Author: wmra_wp

4th WMRA Grand Prix report.
Sunday 24 September 2006 Saillon-Ovronnaz, Switzerland – With two Grand Prix races still to be contested, Anna Pichrtova of the Czech Republic has already clinched the series with a fourth victory in Saillon-Ovronnaz, Switzerland today (24), taking her score to the maximum possible of 400 points. The minor places are still open for several athletes to fill. Pichrtova, with two minutes and 10 seconds to spare over second place World Trophy silver medallist Martina Staehl of Swizterland, was unable to explain her World Trophy lapse of form where she struggled to finish seventh. Her next big target is the $50,000 first prize in the Obudu Ranch Mountain Race in Nigeria on 25 November. Angeline Flueckinger, aiming for an Olympic Marathon qualifying time next year, was third a further 50 seconds behind. The men’s overall Grand Prix series first place battle was thrown open as Italy’s Marco Gaiardo took advantage of Jonathan Wyatt’s absence to beat the rapidly improving young Slovenian Peter Lamovec in a time of 46 minutes, 44 seconds over the 9.5Km, 1054m ascent course. Wyatt is still recovering from a dog bite he suffered in Turkey. Lamovec was over a minute behind with Simon Gutierrez of the U.S. chasing hard just five seconds back. The fifth Grand Prix race is scheduled for Slovenia on 7 October. Full race results can be found at www.wmra.info. on the French language version of the page.

PREVIEW

JONATHAN WYATT (NZL) AND ANNA PICHRTOVA (CZE) ARE SRONG FAVOURITES TO ESTABLISH
UNBEATABLE LEADS IN THE WMRA GRAND PRIX SERIES OF 6 MOUNTAIN RACES WHEN THE RUN
THE COURSE DES 2 BAINS FROM SAILLON TO OVRONNAZ (VALAIS – SWITZERLAND) ON
SUNDAY. WITH AN ATHLETES BEST 4 RESULTS OUT OF THE SIX TO COUNT AND WITH EACH
HAVING 3 WINS ALREADY IT SEEMS THAT JUST THE MINOR PLACES ARE YET TO BE
RESOLVED.
WYATT IS HOLDER OF THE COURSE RECORD AND THERE ARE NO EUROPEANS WHO CAN
CHALLENGE HIM AT PRESENT. PICHRTOVA, DISAPOINTINGLY ONLY 7TH IN THE WORLD
TROPHY 2 WEEKS AGO MUST RECOVER TO BEAT ISABELLE GUILLOT (FRA) WHO TOOK BRONZE
IN THAT EVENT.
ATHLETES HAVE TO CROSS A DEEP GORGE ON A NORROW SUSPENDED FOOTBRIDGE CALLED THE
`PASSERELLE à FARINET` WHERE IT HAS BEEN KNOW FOR SOME ATHLETES SUFFERING FROM
VERTGO HAVE HAD TO BE BLINDFOLDED AND LED ACROSS BY HAND. IT IS NOT EXPECTED
THAT THERE WILL BE A BIG PROBLEM IN THIS RESPECT THIS WEEKEND.
THE COURSE IS 9.5KM LONG WITH A CLIMB OF 1054M.

Italians lose premier position.

Italians lose premier position – World Mountain Running Trophy
10th September 2006
For the first time in the 22-year history of the World Mountain Running Trophy the Italian men’s team lost their championship title to Eritrea scoring 44 points to Eritrea’s 37 in the 22nd World Trophy in Bursa, Turkey.

In a thrilling finish to the 12km 1275m climb uphill race, Colombian Rolando Ortiz out sprinted five times World champion Jonathan Wyatt (NZL) in the final 200m to win by 6 seconds in a time of 56:16.

Wyatt was making no excuses for the loss of his title but he was bitten by a dog 2 days before the race and was being treated for various possible effects including anti-rabies injections.

Tesfay Felfele led home the victorious Eritrean team finishing 3rd a further 17 second behind. Host country Turkey filled the bronze medal position as 26 countries finished with complete teams.

The women’s race also saw new champions as USA recorded their first ever gold medal having finished 3rd in 2004. It was a desperately close competition with the Czech Republic 2 points behind and Italy only a further two points behind in third position.

The individual gold was carried off by Andrea Mayr (AUT), the 2005 European Champion in 47:11. The surprise silver medallist was under 20-year-old Swiss Martina Strachl who overhauled 4 times World champion Isabella Guillot (FRA) in the last kilometres to beat her by 14 seconds.

A new country entering the trophy for the first time, Norway had finishers in 4th and 8th positions, needing just one more athlete to gain a podium place.

The junior men’s race was dominated by Eritrea who won individual and team gold. Mexican Carera 2nd last year had to be satisfied with 3rd.

The junior women’s race was won by Katerina Beresova in a time of 21:08, improving from 8th position in 2005. The Russians swept to victory in the team race finishing 2nd, 3rd and 5th.

The number of countries entering athletes reached new record numbers with 36 countries from Europe, Africa, South America, North America, and Oceana, all winning medals.

Full results and photographs can be seen on the event web page via our link.

The above report appeared on the IAAF web page on 11th September

The 1st CONSUDATLE Mountain Running Championships was held on last 19th August 2006, in Tunja (Colombia).

CONSUDATLE is the third IAAF Area Association to organise its Mountain Running Championship bsides EAA and NACAC who already organise their Area Continental Mountain Running Championships. This is an important development for the mountain running discipline and also for athletics in general.
Athletes from four South America Nations, that is Argentina, Brazil, Colombia and Venezuela were present.
Both categories, women and men, ran the same track over a distance of 9 km. The start line was at the altitude of 2.581 m. and the finish of race was at 2.960 m. The highest point in the race was at the 6km. where the athletes ran at 3.100 m. altitude. The temperature of the day was about 24° C with humidity about 60%.
In the women race Stella Castro won the continental title run in 40 minutes and 21 seconds; Johana Riverso was silver medallist finished 1 minute and 12 second behind the winner and Ana Joaquina Rondon was bronze medallist (time 42 minutes and 35 second). Colombians filled the medal positions. Four Venezuelan runners (Cruz Salazar, Rosa Mendez, Josefa Roa, Tania Pacheco, in the order) finished in the position among fifth and eight whilst Brazilian Luzia Alvizio da Silva finished ninth (time 53.19).
In the mens race first two positions were Colombian runners but a Brazilian runner was the bronze medallist. The continental title and the gold medal was won by Jacinto Lopez who run in 32 minutes and 56 second; behind him Jhon Jairo Vargas was second with the time of 34 minutes and 31 second while Gladson Alberto Silva finished third just 16 second behind. Other Colombian, Brazilian, Venezuelan and Argentinean athletes ran in the competition. Full result can be read on webpage of Athletics Colombian Federation.
WMRA congratulated CONSUDATLE (its President Roberto Gesta De Melo and the CONSUDATLE Commission for road running, cross-country and mountain running of which Marcos Oviedo (Venezuela) is the Chairman and other important Officials of athletics in South America are members) and the Athletic Colombian Federation for the organisation of this competition, waiting for information about the 2nd CONSUDATLE Mountain Running Championships 2007. Finally WMRA hopes also that the 22nd World Mountain Running Trophy 2006, scheduled on 10th September 2006 in Turkey (Bursa) will see some South American Athletics Federations entrants.

Press release – August 2006.

The organisers of the second Obudu Ranch Mountain race to be held on Saturday November 25th 2006 are pleased to announce a significant increase in this years prize money.
The winners will receive US$ 50,000, runners up will receive US$ 20,000, then third US$ 9,000, fourth US$ 8,000, fifth US$ 7,000, sixth US$ 6,000, seventh US$ 5,000
and eighth US$ 4,000.

WOMEN WILL RECEIVE THE SAME PRIZE MONEY AS THE MEN.

The race is on a twisting tarmac road starting at an altitude of 765m and climbing 790m to the Obudu ranch plateau at altitude 1575m. The distance is 11km.

Last years race was won by Australian Ben Dubois in a time of 48minutes 44 seconds,
and for the ladies, Anna Pichrtova (CZE) in a time of 55 minutes 46 seconds

Athletes entering from outside of Nigeria are being offered return transport to Obudu from Calabar and full board accommodation by the organisers.
Top invited international level athletes will receive, in addition, all expenses to arrive in Calabar.

The organisers will supply an official letter to aid in visa applications.

The event is an associate member of the World Mountain Running Association (WMRA) and has been promoted to be an IAAF permit race.

A comprehensive Anti-dope testing programme will be carried out during the event.

The event web page is www.obuduranchmountainrace.com on which a race entry form can be found

The event director is William Archibong whose contact details are escore2000@yahoo.com or
The Chairman,
Local Organizing Committee (LOC),
Obudu Ranch Mountain Race,
106 Asari Eso Layout, Calabar,
Cross River State,
Nigeria.

Matt Carpenter’s time
Matt Carpenter’s winning time was 3 hours 33 minutes 7 seconds. The time in the event report was that of Galen Burrell who was second.

Results Report.

Emma Murray (AUS) retains her title, but USA sweep the board in the men’s Pike Peak Marathon. (Colorado – USA)

Predictions about the winner of the men’s World Long Distance Challenge were correct in identifying local boy Matt Carpenter, six times winner on this course in previous years, as the one to beat. Now aged 42 he is proof that long distance mountain running can be enjoyed at the top level well into the Masters age group. The expected challenge from outside the USA did not materialize with Steidl (GER) 4th, Lopez (MEX)5th, Vencelj (SLO – last year’s silver medalist) 6th and Bolt (SUI – last year’s bronze medalist) 8th.

Carpenter was 9 minutes ahead of Galen Burrell another local boy from Boulder and Zac Freudenburg (St Louis) a further two minutes adrift. His time was 3 hours 45 minutes 41 seconds for the 42km course to the summit of Pikes Peak mountain and back to Manitou Springs, an ascent/descent of 2404m
Running the same course, Emma Murray (AUS) repeated her World Challenge victory in Cauteretes (FRA) last year, thus retaining her World Champion title which she plans to defend next year when the Challenge moves to Switzerland for the Jungfrau Marathon.

Danelle Ballengee (USA), another multiple winner of the Pikes Peak had to settle for second place over four minutes behind.
800 runners took part – a number that would have been doubled had the entry numbers not been limited for safety reasons.
Full results via the link on www.wmra.info

Danny Hughes.

The famous Pikes Peak marathon (Colorado, USA) is the stage for this years Challenge on Sunday 20th August.

Starting at an altitude of 1936m, at Manitou Springs, athletes run up and down the 4340m high mountain covering a distance of 42km.
Race record holder (3 hours 16 minutes 39seconds) and five times winner on Pikes Peak, Matt Carpenter (USA) is the local hero defending his record against newcomers attracted by the new status of the race. He will be challenged by World silver medallist Toni Vencelj (SLO) and top marathon runner Uli Steidl (GER), besides an impressive squad of Mexicans..

Last years Pikes Peak runner up, local girl Danielle Ballengee from Boulder, is under threat from the current World champion, Emma Murray (AUS). Emma’s preparation has been meticulous having availed herself of the high altitude training facility provided by the Australian sports federation in Canberra.

The race is limited to 800 runners for safety reasons and the entry list was filled in less than 24 hours from opening.

Danny Hughes.

Wyatt and Pichrtova win yet again.

The third of six WMRA Grand Prix races took place in Telfes (Austria) on the 11km/1300m ascent Schlickeralm course
In contrast to the hot conditions experienced in Slovenia for last weekend’s second Grand Prix race, the weather has cold and wet. It made no difference to the two favourites, Jonathan Wyatt (NZL) and Anna Pichrtova CZE) who both recorded their third successive Grand Prix victories. With the best four results from six races counting towards the overall Grand Prix winners it is now virtually certain that these two will carry off the first prizes.
European champion Marco Gaiardo (ITA) had to settle for second place once again but this time only one minute behind Wyatt. Ben Dubois (AUS) maintained his form to repeat his third position of last week.
Pichrtova completely dominated the womens entry with a four to five minute lead over the chasing group from Italy, New Zealand and Poland.
Full results may be seen on www.wmra.info and the event web page accessed via the link on that page.
With trail races being staged over the next few weeks in preparation for the World Mountain Running Trophy in Turkey on September 10th, the fourth Grand Prix race waits until September 24th when it takes place in Switzerland (Saillon-Ovronnaz).

Danny Hughes

The WMRA web page is of course www.wmra.info (not .org)!!