Author: wmra_wp

2008 Grand Prix extended to seven races.
The 2008 Grand Prix has been extended to include two more races. At the suggestion of leading mountain runners WMRA investigated the possibility of introducing more races into the Grand Prix but with a lower financial burden than normal.

We received two positive responses for the several races that were invited to consider entering on the new terms. We have called these 2nd level races, not because they are inferior to the current Grand Prix races (1st level), but because they pay less towards the prize fund and attract fewer points.
The new regulations can be seen on the WMRA web page by clicking the Grand Prix’ section. You can also see the modified Calendar.

We will monitor closely the response to this new arrangement which is on an experimental basis for 2008.

Web page now available.
The 2008 European Mountain Running Championships take place in Zell am Harmersbach (Germany)on July 12th. The web page is now public, but still in the process of completion. Nevertheless it contains much essential information.

The address is www.ZellamHarmersbach2008.eu.tf

Expressions of interest invited.
The EAA have issued invitations to member federations to express their intention to apply to stage the 2010 European Mountain Running Championship.

As usual, WMRA encourage all our mountain running friends to consider the possibility of staging these championships and if there is some interest to inform their federation.
EAA circular letter 2008/02 and its attachments apply. Announcement of interest (there is an EAA form to complete) should be made by 31st January 2008 or as soon as possible thereafter.

a Brief outline of the Council’s deliberations
The WMRA Council met in Monaco at the IAAF headquarters on 12th January.

Two applications to stage the 2009 World Long Distance Challenge were received. The Kaisermarathon (Austria) was awarded the Challenge and Pikes Peak Ascent invited to stage the 2010 Challenge.
A request from the Jungfrau Marathon to be granted the 2012 Challenge to coincide with their 20th anniversary was also approved.

There were no applications to stage the 2009 World Masters, so this event remains open for bids.

Regulations governing the WMRA International Youth Challenge were agreed and potential organisers are invited to apply to stage the 2009 event. Susa will host the 2008 event as in the past two years.

Council decide to go ahead with the Contractual agreement to stagethe 2009 World Trophy in Steamboat Springs (Colorado, USA) following assurances connected with certain aspects of their application inSeptember last year.

Council were pleased to receive news from IAAF that all “out ofcompetition”, anti-doping tests were clean, as were all in competitiontests for mountain running

Inov8, the mountain running shoe and clothing marketing companyhave renewed their sponsorship deal with WMRA for a further threeyears.

Our web page is being redesigned with the aid of 5,000€, granted by European Athletic Association. The new page should be completed by April.

There are still some questions to be resolved concerning the 2008 Grand Prix and an announcement should be available by the end of January.

Web page available
The 2008 World Athletic Championships – Mountain Running, will take place in Dolni Morava (Czech R.)on September 6th. The web page giving details of the event is www.iscarex.cz/wm2008.

There is a version in English as well as the Czech language. It isstill being developed, but if you have questions, there is a contactaddress on the web page for you to use

Good news for competing federations

European countries considering entering teams for the 2008 European Mountain Running Championships at Zell am Harmersbach (Germany) are advised to read the ‘Regulations’ governing this event. They have recently been updated and published on www.european-athletics.org
When the home page comes up click ‘Member Federation zone’ and then click ‘competition. The mountain running regulations are the last on the list.
Your attention is drawn in particular to regulation 110.4 which concerns accommodation which will be good news to all federations.
In 2008 the Junior races are still under assessment prior to being granted full championship status. If you are keen to see these become official European Championships you are urged to send both male and female juniors to the competition.

Web page update
Plans are afoot to redesign the WMRA web page courtesy EAA. Meanwhile, note the following which have appeared recently:
1. WMRA Grand Prix final rankings
2. Link to many World Masters photographs on
the links page
3. 2008 Calendar

Gaiardo and Pichrtova triumph.
The following WMRA Grand Prix report appears on the IAAF web page
Saturday 6th October.
There was a surprise defeat for the womens World Mountain Running Champion in the final WMRA Grand Prix race on the Smarna Gora, in Ljubljana (Slovenia) on Saturday.
The weather conditions were truly dreadful. After two weeks of warm autumn
weather, the race was run in torrential, cold, rain making underfoot conditions treacherous on the forest tracks.
Victoria Wilkinson (GBR) going into the race leading the Grand Prix rankings
did all she could to hold on to the premier position by inflicting a rare
defeat on Champion Anna Pichrtova (CZE). Victoria won a world title herself in
1997 when she became junior champion in the Czech Republic. Since then she has
had some injuries, tried the cycling sport, but now appears poised to make a
serious mark in the senior mountain running scene. Anna, in second position 47
seconds behind, finished top of the Grand Prix ranking (308 points) as
expected and collects the $1500 prize. Victorias win placed her second overall (270 points) in the final ranking. By finishing race fourth,
Iva Milesova (CZE) moved up to third position with 266 points).

Marco Gaiardo was under no pressure in the mens race having already secured
the overall ranking gold with 300 points. He trotted in a careful fifth.
Nevertheless he would have been hard pressed to beat the winner Andrzej
Dlugosz (POL) who was second in this race last year. The conditions seemed to
suit him as he nimbly negotiated some tricky descent parts of the course. His
fine performance was good enough to give him second position in the final
ranking (246 points). Joe Symonds(GBR)had a rather disappointing run and could
only finish 8th so finished third overall ((227 points). Robert Krupicka (CZE)
making an impressive comeback from injury finished race second in front of
local boy Mitja Kosovelj (SLO.
Full results of the race appear on the event web page via the link on
www.wmra,info.
This concludes the 2007 WMRA Grand Prix series and the full final ranking list will appear shortly on the WMRA web page.

Race results Men,
1. A. Dlugos (POL) 41.25
2. R.Krupicka (CZE) 42.00
3. M. Kosovelj (SLO) 42.04
4. J.Rancon (FRA) 42.12
5. M Gaiardo (ITA) 42.22
Race Results Women,
1. V.Wilkinson (GBR) 48.54
2. A.Pichrtova (CZE) 49.41
3. M. Kosovelj (SLO) 50.24
4. I Milesova (CZE) 51.56
5. S.Tunstall (GBR) 52.06

Grand Prix final ranking men:
1. M.Gaiardo (ITA) 300
2. A.Dlugos (POL) 246
3. J.Symonds (GBR) 227
4. G Abate (ITA) 223
5. J Havicek (CZE) 207

Grand Prix final ranking women:
1. A Pichrtova (CZE) 308
2. V Wilkinson (GBR) 270
3. I Milesova (CZE) 266
4. M.Roberti (ITA) 237
5. P.Havlova (CZE) 216

Most ranking positions still to be decided at Smarna Gora WMRA Grand Prix – Preview.

The fourth and final Mountain Running Grand Prix race takes place in Slovenia on Saturday 6th October.
The 9km course involving an ascent of 710m and descent of 350m takes place on the Smarna Gora, just outside Ljubljana.

With the mens overall winner already decided (Marco Gaiardo – ITA), the competition for the minor prizes is the main interest. Four athletes, Gabriele Abate (ITA), Jan Havlicek (CZE), Markus Kroell (AUT) and Joe Symonds (GBR) will share the top places, but favourite for runner up position will be Symonds after showing that he is in fine form with a 4th position in the recent World Trophy race in Switzerland.

All is still to be fought for in the womens final rankings.
Victoria Wilkinson (GBR) the current leader will probably find World Champion Anna Pichrtova (CZE) too difficult to beat. Anna is favourite to win this race and take the overall winners position. After that, a second placing is possible for Victoria,
but Marina Straehl (SUI), Iva Milasova (CZE), Maria Roberti (ITA) and Pavla Havlova (CZE) will all battle it out with her for the minor placings.

A total prize fund of 12,000€ will be shared by the leading 15 men and 9 women in the final ranking.

Danny Hughes

Ingrid Kristiansen (NOR) elected to WMRA Council

The 2007 WMRA Congress, held in Ovronnaz, Switzerland, re-elected the four existing Council directors. They are Wolfgang Muenzel (Organisation) Raimondo Balicco (Technical), Adrian Woods (Marketing) and Tomo Sarf (Development).
With four candidates for the Council position reserved for women, Ingrid Kristiansen was elected at the first ballot with an overall majority.
Ingrid, a past World Champion and record holder at Cross country, Marathon and 10k decide to learn more about mountain running by competing in the open race staged in conjunction with the World Trophy event. She showed good form in winning her age category over the 8km two lap course.
The 2009 World Trophy was conditionally awarded to Steamboat Springs (Colorado, USA) pending satisfactory answers to questions arising from their bid documentation.