silver medallist in 2005.

R.Jebb (Photo P.Hartley)

The womens race over the same course also promises to be a cracker. Current World Champion Anita Haakenstad Evertsen (NOR) will be challenged by long distance expert Angela Mudge (GBR), Lizzy Hawker (GBR) ultra distance world champion, and Anna Pichrtova (CZE) current
World Champion at the shorter mountain running distance and Olympic
marathon runner.

With heavy rain forecast for the day it is unlikely that the 1996 race records will be breached, but route finding will pose no problems this year since the course will be fully marked as required by the regulations of the World Mountain Running Association (WMRA).

Details of the race and the entry list can be found on the web page www.threepeaksrace.org.uk

Danny Hughes

Welcome to the new WMRA web page

Written by wmra_wp on 17/04/2008. Posted in Latest News.

Welcome to the new WMRA web page This newly designed web page comes to you courtesy of the European Athletic Federation (EAA) who provided the funds for Nick and Lukas of Mediasprint (Switzerland) to carry out the work.

Navigation around the page is quite straightforward and you will find much of interest. You can learn about WMRA, its constitution and Council members. You can access the documentation (rules, regulations etc) connected with our major races. There is a Calendar of Major WMRA races and Associate member races together with links to their web pages. We plan to make the calendar more extensive in 2009 so if you want your race to appear at no cost let us have details. We are now able to handle the Results and Statistics pages ourselves so these should be right up to date. It is important when sending your race results to present them in the correct format (contact Tomo Sarf for details). When using the Statistics page to search for an athletes record always use the surname first. Our sponsor now appears on the home page and has a link to his special advertisement – other potential sponsors should contact our marketing director. For those new to mountain running our article ‘About Mountain Running’ gives some background information, but is not a training guide. Maybe we could introduce this later with the advice of a mountain running coach.

Our one regret is that the language is only English. We hope to be able to rectify this in the future.

Make sure you are signed up to receive our news bulletins automatically.

Danny Hughes

WMRA President

Welcome to our new web page.

Written by wmra_wp on 17/04/2008. Posted in Latest News.

This newly designed web page comes to us courtesy of the European Athletic Association (EAA) who provided the funds for Nick and Lukas of ‘Mediasprint’ to do the redesign. The new address is www.wmra.ch
I hope you find the page useful and easy to use. We, WMRA, now have the facility to edit documents, race results and statistics ourselves so hopefully you will aways have up to date information in front of you.
We are prepared to publish your mountain race rsults provided the come to us in the correct format. contact Council member Tomo Sarf for details.
You should find the statistics facility interesting. Many errors in the previous statistics have been corrected. just remember that if you want to see an athletes record the use the surname.
For newcomers to mountain running I would refer them to the ‘About Mountain Running’ article below the photograph on the right hand side.
WMRA have just one sponsor at present. You can see the exposure that we are prepared to give sponsors on our web page and invite potential sponsors to contact us to discuss terms.
If you have not already done so, sign up to receive our news bulletins. race previews and reports.

Danny Hughes

WMRA Newsletter

Written by wmra_wp on 27/03/2008. Posted in Latest News.

Latest edition available
The 2008 Newsletter is printed and will be circulated as usual to World Trophy team managers, and by IAAF to all athletic federations.

Others may wish to obtain a copy which will be posted directly to you on receipt of 5€, $5 or £3. sent to D.Hughes, Hallsteads, Gosforth, Cumbria,CA201BJ, UK.

It contains latest WMRA news, results, reports and photographs of the World Trophy, The World Long Distance Challenge, The area Championships (EAA,NACAC, CONSUDATLE), the Grand Prix, some profiles and adverts of for upcoming races, etc.

2009 World Trophy Venue in doubt

Written by wmra_wp on 08/02/2008. Posted in Latest News.

Steamboat Springs (USA) withdraws.
The 2007 WMRA Congress granted provisional approval to an application by Steamboat Springs (Colorado – USA) to stage the 2009 World Trophy.

Many aspects of the application were not satisfactory. Now, due to the resignation of the LOC chief, the attempt to stage the Trophy at this venue has been abandoned.

WMRA are therefore seeking an alternative organiser who will not be easy to find at this late date.
We will keep you informed.

WORLD MOUNTAIN RUNNING ASSOCIATION

Author: wmra_wp