Author: wmra_wp

“The Trentino is a wonderful place for hosting mountain running and next 15th European Mountain Running Championships 2016 staged at Arco on next 2nd July 2016 will be a really challenging course.
This kind of event come back Italy after the 2nd edition of the EAA European Mountain Running Championships held in the town of Trento on 2003.
EAA staged officially European Championships starting on 2002, but before under patronage of WMRA were run for seven following years (starting since 1995) an annual edition of European Championships and for this reason it is the third time totally the Italy host the event, because in 1998 Sestrieres organized the fourth edition of this competition.”
Development of mountain running promoting by EAA is very good and almost two third of the European Members practiced this discipline inside their country.
At Arco 25 European Nations will be present: Albania, Austria, Belgium, Belarus, Bulgaria, Czech Rep, Denmark, Spain, France, Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, San Marino, Switzerland, Slovakia, Turkey, Ukrainian.
More than 200 athletes are expected to compete in the four races.
The track will be up and down and junior women will run km. 4,030, junior men and senior women km. 8,540 and senior men km. 12,310.
None of the European Champions of last year will be present this year at Arco for defending their title, but a lot of strong runners will run with the goal of the gold medal.
In the team event, four athletes are allowed to compete per country, the positions of the three best athletes are then added together to create the team scores.
Also in the team result the competition for take the European title will be very close!
So this means that spectators will be certainly satisfied to see this kind of competition.
A lot of Authorities will attend at the event by EAA and FIDAL, but also political people will be there.
Chairman of LOC, Franco Travaglia, invited WMRA President, Bruno Gozzelino, as guest.
Wolfgang Munzel (GER), also WMRA Council member, is EAA Technical Delegate of the Competition.
Other WMRA Council member will be present like officials of the team: Tomo Sarf (SLO), Galia Puhaleva (BUL) and Andrzej Puchacz (POL).

Edited by Bruno Gozzelino (WMRA President)

Source of the pictures (EAA):
on front page:
– event logo.

“Czech Barbora Havlickova won gold medal at 11th Youth International Cup in the girls race, making happy all the spectators, and also, of course, Czech Athletics Federation, LOC and Autorithies at Jaske Lazne.
Turkish Ahmet Alkanoglu took gold medal in the boys race, dominated by Turkish runners with six Turkish finished in the first seven position!&nbsp,

”
“In the girls race, in front of Libor Varhanik, President of Czech Athletics Federation, Frantisek Fojit, General Secretary of the same Federation, Lubomir Franc, President of Hradec Kralove Region, Jiri Hradecky, Mayor of Jaske Lazne,and Vladimir Spidla, Eminent Prime Minister of the Cezch Republik, and all czechian spectators, Barbora Havlickova made a perfect race crossing over the Turkish Fatma Bizek in the last five hundred meters in order to win the title at the 11th Youth International Cup clocked time of 19 minutes and 36 seconds.&nbsp,

Polish Magdalena Swiecka winning the sprint in front of Turkish Tugba Toptas decided the tie for the title: same time for both athletes but Swiecka finished 13th and Toptas was 14th!&nbsp,

The group of Turkish run most part of the race all together and at the end the first four places finished with a total gap less then half minute. Winner Alkanoglu clocked 26:19, Orhan Ozturk, second, finished with time of 26:21, Ibrahim Ozevin, third, with time of 26:40 and Veysel Tumincin finished fourth with time of 26:43.

Second was Turkey B team with 22 points: Ibrahim Ozevin 3., Yusuf Matur 7., Omer Boztepe 12. and Onur Ozturk 26. won silver medal.
On the podium, with third place was Italy with 42 points: Edoardo Bozzolo 8. Marcello Muscetti 14., Belay Jacomelli 20. and Luca Molteni 40. gained bronze medal.&nbsp,

“

“A few days remain to Saturday’s start of the 11th International Mountain Running Youth Cup and organisers of TJ Maratonstav reports readiness. &nbsp,

”
Still is open start list of the Public race, which runs along the classic race Jansk&eacute, L&aacute,zn&#283, -&#268,ern&aacute, hora.&nbsp,

“It was a bright and sunny morning for the start of the 13th World Mountain Running Association (WMRA) Long Distance Mountain Running Championships in Podbrdo, Slovenia today.

”
“With a mixture of technical terrain, complete with rocks and mud, the footing was challenging on many parts of the course. Those with tentative descending skills were quickly left behind by those who were more sure-footed.&nbsp,

Italy&rsquo,s Alessandro Rambaldini was victorious in a record-setting time of 3:44:52, leading his national team to capture team gold. With fellow countryman Marco De Gasperi taking second in 3:46:12, and Fabio Ruga in 14th timed in 4:01:15, the combined score resulted in a time of 11:32:19, more than five minutes of the second place team from Great Britain, led by top finisher for the GBR team, Tom Owens in 4th position with a time of 3:49:34.

On the women&rsquo,s side, the race lead shifted numerous times throughout the day with a come-from-behind finish for Annie Conway (GBR) in a course record time of 4:29:01.&nbsp,

“

“On Saturday 18th June, the World Mountain Running Association (WMRA) Long Distance Mountain Running Championships will be held in Podbrdo, Slovenia, as part of the Gorski Marathon.
This will be the 13th WMRA Long Distance Mountain Running Championships and the second time the championships have taken place at the Gorski Marathon (first time was in 2011).
The course challenges runners with technical trails boasting 2800 meters of total elevation gain/loss over the 42-kilometer route.”
“Runners will ascend out of the narrow valley of the Baca River, and reach the high point in the course of 1760 meters at Cez Suha approximately 15 kilometers into the race.
After reaching this summit, the course is a steep and long downhill section through 21 kilometers and then rolling terrain reaching the lowest point on the course at Hudajuzna (361 meters) at approximately 28 kilometers.
Then race strategies will be interesting as runners encounter the steepest climb in the course with tired legs.
Over the next seven kilometers, runners will climb a punishing average 19% grade to the second highest point in the course at 1590 meters followed by a steep seven -ilometer descent back to Podbrdo for the finish.
Teams have begun arriving in the neighboring town of Bohinjska Bistrica for their stay and pre-race preparations. Expected to be in contention for podium spots are the teams from Italy, USA, Great Britain, and of course the host country &ndash, Slovenia.
More than 20 Nations will be present at the World Championships.
Individual medal favorites are the seasoned mountain runner from Italy, Marco DeGasperi, Mitja Kosovelj (SLO) the winner at the 2011 World Long Distance and four-time medalist in the World Long Distance competitions, and last year&rsquo,s silver medalist in Zermatt, Andy Wacker (USA).
On the women&rsquo,s side, Megan Kimmel (USA) 2015 USATF National Trail Marathon Champion and winner of the North Face 50 Miler in December, 2013 Long Distance Champion Antonella Confortola (ITA), junior World Mountain Running Champion (&rsquo,97) and multi-time national fell running champion Victoria Wilkinson (GBR), will be challenged by a solid field of veterans and up-and-coming mountain runners.
On hand for the WMRA are official WMRA representant Nancy Hobbs (USA) and technical delegate Wolfgang Munzel (GER). Of course will be present also WMRA Council member, slovenian Tomo Sarf.

Edited from Nancy Hobbs (WMRA Treasurer)

Source of the pictures (LOC):
on front page:
– logo of the event,
on second page:
– profile of the race,
– men podium LDMRCH 2011.
“

“Petro Mamu (ERI) and Christel Dewalle (FRA) winners at the 36th edition of &quot,Le Monte&egrave, de Grand Ballon&quot,, first stage of 18the edition of WMRA Mountain Running World Cup 2016.
Cloudy day, fresh air and many spectators for this mountain race in Alsace Region.
LOC were in general satisfied for the partecipation and the results of the event.
”
“Victory of the French Christel Dewalle on the women’s event and new course record in 49:32 for these 9 km and 900m of elevation gain between Goldbach and the summit of the Vosges.
Second in the women race finished with more than two minutes’ gap the German Melanie Noll (clocked 51:36) whilst third finished French Celine Jeannier (time of 52:11).
In the first ten at the end: German Adele Blaise-Sohnus (4th), French Anais Sabre (5th), Swiss Petra Eggenschwiler (6th) and Maya Chollet (7th), Belgium Jessica Marien (8th), Great Britain Louise Mercer (9th) and French Christine Poyet (10th).
63 women runners finished the race.
On male part race from Willer-sur-Thur, the Eritrean Petro Mamu, imposes a third time under the time (59:03), but does manage to beat his record on soft ground and a summit in the clouds.
The Czech Jan Janu took second place in front of the british Andrew Douglas. Julien Rancon finished in 4th place.Then four swiss finished in position from fifth to eighth: Daniel Lustenberger, Alex Jodidio, Pascal Egli and Jeremy Hunt. In the first ten position also ninth Maximilian Nicholls, Great Britain, and tenth French Emmanuel Allenbach.
The gap between the winner Mamu and second arrived Janu was more than two minutes: this aspect explain very well which kind of race was run by Mamu!
302 men runners finished the race.
In the summary it was an important start for the World Cup 2016.
Next stage of World Cup will be on 24th July at Kamnik (Slovenia).
The result about the last edition of the Grand Ballon race are available at the following webpage address:http://www.le-sportif.com/exe/main_resultats_fiche.asp?resma_id=19&amp,dis_id=%2D1&amp,end=t

Edited from Bruno Gozzelino (WMRA President)

Source of the pictures (LOC – EHA Club):
on front page:
&nbsp,- Petro Mamu and Christel Dewalle, winners Grand Ballon 2016,
on second page:
&nbsp,- women podium,
&nbsp,- men podium.”

“The WMRA World Cup gets underway this Sunday, June 12, when the 36th edition of La Mont&eacute,e du Grand Ballon plays host to the first scoring event in the six-race series.
Grand Ballon is a familiar event in the World Cup having hosted since 2008.
The events on Sunday are jointly staged by the quaint and historic French villages of Willer sur Thur and Goldbach Altenbach.”
“The senior men will run approximately 13.2 kilometers on a mostly uphill course with 1231 meters of climbing comprised of single track, wide forested path and rocky terrain after a short start on asphalt in Willer sur Thur.
The senior women start in Goldbach and run a 9 kilometer course with 822 meters of climbing.
Expected on the start line are 2014 winner and course record holder Petro Mamu (ERI), and last year&rsquo,s winner Andrew Douglas (SCO). Mamu is just the third runner to go under one hour on the course having posted a time of 57:36 last year.
A field of nearly 500 will participate in the Grand Ballon events, which also include junior races.
Rain is forecast for race day.
Technical Delegate Tomo Sarf (SLO) will represent the WMRA on race day.

Edited from Nancy Hobbs (WMRA Treasurer)

Source of the pictures (Tomo Sarf, WMRA Council member):
on front page:
&nbsp,- Petro Mamu, winner Grand Ballon 2014 and course record holder,
on second page
– Sarah Tunstal, winner WMRA World Cup 2015.
“

“At Nova Zagora (Bulgaria) was held the 8th edition of ABAF Mountain Running Championships. Five Nations were present: Roumania, Turkey, Serbia, FYR of Makedonia and, hosting Country, Bulgaria.

In particular, Roumania took 6 gold, 3 silver and 2 bronze, so in total 11 medals, Turkey won remaining 2 gold and 4 silver plus 2 bronze, that is 8 medals globally, finally Bulgaria kept 1 silver and 4 bronze, so it means that Bulgaria gained 5 medals in total.
This important event inside the International Mountain Running Calendar was very well organised by BAF, that is also involved in the organisation of the 32th World Mountain Running Championships 2016 at Sapareva Banya, following a tradition very important in Bulgaria for this discipline of the athletics.

”
“In the junior women race (km. 4,180), the winner was decided only in the last part of the race: Turkish Yasemin Zengin bacame Balkan Champion clocked 21 minutes and 30 seconds, just four seconds in front of Romanian Alexia Hecico (21:34). Third was other Romanian runner Loredana Viziteu (time 21:54).In the team results, Roumania won gold medal with 10 points, in front of Turkey (second with 15 points) and Bulgaria (third with 28 points).&nbsp,

“

“Since 2006, the WMRA Youth International Cup has been contested.
The event provides an opportunity for mountain runners ages 16 and 17 in the year of competition to represent their nation on the world stage.
This year&rsquo,s 11th installment of the Youth Cup will be hosted by the Czech Republic in Janske Lazne with 15 nations participating, equal to the participant numbers in 2015 when Bulgaria was the host.”
“

Delegations are due to arrive on Thursday, June 23, with course inspection slated for Friday, June 24, along with the opening ceremony.
On Saturday, June 25, events get underway at 11:30 with the junior girls&rsquo, racing first. The course includes 300 meters of elevation gain over 2.9 kilometers with a start point of 970 meters. This will be a challenging uphill-style route to test the athletes&rsquo, climbing prowess.
The junior boys will follow at noon and run a 4.8-kilometer course with a start point at 690 meters and the finish at 1250 meters. The total elevation gain will be 580 meters.
At last year&rsquo,s Youth Cup, Turkey swept the podium for the girls giving them the coveted team gold medal. There will be a new champion this year as Turkey is not sending a boys&rsquo, or girls&rsquo, team. Italy will return to defending their gold-medal boys&rsquo, team title.&nbsp,
There is also an open race slated as part of the program to give athletes of all ages and abilities an opportunity to experience a challenging 8.6-kilometer course.
This is the 32nd year the Cerna Hora race will be held which illustrates the experience and longevity of mountain running in the Janske Lazne region.
For more info see: http://maratonstav.cz/
&nbsp,

Edited from Nancy Hobbs (WMRA Treasurer)

Source of the pictures:
&nbsp,on front page:
&nbsp,- logo of the event.

“

“A record number of teams will be on hand in Podbrdo, Slovenia for the 13th WMRA World Long Distance Mountain Running Championships on Saturday, June 18, hosted by the Gorski Marathon.
Up from last year&rsquo,s record 19 nations, 22 nations will compete this year with 19 full teams on the men&rsquo,s side and 13 for the women.
Team Italy won gold last year in Zermatt, while the home women&rsquo,s team from Switzerland won their division.
Italy will be ready to defend with a full squad, while the Swiss team does not have a scoring women&rsquo,s team at present, so a new women&rsquo,s team champion will be named in Podbrdo.”
“

As is normal for Slovenia, there was still nearly two meters of snow on the upper reaches of the course one week ago.
With warmer temperatures expected, snow levels will be receding.
However, organizers are prepared to remove snow from a section of the trail &ndash, approximately 300 meters &ndash, should Mother Nature not do its part to melt the snow by race day.
Podbrdo is located at an elevation of 520 meters.
The course climbs 2800 meters with an equal amount of descent.
The high point is at 1760 meters reached approximately 15 kilometers into the course.
The race will start at 8:00 a.m. with the winning time hovering around four hours.

For more info see http://www.gm4o.si/en.html.

&nbsp,

&nbsp,

Edited from Nancy Hobbs (WMRA Treasurer)

Source of the pictures (photos by Tomo Sarf):
on front page:
– logo of the event,
on second page:
– Kopija.

“